Staten Island is the borough people ride to and immediately leave, which is a mistake and also a little bit the joke. The ferry is free, the view is the best in the city, and if you actually get off the boat there's a Chinese scholar's garden, a lot of woods and pizza people will fight you about.
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The Staten Island Ferry
It's free, it runs all day and all night, and it gives you the Statue, the harbor and the whole downtown skyline for the price of nothing. Stand outside on the way out. No smoking on the boat, and none inside the terminals, so have your sesh at home and let the wind handle the rest. Whitehall is by South Ferry on the 1, and Bowling Green on the 4/5 is close.
Staten Island munchies: pizza, delis and Sri Lankan food
Pizza is a religion here. Thin bar pies and old family pizzerias are spread across the island, especially around Port Richmond and along the main avenues, and everyone has a favorite they will defend at Thanksgiving. Italian delis make heroes the size of your forearm. Ask a local which one and clear your afternoon.
The surprise is Tompkinsville, a short walk or a train stop from the ferry, which has one of the biggest Sri Lankan communities in the country. Most New Yorkers have never tried it and should. Hoppers, curries, spicy and cheap. More in NYC munchies.
Things to do on Staten Island when you're baked
Snug Harbor is the big one: old maritime buildings, gardens and paths on the north shore, a quick ride from the ferry. The Chinese Scholar's Garden there is the spot to sit and do nothing, but it runs on limited days in the cold months, so check before you go.
For a real walk, the Greenbelt is thousands of acres of woods in the middle of the island, and High Rock Park is the easy way in. It doesn't feel like New York at all. Conference House Park sits at the very southern tip of the state. Alamo Drafthouse has a location here too, which makes it a legit movie destination, and it's in our movie theaters guide.
Getting around Staten Island
There's no subway connection. There's the Staten Island Railway running down the east side, buses, and a whole lot of people with cars. Do not drive high, ever. Plan a short trip near the ferry, or use the train and a bus. The island mostly goes to bed early, so eat before you head back, or eat on the Manhattan side. Our late-night guide covers the rest.
Where you can sesh on Staten Island
Same city rules: parks, beaches and boardwalks are smoke-free, and cars are out even when parked, which matters more here than anywhere. Fort Wadsworth is national park land, where federal rules apply, so leave it home for that one. The details are in where you can sesh in NYC.
Staten Island: the good and the annoying
The good
A free boat ride, real woods, serious pizza and Sri Lankan food nobody else in the city bothers to go get.
The annoying
Everything is far from everything without a car, and the ferry schedule thins out at night. Also everyone will ask why you went.
