Beauty Queens
WITH spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, hip restaurants and bars and a thriving arts scene, Long Island City is the hottest hangout in New York.
Just one stop from the tourist must-dos of Midtown on the 7 train, it’s minutes away from the sights, but without the hassle and the hefty hotel bills.
This trendy area of Queens was once a centre for New York manufacturing, and some still goes on, but now many of the 19th and 20th century industrial buildings have been transformed into galleries, museums and eateries as well as music and theatre venues.
It’s home to the Museum of Modern Art’s PS1 gallery, The Noguchi Museum and The Fischer Landau Center for the Arts, a private collection that is open to the public for free.
New hotels with rooftop bars and high-end apartments are also springing up, one of which is the Wyndham Garden Long Island City Manhattan View.
Along with other hotels in the area, the Wyndham Garden offers a free shuttle service to the subway and museums.
Staying here also means you are just a short walk from restaurants, independent shops and the wonderful 12-acre Gantry Park. Here you can sit and wonder at Manhattan’s splendour across the East River and take in the Queensboro bridge.
It’s also an ideal place for families to hang out and for tourists to take photos.
The giant Pepsi Cola sign and the Long Island gantry sign, a nod to the island’s past, are spectacular at night.
Among the many restaurants and bars that have the pulling power to bring Manhattan residents across the water are Japanese eaterie Mu Ramen and M. Wells, an old-fashioned steakhouse.
Dutch Kills is a cool hangout where you can down Manhattan-style cocktails at Queens-style prices (from £5.50). Their signature drinks come
with hand-cut ice, all washed down to a background of jazz and ragtime music.
Make sure you check online when you are there for times of the popular Smorgasburg Queens too.
At this Brooklyn flea and food market you can shop the stalls for souvenirs and clothes and sample every kind of street food.
Charming
But, of course, you can’t ignore the city itself. When you’ve done the main sights, take in the atmosphere of districts such as Chinatown, SoHo and Greenwich Village.
Or enjoy a peaceful walk along the High Line, an elevated disused railway, now a charming green space running along the west side of the city from the Meatpacking District to the new Hudson Yards development.
It’s a great place for people-watching while slurping ice cream or sipping coffee.
One of the entry points is at Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District – a huge collection of foodie outlets that will keep you engrossed for hours.
I was particularly mesmerised by the possibility of buying a giant lobster roll for lunch (£12).
If you love your food, take the funny and filling Viator Pizza Tour of SoHo and Greenwich Village with Scott, a veritable mine of information on everything Neapolitan, Sicilian or even fried.
Deliciously fun whether you’re a fan of deep pan or thin crust.