Beyond Manhattan: Why Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens Deserve a Day

Brooklyn: bridges, brownstones and the best skyline views

The Brooklyn Bridge and the woman who finished it

When it opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It was designed by John A. Roebling, who died from an injury before construction began. His son Washington took over, but was soon bedridden by decompression sickness from working in the underwater caissons. His wife, Emily Warren Roebling, became his eyes and voice on site, relaying instructions and mastering the engineering herself. When the bridge opened, she was the first person to ride across it.

DUMBO

The name stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, and this former warehouse district is now one of the most photographed corners of the city. Stand on Washington Street between Front and Water Streets for the classic shot of the Manhattan Bridge framed by brick buildings, with the Empire State Building peeking through its tower. Then walk down to Brooklyn Bridge Park, where Jane's Carousel, a restored 1920s carousel, spins inside a glass pavilion on the waterfront.

The Bronx: baseball, cannoli and the birth of hip-hop

The Bronx is the only New York borough on the mainland, and it takes its name from Jonas Bronck, a 17th-century settler who farmed land here. It has more parkland than you'd expect, including the New York Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo, but its biggest contributions to the world are cultural.

Yankee Stadium

The New York Yankees have played in the South Bronx since 1923. The current stadium opened in 2009 across 161st Street from the original "House That Ruth Built." Even if you can't catch a game, the area around the stadium buzzes on game days, and stadium tours run on many non-game days (check the current schedule).

Arthur Avenue: the real Little Italy

Ask a New Yorker where to find the best Italian food in the city and many will point you not to Mulberry Street but to Arthur Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood. Italian immigrants settled here in the late 1800s, and the strip is still packed with family-run delis, pork stores, bakeries and fresh pasta shops. Step inside the Arthur Avenue Retail Market, an indoor market opened in 1940 to bring the neighborhood's pushcart vendors under one roof, and order a sandwich stacked with fresh mozzarella and cured meats.

Queens: the whole world in one borough

Queens is the largest borough by area, and its residents come from well over a hundred countries. The elevated 7 train, nicknamed the International Express, runs through neighborhoods where you can eat your way around the globe: Himalayan momos and South Asian sweets in Jackson Heights, Colombian bakeries along Roosevelt Avenue, and hand-pulled noodles and soup dumplings in Flushing's bustling Chinatown. Astoria, closer to Manhattan, has long been known for its Greek tavernas.

Flushing Meadows and the Unisphere

Flushing Meadows–Corona Park hosted two World's Fairs, in 1939–40 and 1964–65. The star of the second fair still stands: the Unisphere, a stainless-steel globe about 140 feet tall, surrounded by fountains. Nearby, the New York State Pavilion's observation towers, which played a starring role in Men in Black, rise above the park.