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What Is There to Do in Each One of New York City’s Boroughs?

New York City is the largest city in the United States by population. More than 8 million people call The Big Apple home, which is more than twice as many people as the U.S.’s next largest city, Los Angeles. When it comes to actual size, New York is only ranked 24th, meaning that it is very densely populated. 

New York is a very popular city worldwide, famous for its mile-long list of attractions. Some of the most popular attractions include the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square, and several other places of interest. All of these (and many more attractions) are located in the borough of Manhattan, which is one of the five boroughs. With almost every world-famous attraction located in only one borough, what is there to do in the other four?

Brooklyn

Amusement Parks, Beaches, and the Aquarium

While Manhattan may be the most famous borough (sometimes synonymous with New York City itself), Brooklyn is actually New York’s most populated borough with more than 2 million people living there. Other than the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn is probably most well-known for being the location of Coney Island. At Coney Island, you will find two amusement parks (Luna Park and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park), beaches, and the famous Boardwalk. You can make a weekend itinerary out of it!

There are also several public parks, including Steeplechase Park, and there’s also The New York Aquarium. With the Brooklyn Bridge connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan, you can easily travel back and forth between these two boroughs, whether by car, on foot, using the public transit system, or even by bus rental (which would be the preferred mode of transportation if you’re traveling with a large group of people).

Queens

Diverse Cuisine, The Museum of Art, and Flushing Meadows

Next is Queens, located northeast of Brooklyn. Queens is the largest NYC borough by size, with slightly less people living there than Brooklyn. Queens is also known as being the most ethnically diverse borough in New York, so there are definitely tons of different “hole in the wall” eateries to explore. The most notable attraction here is probably Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, which houses Citi Field, the home field of the New York Mets baseball team. You can also find the famous Unisphere, the New York State Pavilion, the Queens Museum of Art, and the Queens Zoo in this borough.

Staten Island

Parks and an Outlet Mall

Staten Island sits southwest of Brooklyn, separated from both New York City and New York State, and the continental U.S., hence the name Staten Island. The third largest borough by size, but the least populated, Staten Island is famously known for its parks, including Blue Heron Park, High Rock Park, Clove Lake, and Silver Lakes. In addition to beautiful parks, there’s also a newly constructed outlet mall, the first in the city. Here you can enjoy a number of stores from athletics to wellness, and several places to grab a quick bite to eat.

The Bronx

The Largest Metropolitan Zoo in the Country

The Bronx is located slightly northwest of Queens and just above Manhattan with a population of about 1.4 million people. Its most popular attraction is The Bronx Zoo. With over 265 acres and more than 6,000 animals, there is a lot to see at one of the nation’s largest zoos. While it’s not always one of New York’s free attractions, it’s still worth a visit.

New York City is definitely one of the most diverse cities in the United States, and there is so much more to it than Manhattan. Of course, Manhattan is still a place worth visiting to see the Empire State Building, the one World Trade Center, and other attractions, but don’t neglect the other boroughs when visiting New York, as they have much to offer as well.

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