TOP THINGS TO DO IN LONG ISLAND CITY THIS SUMMER
Get new insights on the best things to do in Long Island City, from unique food tours to artistic hideouts to scenic parks!
Long Island City in Queens, NYC is a lively and progressing neighborhood, a few minutes away from Midtown Manhattan. The area is a diverse blend of manufacturing and industrial businesses sprinkled with cultural societies, residential and retail structures. There are several excellent cafes and restaurants, the majority of which are family-owned businesses.
In the 1630s, when the Dutch arrived in Long Island City, the area was used for farming because of its healthy soil. Later on, it became an industrial hub and then a refuge for people wanting to escape the hubbub of Manhattan. It was historically its own city until it got annexed by New York City in 1898.
Today, its boundaries are the East River on the western side, Newtown Creek on the southern end, 36th Avenue on the northern front and lastly, Van Dam Street in the east. Therefore, instead of wasting your time searching, read along to know the top-rated activities in Long Island City:
Long Island City Food Tour
Tourist alert!
To start your L.I.C. tour on a proper note, one of the locally recommended things to do in Long Island City is to take a Long Island City Food Tour. Allow us to save you the online search by presenting the best tour option in NYC; Queen’s Food Tours!
As Chris Rock once famously quipped that there are just three things a woman needs in her life; food, water and compliments. Therefore, stimulate your spouse/partner’s mood through the joyous pedestal of the City’s sumptuous cuisines. Queens Food Tours’ knowledgeable guide will glide you through the historic street to unearth culinary mom and pop goldmines not found in the city’s guidebooks.
Furthermore, the remnants of the industrial past blending with the artistic present will sooth your aesthetic buds remarkably. Additionally, the unique culinary treats housed in these structures will introduce you to taste buds you never knew existed.
For instance, you will experience a burger having a 100 year old recipe, an authentic French patisserie, a rustic Italian eatery from the soul of Naples and much more! Each cultural and culinary attraction of the Long Island City Food Tour has its unique story and distinct flavor that excites the senses.
Therefore, brace yourself for all the cultural and gourmet things to do in Long Island City by booking Queens Food Tours now, but do hurry! Their tours often sold out.
Gantry Plaza State Park
Among all the things to do in Long Island City, visiting Gantry Park is a charm you do not want to miss, particularly at night when the air is filled with lights and romance. It is a waterfront square positioned in Hunter’s Point and delights visitors with the most mesmerizing views of the New York skyline. Gantry Park is considered to be one of America’s most beautiful urban parks.
The park sits on the East River’s banks and as you look out from the Gantry Park, the high-rises of NYC amplify majestically before your eyes and stand tall as if mounted by the heavens.
MoMA PS1
If you have an eye for art, then one of the first things to do in Long Island City is to visit America’s oldest and biggest art institution; MoMA PS1. It is an actual exhibition space and not just a collecting institution. The establishment bestows its energy and resources to put on show the world’s most experimental art.
A boiling pot of new ideas and trends in contemporary art, MoMA PS1 is the final destination for emerging artists and adventurous new work by renowned artists. The exhibitions at MoMA PS1 range from artists’ retrospectives, historical surveys and art from across the United States and the world.
Hunter’s Point South Park
Visiting the waterfronts’ Hunter’s Point South Park is one of the simpler yet fulfilling things to do in the Long Island City. It was an abandoned industrial spread not long ago, which got converted into a surreal space that offers joy and relaxation for everyone in the Long Island City. The park includes a central green range, playground, bikeway, waterside promenade and 13k square feet pavilion that hold comfort stations and an elevated cafe plaza.
Hunter’s Point South Park, situated between the 50th and 54th Avenue, is also a photographer’s haven, with the park glittering with vantage points for taking fantastic photos of your loved ones.
Enjoy Nature
One of the essential things to do in Long Island City is to relish a number of green areas situated in this neighborhood. For instance, explore the $45 million Dutch Kills Green project that features native plantings, wetlands and artist-designed benches. Moreover, you will spot bike trails which start at Pulaski Bridge and sail you on a picturesque ride to Lower East Side of Manhattan. Cycling is often recommended to feel the beat of Long Island City and its urban aesthetics.
The Noguchi Museum
The Noguchi Museum is the founder of LICCA – the Long Island City Cultural Alliance. It is devoted to increase the perceptibility and approachability of L.I.C which is home to a remarkably diverse band of performing and visual arts organizations and cultural institutions. It is especially recommended for tourist with an eye for contemporary art.
The Sculpture Center
Among all the artistic things to do in Long Island City, visiting NYC’s sole contemporary art museum devoted to sculpture should be at the top. The space is used by internationally recognized stars and emerging local artists for temporary exhibitions. A $ 4.5 million overhauling in 2014, transformed 6,500 square feet into two different levels of exhibition spaces. The museum also offers a 1,500-square-foot courtyard for outdoor displays.
The center promotes creativity through enlightening workshops, discussions and events featuring motion pictures and live performances. The Sculpture Center was originally founded in Brooklyn as The Clay Club in 1928. In 2001, the management bought a defunct trolley repair shop to base its current site. The façade of the building was redesigned by Maya Lin – the landscape artist who also created Washington D.C.’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
