Things to Do on Staten Island: Your Complete Visitor’s Guide (2026)

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Most visitors to New York City treat Staten Island like a punchline. They board the ferry, photograph the Manhattan skyline, and turn straight back. That is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in New York. There are extraordinary things to do on Staten Island that almost no tourists bother to discover — from a living history museum that dates to 1695, to 2,800 acres of urban forest, a world-class botanical garden, and some of the finest pizza you will eat anywhere in the five boroughs.

This guide covers the best things to do on Staten Island, how to get there, where to eat, and how to plan a visit that goes well beyond the ferry terminal.

The Staten Island Ferry — New York’s Greatest Free Experience

The Staten Island Ferry is one of the finest travel bargains in the world. It costs nothing. It runs every day, around the clock, all year round. And it gives you a 25-minute crossing of New York Harbour with the Statue of Liberty on your port side and the Manhattan skyline behind you.

This is one of the genuinely outstanding free things to do in New York — and unlike the paid Statue of Liberty ferry, you get the same harbour views for nothing at all. Boats run every 30 minutes during peak hours and every hour during quieter periods overnight.

What to Expect on Board

The orange double-decked boats carry up to 4,500 passengers each. Stand on the open outdoor deck at the front or sides for the best views. Most tourists crowd the right side of the departing Manhattan boat — so take the left side for a clearer look at the Statue of Liberty.

Depart from Whitehall Terminal at the bottom of Manhattan, a short walk from Bowling Green or South Ferry subway stations. No ticket, no booking, no cost — simply walk on board and cross the harbour.

St. George — More Than a Terminal

St. George is the neighbourhood around the ferry terminal, and it rewards a short walk before you head inland. The St. George Theatre opened in 1929 as a grand movie palace and still hosts live performances today. The area has a small but active arts scene, independent coffee shops, and views back across the harbour that rival anything you get from the Manhattan side. Spend half an hour here before catching transport to other attractions.

Snug Harbor Cultural Centre and Botanical Garden

About a mile from the ferry terminal, Snug Harbor ranks among the most undervisited attractions in New York City. The site spreads across 83 acres and holds a remarkable collection of 19th-century Greek Revival buildings, manicured gardens, and several museums worth a dedicated visit.

The Staten Island Museum occupies the main hall, covering natural history, science, and the story of the island itself. Entry is modest and the collection is genuinely interesting — particularly the natural history galleries.

The New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden

The highlight of Snug Harbor for many visitors is the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden — one of only a handful of authentic classical Chinese gardens outside Asia. Craftsmen from Suzhou, China built it using traditional techniques and materials brought from China specifically for the project. The result is a completely serene, intricately designed space that feels nothing like the city just beyond the gates.

The grounds also contain the Staten Island Children’s Museum, a Japanese hill-and-pond garden, and the Noble Maritime Collection dedicated to the history of the working harbour. Entry to the outer grounds is free. Individual attractions carry their own admission fees.

Historic Richmond Town

In the centre of the island, Historic Richmond Town preserves what was once the Third County Seat of Staten Island — a settlement whose history stretches back to 1695. This is a living history museum spread across a real historic village, and it stands among the finest of its kind on the East Coast.

Inside the Village

Thirty historic structures stand on the site. The conservation team has relocated many of these buildings from their original locations across Staten Island to preserve them here. On open days throughout spring and autumn, costumed interpreters demonstrate period crafts: printing, tinsmithing, carpentry, and period food preparation. You can walk through a Dutch-era farmhouse, a Victorian courthouse, and a general store whose roots go back to the 1680s.

Families with children particularly enjoy the hands-on programmes here. The setting — a quiet colonial village sitting within the boundaries of one of the world’s great cities — makes a striking impression. The museum also sits beside LaTourette Park, so you can walk the surrounding woodland afterwards at no extra cost.

The Staten Island Greenbelt

The Greenbelt is one of the most astonishing places in New York City. It covers 2,800 acres of continuous forest in the middle of Staten Island — the largest wild green space in any of the five boroughs, and a genuine surprise for those who associate New York only with concrete and skyscrapers.

Walking and Hiking the Trails

The Greenbelt trail network runs for more than 35 miles. High Rock Park, near the centre, is the best starting point for most visitors. Paths wind through oak and tulip-tree woodland, past glacial kettle ponds, open meadows, and ridgeline viewpoints. Trails range from flat, easy walks to more demanding hill routes that give views across the whole harbour.

Birdwatchers do extremely well here. The Greenbelt sits on the Atlantic Flyway migration corridor, and over 300 bird species have been recorded in or around Staten Island. Spring and autumn migration periods make for outstanding wildlife watching. Entry to the Greenbelt is free.

Food and Drink on Staten Island

Staten Island has a serious claim to producing some of the best pizza in New York City. The borough’s large and long-established Italian-American community has supported excellent neighbourhood pizzerias for generations. Do not leave without eating here.

Where to Eat

Denino’s Pizzeria & Tavern in Port Richmond has served the borough since 1937. The thin-crust pizza here — particularly the white clam pie — is exceptional and draws dedicated visitors from across the city.

Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria in Castleton Corners has been open since 1960. The family-recipe tomato sauce and paper-thin crust define the classic Staten Island style.

Beyond pizza, the island’s dining scene reflects its diverse immigrant communities. Tompkinsville has excellent Sri Lankan restaurants. Victory Boulevard offers strong Vietnamese options. The borough’s West African, South Asian, and Italian-American food cultures together produce a dining landscape far richer than most visitors expect.

Staten Island’s South Shore Beaches

The south shore faces the Atlantic, and the beaches here are cleaner and far less crowded than the famous strands at Coney Island or the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk stretches for 2.5 miles along the coast between South Beach and Midland Beach. Locals come here early in the morning and during the evenings for walks along the shoreline with open views of the Lower New York Bay.

Water quality on the south shore has improved significantly over the past decade. For a calmer, less touristy beach day within the city boundaries, this stretch of shoreline is a genuinely good alternative. Parking and beach access are both free.

Getting to Staten Island

The free Staten Island Ferry is the easiest and most practical route for most visitors. Take the 1, R, or W subway line to South Ferry or Rector Street stations. Whitehall Terminal is a short walk from either stop. Our complete guide to getting around New York City covers subway directions, bus routes, and all transport options across the boroughs in detail.

The NYC Ferry service also connects Staten Island to Brooklyn and parts of Midtown Manhattan. This service charges a standard fare (currently $4 each way) and provides a different perspective on the harbour crossing.

If you drive to New York, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connects Staten Island to Brooklyn and gives easy access to the southern boroughs. Within the island, the Staten Island Railway runs from St. George south to Tottenville — a useful route for reaching Historic Richmond Town and the south shore beaches.

How Staten Island Compares to the Other Boroughs

Staten Island is quieter and more residential than Brooklyn or Manhattan. That is part of its appeal. The pace is slower. You will not find the density of bars, restaurants, and shops that you encounter in Williamsburg or SoHo. What you do find is genuine breathing room, exceptional green space, authentic local neighbourhoods, and a side of New York that almost no tourist ever explores.

For visitors travelling on a tight New York City budget, Staten Island offers outstanding value. The ferry is free. The Greenbelt and all parks are free. The beaches are free. Most of the most rewarding experiences here cost far less than the equivalent tourist attractions in Manhattan.

Frequently Asked Questions About Things to Do on Staten Island

How do I get to Staten Island from Manhattan?

Take the free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal at the southern tip of Manhattan, near Bowling Green and South Ferry subway stations. The crossing takes approximately 25 minutes and runs every day of the year, around the clock. You need no ticket, no booking, and no payment in either direction.

Is the Staten Island Ferry really free?

Yes — completely free in both directions for foot passengers. Staten Island has operated the ferry without charge since 1997. It remains one of the most remarkable free experiences in any major city in the world, and the views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline are genuinely among the best in New York.

How long should I spend on Staten Island?

Allow a full day if you plan to visit Snug Harbor, Historic Richmond Town, and the Greenbelt. A half-day works well if your main goal is the ferry crossing, a walk around St. George, and lunch at one of the pizza institutions. Getting between attractions takes time — the island stretches twelve miles from north to south, and bus connections are not always swift.

What is Staten Island best known for?

Staten Island is best known for the free ferry crossing, its Italian-American pizza culture, the Greenbelt nature reserve, and Historic Richmond Town. It carries the slightly unfair reputation as New York’s “forgotten borough” — unfair, because visitors who make the effort to explore it consistently find it far more rewarding than they expected.