New York City, although surprisingly not the most visited place on the planet, it is still the 8th highest visited cities in the world. When you think of New York, most people’s minds automatically go to Times Square, Broadway, and Central Park. But there are so many other things to do in the 4 other boroughs that often get forgotten. If you want a true, more authentic New York experience, follow this guy and see what the real New York is all about.
Brooklyn
In some people’s eyes, Brooklyn is becoming the new Manhatten. A lot of the borough has become gentrified, which is an unfortunate happening. Luckily, there are still a lot of traditional and long-standing members of the borough living throughout the many neighborhoods of Brooklyn and providing amazing art, food, and entertainment.
Most people don’t know this, but Coney Island is actually part of Brooklyn! Hop on one of the trains and make your way through the classic boardwalk and onto one of the rides!
DUMBO, or Down Under the Manhatten Bridge Overpass is an awesome and hip area to explore, especially if you are someone who loves art. There, you will find galleries like the Klompching Gallery and many others as you make your way around the neighborhood.
Queens
Queens is super accessible from Manhatten, especially the neighborhood of Astoria. Astoria has so many cool museums and things to see like the Museum of the Moving Image, the Socrates Sculpture Park, the Noguchi Museum and more. There are also some of the best Greek and Turkish restaurants in Astoria because of the large populations in the area. You will also find a lot of hookah bars, very reminiscent of the Middle East. If you are looking for more of a jazzy sort of night, head over to The LetLove Inn for drinks, amazing music, and all for free!
Bronx
Although the Bronx is a bit far from the city, it is worth going to just for the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Gardens. The Bronx Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, and it has over 2 million visitors every year. The zoo is surprisingly great for people of all ages, so don’t discount it because of your age!
If you are looking for something a bit more serene and mature, visit the New York Botanical Gardens, also located in the Bronx. It has been opened since 1891 and now has over one million living plants spread out over 250 acres and several greenhouses. If you thought New York life was all about hustle and bustle, visiting the botanical gardens will make you think twice.
Staten Island
Although this is the lesser visited of the boroughs, there is something unique about Staten Island; there is a free boat to it from lower Manhatten! You can either take the boat and go to one of the amazingly authentic Italian restaurants or just take the ride and get the chance to see the Statue of Liberty up close!
