Staten Island, NY Road Trips

Staten Island is a borough of about 500,000 people. While that's not even half of the population of any of the other boroughs, it's still respectable for a U.S. city, comparable to Omaha or Tucson. Staten Island is in New York Harbor, and is the southernmost point in New York State. Staten Island is New York City's only borough that lacks a predominant numbered street grid -- you can not depend on the numbers of the streets to tell you where you are. Staten Island has four main highways: the Staten Island Expressway (I-278), the West Shore Expressway (NY-440), the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway (also NY-440), and the Korean War Veterans Parkway (unofficially known as the Richmond Parkway). The Staten Island Expressway runs east-west, from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the Goethals Bridge. The West Shore expressway runs south from the Staten Island Expressway in the northwest portion of the island to the Outerbridge Crossing in Tottenville. The Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway runs north from just east of the SIE's junction with the West Shore to the Bayonne Bridge. The Korean War Veterans Expressway branches off from the West Shore Expressway just north of the Outerbridge and runs northeast all the way to Eltingville. Compared to the neatly-organized grid of Manhattan, the layout of Staten Island's streets may seem like a child's drawings. On the contrary, most streets run in a simple pattern.

As the official "Borough of Parks", Staten Island has a large collection of parks. They range from modest playgrounds to immense expanses of raw nature. All parks operated by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation are open 6AM–1AM, but the Greenbelt is operated by the Greenbelt Conservancy and Gateway is operated by the National Park Service. Parks affiliated with schools are the only exception. These are open from dawn to dusk, and it is generally considered good etiquette to stay out of the park if schoolchildren are playing in it. Some parks in Staten Island are: 1 Amundsen Circle, Amboy Road & Riedel Avenue (S57 to Amboy Road & Guyon Avenue, then walk two blocks south down Amboy Road). 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. 2 Blue Heron Park, Poillon Avenue & Amboy Road (No public transportation. Entrance for cars is on Poillon Avenue.). 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. 3 Clawson Playground, Adelaide Avenue & Emilra Street (S57 to Guyon Avenue & Whitehall Street, then walk east down Guyon Avenue and make a right onto Elmira Street). Open between dawn and dusk, except for school hours. This deceivingly small park has two large asphalt playgrounds, two smaller ones, a grass field, a baseball field, basketball courts, and a jungle gym.

Staten Island FerryHawks, at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at 75 Richmond Terrace (within walking distance of the St. George Ferry Terminal), [email protected]. Go to a game of this independent Atlantic League baseball team. Come for a relaxed, fun time, away from the smothering hustle and bustle of the major leagues. (updated Dec 2021) 1 Staten Island Zoo, 614 Broadway (S48/98 or S53), ☏ +1 718-442-3100, [email protected]. Daily, 10AM-4:45PM. 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. Adults $10, Seniors (60+) $7, Children (3-16) $6, children under 2 free. Also, free on Wednesdays after 2PM. The New York Public Library, Various locations. Come and visit one of the largest public library collections in the world. Just sit down with one of the millions of good books and relax. You can also use a computer or take books outside of the library, although you first must register for one of the library's famous red and blue cards. For the history buff in you, every Staten Island branch has a file cabinet marked Staten Island Local History with fascinating documents relating to Staten Island's history. A list of Staten Island locations can be found below. Free. Atrium Stadium Theaters, 680 Arthur Kill Rd (S74/84 to Arthur Kill Road at Cortelyou Avenue), ☏ +1 718 984-7600. Another large movie theater, the Atrium is also great for taking in a movie.

While the vast majority of Staten Island eateries are Italian, there are some gems of other types of ethnic cuisine in the St. George and Tompkinsville neighborhoods. Mostly within a mile of each other on Victory Blvd (and in walking distance from the ferry terminal), the authentic and inexpensive restaurants serve up flavorful South Asian cuisine well worth the trip. 1 Denino's Pizzeria & Tavern, 524 Port Richmond Ave, ☏ +1-718-442-9401. Su–Th 11AM–11PM, F Sa 11AM–midnight. It is reasonably priced and has tasty dishes besides pizza. (updated Apr 2021) 2 Joe And Pat's, 1758 Victory Blvd (S61/S91 S62/S92 S66 from Bus Ramp A to Manor Road, X12/X42 express buses from Manhattan to Manor Road, S93 bus from Bay Ridge to Manor Road), ☏ +1-718-981-0887. Su–Th 11AM–10PM, F Sa 11AM–11PM. 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. (updated Apr 2021) 3 Pizzeria Giove, 278 New Dorp Ln (S76/86 to Clawson Avenue), ☏ +1-347-286-0635. M–Sa 11AM–10PM, Su noon–midnight. 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. (updated Apr 2021) 4 Ralph's Italian Ices, 501 Port Richmond Ave (S44/94 or S59 to Walker St). 11:30AM–10:30PM daily. The original store of the successful chain of stores serving light, refreshing ices.

St. George has a few bars located south of the ferry terminal. Make a left when you leave the boat. Look for a cozy bar at Beso at 70 Bay Street where you can try a jalapeño margarita. 1 Flagship Brewery, 40 Minthorne St, ☏ +1-718-448-5284. W 5–11PM, Th–Sa noon–11PM, Sa noon–8PM, closed M Tu. 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. (updated Apr 2021) There is beer on the Staten Island Ferry. It is cheap (by NYC standards). A 16-ounce can of Bud or Miller will cost $3.50.

Staten Island is the closest borough to New Jersey's Newark International Airport. This results in lower taxi fares and shorter travel times as opposed to Manhattan (the taxi fare is $45 to any point in Staten Island plus up to $10 in tolls). You may want to consider sleeping in a hotel here for this reason. 1 Hilton Garden Inn New York/Staten Island, 1100 South Ave ( S46 or S96 to South Ave & Lois Ln), ☏ +1-718-477-2400. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $140-210.

Staten Island can be reached by passenger ferry from Manhattan. The ferry is the most visually pleasing option for arriving on the island, as it passes by Liberty Island and offers stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and New York Harbor. The ferry is free and operates 24 hours a day out of Battery Park in Manhattan and St. George Terminal in Staten Island; even during the early morning hours, it never runs less than once every half hour at the half hour. You can see a current schedule on this page. The 25-minute ferry ride is also sometimes a faster trip from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island than a corresponding trip by car or bus. The ferry allows bicycles on the lower decks, where there are usually bike racks. The St. George Ferry Terminal is also a terminal for the Staten Island Railway and many of Staten Island's local buses. Staten Island can be reached by bridge from Brooklyn and New Jersey. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connects Brooklyn with Staten Island, but you will incur a high toll of $11.52 with a New York E-Z Pass or $17.00 for out-of-state E-Z Pass users and non-E-Z Pass users (westbound to Staten Island only; no toll eastbound). Bayonne Bridge connects Bayonne, New Jersey with northern Staten Island. Goethals Bridge connects Elizabeth, New Jersey to mid-western Staten Island. Outerbridge Crossing connects Perth Amboy, New Jersey and Tottenville, Staten Island. These last 3 bridges have a $15.00 ($10.50 on Off-Peak times and $12.50 on Peak-times for E-ZPass issued by New York or New Jersey) toll payable only when entering Staten Island, not leaving it.

The subway doesn't go to Staten Island. The Staten Island Railway is a hybrid of a railroad and a subway line. Fares are the same as a subway ride ($2.90), and it runs 24 hours, at intervals from 15 minutes during weekday rush hours to hourly overnight, synchronized to the ferry schedule. Fares are collected only at St. George Ferry Terminal and Tompkinsville, and include a free transfer to or from the buses or subway in Manhattan. During rush hours, express service is provided and the locals terminate at Great Kills. Bus routes cover the island pretty thoroughly. There are two types of buses: The local buses run routes all over Staten Island and are distinguished by the S before the route number (ex. S55, S78). They have uncomfortable plastic seats and cost $2.50. During rush hours, some buses run Limited and stop at major cross streets and transfer points. For example, the S62 starts at Jewett Avenue, making all stops east, while the S92 makes all stops west of Jewett Avenue that the S62 normally makes, while stopping only at major streets like Clove Road east of Jewett Avenue. Limited route numbers are always in the 80s and 90s, and the numbers of the local and limited routes usually correspond (S62/S92, S46/S96). Many local buses terminate at the St. George Ferry Terminal.

When discussing crime in Staten Island, it first must be established that Staten Island is not a crime-ridden mob haven, as it is portrayed in movies and reality TV. Staten Island is no more dangerous than any of the other boroughs of New York City. However, it does have some crime. The northern and southern portions of Staten Island are pretty different in the amount and type of crime found there. The North Shore has a somewhat elevated crime rate compared to the rest of the island. It is home to large low-income housing projects. They attract a lot of petty crime and some more serious crimes. Be careful when walking alone at night. Once you get below the Staten Island Expressway, however, the situation changes. The South Shore has a relatively low crime rate. Residents often joke about it, saying that the local burglars are nice enough to wait until your car is unlocked to rob it. Travelers to the South Shore with seasonal allergies may be better advised to worry about high pollen counts during the spring. There are dozens of trees on most South Shore streets (so many you may not believe you're still in New York City). If you have severe allergies, consider addressing the problem before coming to Staten Island in April or May. In addition to pollen, trees also bring pesky critters. Please take necessary precautions if you have severe allergies or a strong aversion to any of the following: Squirrels Birds and (perhaps more importantly) their droppings Ants Bumblebees Woodpeckers, owls, or other common large birds