Staten Island, which geographically speaking belongs more to New Jersey than to New York, is the least populated district of the city and is essentially a residential area. It is directly connected to Manhattan by a free ferry service that leaves from the southern tip of Downtown and reaches the northern part of the island in the area of St. George after about 25 minutes of navigation. It also connects to Brooklyn through the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge built in 1964 and to New Jersey with three other bridges.
Summary sheet
Places to Visit
The Verrazzano Bridge, the large suspension bridge opened in 1964 that connects the island to Brooklyn. For outdoor activities there are two beaches, South Beach and Midland Beach as well as various parks that actually make Staten Island the greenest neighborhood in the city. There is the Greenbelt area where there are the High Rock Park, Willowbrook Park, Freshkills Park and LaTourette Park. Further south, Wolfe's Pond Park and Conference House Park.
Culture
Historic Richmond Town is an open-air museum with more than 30 historic buildings and sites dating from the late 17th and early 20th centuries. Then there is the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, an area that includes 26 buildings built in Greek Revival, Beaux Arts and Italian and Victorian styles, a botanical garden, the Noble Maritime Collection and the Staten Island Children's Museum. There are also a number of small museums including the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, the candle factory of Antonio Meucci, where Giuseppe Garibaldi stayed between 1850 and 1853. Then the Staten Island Museum, with a collection dedicated to the island on natural science, art and history since 1881, the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art on Tibetan and Himalayan art and culture and the National Lighthouse Museum. In addition, some historical residences, the Alice Austen House, home of photographer Elizabeth Alice Austen, the Seguine Mansion and the Conference House. Finally, the Fort Wadsworth, which before its closure in 1994 was the military installation in the United States with the longest duration of active service, and the Staten Island Zoo.
Food & shopping
The Staten Island Mall, the main shopping center, is located in the center of the island and close to the Pergament Enterprises Mall and Richmond Shopping Center. To the south is the Bricktown Centre At Charleston while to the north, near the ferry terminal is under construction the Empire Outlets, the first outlet inside New York whose opening is scheduled for April 2019.
Map
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THE GUIDE
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