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Staten Island is the often-forgotten fifth borough of New York City and is something of a small town in a big city. There are roads leading to the island and plenty of ferries from Manhattan. Staten Island offers something of a contrast to the rest of the hustle and bustle of the big city. No ultimate guide to New York City could ever be fully complete without visiting the city's fifth borough.
Staten Island lacks the high-profile attractions of the other boroughs (especially Manhattan), but it has its own set of things to see and do that make it worth visiting. It is an easy day trip from Manhattan by ferry and means that one can tick all the boroughs off the New York City bucket list. The contrast between the concrete jungle of skyscrapers of Manhattan and the small-town feel of Staten Island couldn't be greater.
Best Time To Go To Staten Island
The best time to go to Staten Island is either in the summer or the shoulder seasons. Staten Island is not particularly a tourist destination, so no one needs to worry about the sort of crowds one may find in tourist destinations like Yellowstone.
Staten Island's main attractions are its historic districts and its many city parks (it has 170 parks). While these can be visited at any time of year, winter is not a good time (and historic attractions have reduced services).
- Best Time To Go: Early Autumn, Summer, Late Spring
Summer days can be a bit hot, but normally it's not too much of an issue.
Winters, late autumn, and early spring are best avoided as the parks will not look good and the services and attractions at places like Historic Richmond are limited (and they are some of the main attractions to the island).
Best Ways To Get Around
Staten Island is part of New York City MTA, but there is no subway connection with Staten Island. There is a metro train offering commuter service on Staten Island, but to connect with the other four boroughs, people normally take the ferries to Manhattan.
There is an expensive bus network on the island (see the map of the bus service on Staten Island). So the main way to get around Staten Island is by bus and the main way to get to Staten Island from Manhattan is by ferry.
The bus service on the island is easy to use and networks the island quite well. So getting around the island by public transport will not be a problem.
Those who would like a bit more convenience can just use a hailing app like Uber or Lyft to get around.
Where To Eat In Staten Island
Eater New York considered Staten Island to be a low-key culinary paradise. Staten Island has benefited from a large influx of Italian immigrants who moved there from Brooklyn after the Verrazzano Bridge was built in 1964.
Today Staten Island is famous for its Italian-American specialties and some of NYC's top-rated pizza places.
Some of the places to dine include:
- Royal Crown Bakery: Enjoy Traditional Italian Pastries and Made to Order Cakes
- Pio Hot Bagels: Considered in the Running As The Best Bagel In NYC
- Killmeyer's: Enjoy A Historic German Bar & Restaurant
- New Asha: Explore The Best Of "Little Sri Lanka" With Kottu Roti, Sambol, And More
There are plenty of other places to eat. Be adventurous and explore the influences of cuisines from around the world on Staten Island.
Many of the best restaurants may be the humbler "mom and pop" restaurants.
Where To Stay & Accommodations In Staten Island
New York City has plenty of places to consider staying when visiting for the first time. According to TripAdvisor the top accommodation options for Staten Island are:
Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island:
Hampton Inn & Suites has easy access to local restaurants and provides car rentals if needed.
Guests can also cross over to the Hilton's restaurant for easy meals or use their onsite restaurant. They also have pet-friendly rooms.
- Accommodation: Hampton Inn & Suites
- Price: From $137
- Address: 1120 South Avenue Staten Island, New York 10314
Hilton Garden Inn Staten Island:
Hilton Garden Inn is listed as the second-best place to stay in Staten Island with large and clean rooms plus it also has pet-friendly rooms.
- Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn
- Price: From $134
- Address: 1100 South Avenue Staten Island, New York 10314
The Harbor House:
The Harbor House is a great option for bed and breakfast accommodation on Staten Island, and it has a great view from the front porch of the water.
- Accommodation: The Harbor House
- Price: From $99
- Address: 1 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10305
Top Things To Do Around Staten Island
Staten Island is a small town in the Big Apple and has plenty of things to see and do. Much of the borough's attractions involve exploring the historic districts, browsing museums, walking through the city parks, and enjoying the culinary experience on the island.
These can be part of a day tour of Staten Island or a multiday tour of the island depending on how much time one has in New York City.
Explore Historic Richmond:
One of the main attractions on the island is Historic Richmond. It has houses and buildings stretching back to the days of Dutch colonial settlement complete with re-enactors.
It is perhaps the best place on the island to learn about the colonial history of Staten Island and NYC.
Explore The Culinary Scene
Staten Island is not only famous for its excellent Italian eateries, but it is also famous for its excellent German, Sri Lankan, and other culinary heritage.
The island boasts a great infusion of cuisine from different cultures and is a great place for any foodie to explore.
See Staten Island's Parks
With some 170 parks, Staten Island is known as the Borough of Parks. It has means of beaches along its eastern shore with incredible views of the New York Harbor and Raritan Bay.
So in the spring and see the fresh life and growth of spring in these parks or visit during the autumn and see the beautiful fall foliage.
The reasons to visit Staten Island in the fall are similar to why one should visit NYC in the autumn over any other season.
Explore Staten Island's Historic Districts
The historic districts on Staten Island are St. George Historic District and the St. Paul's Avenue-Stapleton Heights Historic District. Here visitors will find large and beautiful Victorian homes.
See how NYC was not always the bustling mega-metropolis that it is today.
Try To Get A Glimpse Of The Ship Graveyard
Staten Island is home to a ship graveyard - not nearly as impressive and dramatic as the massive ship-breaking yards of South Asia — like the Alang Ship Breaking Yard in India (the largest in the world).
But the Staten Island Boat Graveyard with its many ghost ships does offer an eerie experience in NYC and a peak into the fate of many old American ships.
Guide To Popular Neighborhoods
When it comes to neighborhoods to explore on Staten Island, the best neighborhoods to explore are the historic ones. The historic districts are the New York City Farm Colony, the St. George/New Brighton Historic District, and the St. Paul's Avenue — Stapleton Heights Historic District.
Here are links to useful maps of each of the historic districts.
- New York City Farm Colony-Seaview Hospital Historic District
- St. George/New Brighton Historic District
- St. Paul's Avenue - Stapleton Heights Historic District
At Historic Richmond people and see a few of the oldest buildings in NYC. See buildings from the colonial Dutch times and the colonial English (and later British) times preserved in this living museum.
They have over a dozen restored historic buildings to explore and even a garden that's open in the summer months.
Tips To Know
Staten Island may not be high on people's bucket lists when visiting NYC, but it is very much worth visiting. The island is well-connected with New Jersey, but folks generally need to take a ferry from Manhattan.
As it is part of NYC, people can use their MetroCard for public transport to and around the island (mostly ferries and buses).
Staten Island is worth spending at least a day visiting. Visitors should not expect to see iconic NYC landmarks that other boroughs (especially Manhattan) are famous for. So visitors should not be disappointed by not finding a Times Square, Central Park, or Empire State Building there.
The ferry ride from Manhattan also offers great views of the harbor and of the New York skyline from the harbor. The ferry ride is worth the trip in itself and saves on paying for a New York Harbor cruise.
How To Spend The Perfect Day On Staten Island
Visitors can choose whether they would like to spend the night on Staten Island or not. But it can also be visited on a day trip.
A perfect day trip to Staten Island might include taking the ferry there at a reasonable hour in the morning and then spending a couple of hours exploring Historic Richmond, finding a great eatery for lunch, and then exploring more of the many city parks and museums during the later afternoon before dining at one of its famous Italian restaurants before taking a night ferry back to Manhattan.
Alternatively, spend the night on Staten Island and soak in more of the atmosphere of the borough and have more time to get out and explore more of the attractions on the island.
FAQ
Q: Where Is Staten Island?
Staten Island is the southernmost borough of New York City just south of Brooklyn and Manhattan and it is separated from New Jersey by a narrow strip of water.
Q: What Is Staten Island Famous For?
Staten Island is famous for being the "small town" of NYC, for its great restaurants, its many parks, and its historic districts. It is a great place to explore the colonial history of NYC.
Q: What Is Life Like On Staten Island?
Staten Island is a small town in New York City. Even though it is larger in land area than The Bronx or Manhattan, it is home to only around 500,000 of NYC's 8.8 million inhabitants.
Thus, Staten Island is more laid back than the other boroughs of NYC and is famous for its relaxing and calming gardens — like Snug Harbor's botanic gardens.