St. George
The ferry terminal, the Staten Island Museum, Empire Outlets and a walkable waterfront. Everything starts here.
Borough 05 · Staten Island
Staten Island
The borough most visitors see only from the deck of a ferry — and the one that rewards getting off it. A free crossing, a cultural campus in a former sailors' home, and the calmest afternoon in New York.
The borough
The city at its calmest
Staten Island is the least dense and most suburban of the five boroughs. It is also the easiest day trip in New York: the ferry is free, runs around the clock, and takes 25 minutes each way.
Most people ride the ferry, take the photograph of the Statue of Liberty and come straight back. That is a good use of an hour. Better: get off at St. George, walk the waterfront, take the S40 bus to Snug Harbor, and have lunch on the island.
If you want a beach or a forest without leaving the city, this is where you find them — the Staten Island Greenbelt and the boardwalk at Midland Beach are both reachable by bus.
495Kresidents
25min ferry
83acres of Snug Harbor
$0ferry fare
Neighbourhoods
Where to spend your half-day
St. George and Snug Harbor are the two stops worth planning around.
Snug Harbor
An 83-acre former sailors' retirement home turned arts campus, with a botanical garden and Chinese Scholar's Garden.
Tottenville
The island's historic southern tip and the Conference House. A long bus ride for history lovers.
The Greenbelt
A 2,800-acre forest network with trails in the middle of the borough. Bring proper shoes.
Midland Beach
A boardwalk and ocean air, quiet outside summer weekends.
Historic Richmond Town
A restored village tracing the island's 350-year history. Seasonal hours.
What to do
The essentials
01
The Staten Island Ferry
Free, 24/7, every ~30 minutes, 25 minutes each way. The best free view of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan.
02
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
The Chinese Scholar's Garden, the botanical garden and galleries across 83 acres. Take the S40 from the ferry.
03
Staten Island Museum
Small, free-ish, and a good introduction to the island's natural and social history.
04
Empire Outlets
Shopping and food right at the ferry terminal — useful on a wet day.
05
Fort Wadsworth
A former coastal defence site with harbour views and free access, a short bus or walk from St. George.
06
The Greenbelt
Forest trails and the Greenbelt Nature Center — the wildest corner of New York City.
Where to eat
Lunch on the island
You are not coming to Staten Island for the restaurant scene — you are coming for the ferry and the quiet. Still, there are a few genuinely good local places.
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Denino's Pizzeria
A Staten Island institution on Port Richmond Avenue. Thin crust, no fuss.
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Lee's Tavern
Dongan Hills. Another old-school pizza stop worth the bus ride.
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Enoteca Maria
St. George. A rotating cast of nonnas from around the world cook the menu.
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Empire Outlets food hall
The easy option at the ferry terminal, with harbour views.
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Arthur Kill Road bakeries
The island takes its bakeries seriously; ask locally for the current favourite.
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Waterfront cafés
St. George's waterfront has coffee with a view of Manhattan. Hard to beat for the price.
One day here
One day in Staten Island
A slow half-day, with the best views of the trip saved for the boat.
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9:30 · Whitehall Terminal
Take the free ferry from Manhattan. Stand outside on the right for the Statue of Liberty.
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10:00 · St. George waterfront
Walk the promenade, then the Staten Island Museum or Empire Outlets if it is raining.
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11:30 · Snug Harbor
S40 bus to the cultural center; the Chinese Scholar's Garden and grounds take two hours.
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14:00 · Lunch
Back toward St. George for pizza or a waterfront café.
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16:00 · Ferry back
Return at sunset for the skyline from the water.
Getting there
Getting there
The free Staten Island Ferry leaves Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day. From St. George, S40/S44 buses reach Snug Harbor; the S51 runs along the island's east side. The subway does not reach Staten Island — the ferry is the way.
Questions
Staten Island questions
Is the Staten Island Ferry really free?
Yes. It has been free since 1997, runs 24 hours a day, and takes about 25 minutes each way. Walk on; no cars and no reservations.
Is it worth getting off the ferry?
For Snug Harbor and a quiet lunch, yes. If you only have an hour, the round-trip crossing is still one of the best free experiences in New York.
How long does a Staten Island visit take?
Half a day is plenty: ferry, St. George, Snug Harbor, lunch, ferry back. A full day gets you to the Greenbelt or the beaches.
Can I bring a car on the ferry?
Vehicles are only allowed for Staten Island residents and authorised users. Visitors walk on.