Staten Island

Amundsen Circle

A small park that is not much more than a clearing and some trees. A monument to the man the park was named for, Roald Amundsen, stands in the center of it.

Beso

Spanish restaurant with live music occasionally. Tapas and sangria bring some much needed class to the neighborhood. A short walk from the ferry and a great place to eat.

Mon–Thu 11:30AM–11PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM–midnight, Sun 11:30AM–10PM

Blue Heron Park

A large park on the South Shore known from its large collection of wildlife, from birds to wildflowers. True to its name, the park is a known habitat for blue herons.

Bricktown Centre At Charleston

Taking up 400,000 square feet, this mall houses a small number of large stores.

Burrito Bar

Fun Tex-Mex restaurant with generous portions, bar is on the lower level, and restaurant is upstairs.

Sun–Thu noon–midnight, Fri Sat noon–2AM

Clawson Playground

This deceivingly small park has two large asphalt playgrounds, two smaller ones, a grass field, a baseball field, basketball courts, and a jungle gym. It is always peaceful and rarely crowded, as it is shared by Public School 50 during school hours.

Open between dawn and dusk, except for school hours

Conference House

Dates back to 1680, and held an abortive peace conference during the Revolutionary War.

Flagship Brewery

As of 2020, this is Staten Island's first brewery in nearly 60 years. There are some locally crafted beers in the tap room. The tap list is always changing.

Wed 5–11PM, Thu–Sat noon–11PM, Sat noon–8PM, closed Mon Tue

Fort Wadsworth

Dating back to 1663, this fort was used during both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. It remained active until 1995. It is now semi-active, with its main use being local headquarters for the United States Coast Guard. Tours are available.

6AM-8PM

Freshkills Park

Only in the first stages of development, this mega-park is set to be 2,200 acres—three times the size of Central Park. It will cover the wild areas of the Fresh Kills, and the former Fresh Kills Dump. The first section of the park, Schmul Park, in Travis, features a large and colorful playground for kids, along with basketball courts, handball courts, and an open grass field.

Great Kills Park

This park is home to a large woodland and a number of beaches. A small portion of the beach is closed for radiation screenings.

6AM-8PM

Hylan Plaza

A smaller shopping center, Hylan Plaza is still home to a number of retail stores alongside numerous mom-and-pop shops. It's located along a line of smaller shopping centers.

Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art

American woman Jacques Marchais had a dream of traveling to Tibet. While she never made it, her extensive collection of Tibetan artifacts was made into a museum in 1947. The museum now holds over 120 pieces of beautiful Tibetan art. The museum's authenticity was praised by the Dalai Lama.

Wed–Sun 1PM–5PM·Free

Joe And Pat's

Specializes in an extraordinarily thin pizza that is one of the best slices in the city. Uniquely thin without too much cheese, Joe and Pat's slices are some of the lightest in the city. Try the eggplant fries.

Sun–Thu 11AM–10PM, Fri Sat 11AM–11PM

Lakruwana

One of the more elegant eateries. Its fine decor and delicious meals belie the outrageously inexpensive prices. Sundays offer a lunch and dinner buffet.

Tue–Sun noon–10PM, closed Mon

Lemon Creek Park

This park is home to the creek that shares its name, as well as a variety of wildlife. One of the most notable is the purple martin. The park has one of the very few colonies in the New York Metro.

Miller Field

This park was operated as a United States Army airfield from 1919-1969. Now, it is a large, mostly grass park with baseball fields, soccer fields, and a children's playground.

6AM-8PM

Mount Loretto Unique Area

Nature preserve on the South Shore with hiking trails and shoreline access. Fishing is permitted along the beach or the freshwater pond inside the area. Most of the land is minimally developed, and is an excellent place to observe wildlife. An abandoned orphanage on-site, after which the area was named, burnt down in 2000.

New Asha Restaurant

Offers many of the same items at competitive prices. Has been named #1 by the Village Voice Cheap Eats in the past. Featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Try a mutton roll! There are several Sri Lankan groceries that dot the street about a 15-20 minute walk from the ferry.

Wed–Mon 10AM–9PM, closed Tue

Pizzeria Giove

A small pizzeria known for its authentically Italian thin crust pizza. Unlike New York pizza, it is cooked in a wood-fired oven. It has been featured on the TV show Throwdown with Bobby Flay.

Mon–Sat 11AM–10PM, Sun noon–midnight

Postcards

Staten Island's September 11th memorial honors all of its residents that lost their lives on Sep 11, 2001.

Ralph's Italian Ices

The original store of the successful chain of stores serving light, refreshing ices. The chain has numerous other locations in the New York Metro, including a handful in other Staten Island neighborhoods. They are in New Dorp, Great Kills, Eltingville, Huguenot, and Pleasant Plains. The full list can be found here.

11:30AM–10:30PM daily

Snug Harbor Cultural Center

Snug Harbor

This is the largest collection of Greek revival, temple style buildings in America. A true architectural gem featuring the Staten Island Botanic Garden, which features an authentic Chinese Scholar's garden (created by actual Chinese scholars!). There is also an art museum, the John A. Noble Collection, on the grounds. This is one of the most beautiful places in New York, a place even the most jaded New Yorker will marvel at.

South Beach & Boardwalk

This beach is a pleasant place to relax. The water is safe enough to swim in, but it's not the best you can get (you'd get a better deal down the Jersey Shore or on Long Island). The boardwalk, one of the longest in the United States, is great for running or biking.

Staten Island Mall

The Staten Island Mall is the largest mall in New York City and the center of retail life in Staten Island, anchored by Macy's and JCPenney. There is also a large food court and a variety of smaller stores. In the vicinity, there are a number of sizable shopping centers.

Mon-Sat 10AM–9PM, Sun 11AM–6PM

Staten Island Zoo

It's in West New Brighton, and is a fun destination for younger children as well as animal enthusiasts. The zoo used to have the most snake species of any zoo in the world. It no longer holds that title, but still has a substantial reptile wing.

Daily, 10AM-4:45PM·Adults $10, Seniors (60+) $7, Children (3-16) $6, children under 2 free. Also, free on Wednesdays after 2PM

Taqueria Gallo Azteca

The cemitas are to die for, a sandwich with your choice of meat, with avocado, chipotle peppers, quesillo, and beans. One of the best sandwiches you'll ever have.

Mon–Sat 8AM–10PM, Sun 8AM–9:30PM

The Greenbelt

A humongous collection of woodlands and parks (2,800 acres!), the Greenbelt is a collection of nature you wouldn't expect to see in any major city, let alone New York. The Greenbelt covers much of the Mid-Island, so it's best to know which part you want to go to beforehand. A good place to start is the Greenbelt Nature Center an educational facility in the center of the park. The park is a great place for hikers, and a map of hiking trails can be found here

Open dawn to dusk

Von Briesen Park

The former estate of Arthur Von Briesen is now a small, hilly park.

Atrium Stadium Theaters

Another large movie theater, the Atrium is also great for taking in a movie.