Why no mention of the fabulous ethnic food in Queens. That's a major attraction.
I'm glad the Times has discovered what many of us know already: Queens is ripe with attractions that have made it into the celebrated destination of today. There are many people who deserve credit, most especially our Borough President Melinda Katz and the Queens Economic Development Council. I don't just work in Queens (at Flushing Town Hall) - I live here, too. While Times Square may be known as the Crossroads of the World, Queens has become the Crossroads of our City!
4
And don't forget the Queens Farm Museum, the aviary at the zoo, the botanical garden and the truly great cheap restaurants.
5
I am a native of NYC (born on Manhattan island, lived in Brooklyn until kindergarten, raised in Queens). I don't mind if Queens is not on the tourism map. I think all major urban tourism destinations need places where true locals can live/move without tourism interference. I also don't mind if more long-term 'real estate tourists' remove Queens from their map of possibilities. I don't mind if the Queens profile is not raised, this to me is not necessary for Queens. Those who know Queens well know that, like most of the boroughs, it still contains the full spectrum of inhabitants and facilities that make NYC the template for the 'global metropolis'. It contains: very wealthy neighborhoods, very poor neighborhoods, very in-between neighborhoods; public colleges/universities and private; private prep schools, public schools, parochial schools; major designed parks; an array of sports and activities for the children being raised there; houses of worship for nearly every global creed; an international airport and a domestic one etc... It's nice to see the international tourist throngs at the US Open every year (and a few Mets games), but I personally don't mind if Queens remains focused foremost on the use and service of its long-standing inhabitants. I think Queens residents have less need for the ego boost of 'outside interest' than perhaps the residents of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
8
Born in Ridgewood, raised in Flushing.. founder Sweetleaf in Long Island City :) This article does a great job in exposing Queens to the world. to think, there is so much more food, art, cultures to be explored. We are the world’s greatest melting pot! On a personal note, I must say, its very exciting to here that Parisians have discovered Queens! Très excitant..!! Thank you for finding us!!
fyi, it’s pronounced Queeenzz...
fyi, it’s pronounced Queeenzz...
2
I was born and raised in Astoria many years ago. It took me a while to recognize that Astoria and Queens was a great place to be brought up. A great park and fantastic swimming pool at Astoria park, ball fields all over the place, stickball on the streets and in schoolyards, excellent schools and all of this 15 to 20 minutes away from Times Square on the BMT or IRT. Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden-- a nickel would get one there.
Now it's a different Queens and perhaps a better one. But the number one US travel destination? Not so certain about that especially since I've lived in Honolulu for many years and it is a great place to visit. So travelers, why not try both ?
Now it's a different Queens and perhaps a better one. But the number one US travel destination? Not so certain about that especially since I've lived in Honolulu for many years and it is a great place to visit. So travelers, why not try both ?
2
The typical person who uses a Lonely Planet guidebook is specifically looking for an off-the-beaten track experience. They seek authenticity, and want to see how real people live. They've been to Manhattan. They're over it. They do still want fun things to do, interesting things to see, and of course good food. But they are willing to trek farther and tolerate more dirt and inconveniences to satisfy their craving for the undiscovered. So, Queens is perfect for this crowd. They won't turn the place into Times Square. (They might, eventually, turn it into Brooklyn, though. )
I am speaking of American tourists. Europeans, Chinese, etc. I would hesitate to generalize about. Although I can say that, excepting London, you just don't see the incredible diversity of cultures in most European cities as you do in a place like Queens. For some, that is the attraction.
I am speaking of American tourists. Europeans, Chinese, etc. I would hesitate to generalize about. Although I can say that, excepting London, you just don't see the incredible diversity of cultures in most European cities as you do in a place like Queens. For some, that is the attraction.
4
I lived in Long Island City for 4 years up until 2014. I regret to inform your readers that LIC in particular is way overrated. To start, the culinary scene is pricey and subpar. Out of the only handful of restaurants, I would rate only 1 or 2 slightly above average. If you want good food, take the 7 further into Queens; but if you want upscale dining, forget LIC and stick with Manhattan and Brooklyn. Regarding SweetLeaf, I can't fathom the Parisian obsession. It baffles me completely. This is a coffee shop- that's it. They make an ok espresso but nothing compared to the barrage of great espresso bars in neighboring Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Tourists- heed the words of a recent Queens resident. Take the 7 train to Elmhurst, Jackson Heights or Flushing and gobble down the delicious ethnic eats typical of Queens and unmatched by any other borough but skip LIC if you're really looking for good food or coffee.
5
Don't bother going to Queens if you only speak English. You will be suddenly be thrust into the third world.
Agree with comment that placing homeless families in hotels without kitchens is going back to the days of welfare hotels. DHS along with savvy FOR PROFIT business partners continues to search out hotels and convert them into homeless shelters.
1
Often it takes outsiders or strangers...like the French gal looking for "Sweetleaf" in the article... to see what locals can't.
That's because the NY Times journalists and others in NYC seem to have baggage about what Queens was over 10 or even 30 years ago...(for instance those sitcoms that the new generation has never heard of)...
And so it takes the new (young) generation to really see what's in front of them...a Queens which is completely unique in its diversity in the entire world...and fascinating. Absolutely authentic while the rest of the world is beginning to look exactly the same. Be it Paris or Manhattan or London or Brooklyn or wherever. Kinda like different versions of a very nice shopping mall.
Most of Queens certainly doesn't look like that. (Yet?)
Meanwhile many old folks appear to be perplexed over what tourists and visitors are exactly seeing.
The ambivalent journalist certainly is in that article.
That's because the NY Times journalists and others in NYC seem to have baggage about what Queens was over 10 or even 30 years ago...(for instance those sitcoms that the new generation has never heard of)...
And so it takes the new (young) generation to really see what's in front of them...a Queens which is completely unique in its diversity in the entire world...and fascinating. Absolutely authentic while the rest of the world is beginning to look exactly the same. Be it Paris or Manhattan or London or Brooklyn or wherever. Kinda like different versions of a very nice shopping mall.
Most of Queens certainly doesn't look like that. (Yet?)
Meanwhile many old folks appear to be perplexed over what tourists and visitors are exactly seeing.
The ambivalent journalist certainly is in that article.
3
What's next, Staten Island?
1
Not in line with you, I hope that the inevitable gentrification of Queens will not happen too soon. It would not be Queens without the mom & pop convenience stores and the butchers and bakers that live in the borough, forced to leave their "two story" buildings because of unsustainable, rising rents to make way for big hotels that have the amenities to draw tourists from all over the world.
Please let Lonely Planet know how even an expatriate like me me might feel about their new tourist destination.
Please let Lonely Planet know how even an expatriate like me me might feel about their new tourist destination.
4
About a decade ago I would read foodie pronouncements that no one in NYC eats spaghetti. My response was always: Then how come supermarkets put spaghetti on special and expect customers to come flocking in? Who buys this spaghetti - tourists? I could just imagine a couple of tourists in their hotel room saying, "Tomorrow let's go to that Key Food in Woodside and get some spaghetti."
Now - who knows?
Now - who knows?
Love Queens. Some parts of have Manhattanized with their prices but the convenience of wonderful restaurants, businesses is great! Queens has a "homely" feel. Hopefully it will remain.
1
Queens was always the best place to live in NYC, but don't know about it being a draw for tourists.
3
Now hold on a minute. The business development director of Tuscaloosa told me that everyone in Paris is talking about Louie's Burger Shack in Tuscaloosa. Maybe Parisians like this Sweetpea place too. But let both of these fine eateries share the limelight, why don't you?
1
I know all about Queens. Queens used to be visited by me many times to see relatives. Sir, Queens is not a tourist destination.
The world has turned upside down #57.
The world has turned upside down #57.
3
I been to Queens. Spent a week there one night.
10
Ha! I see what he did there.
2
Sorry to hear that...
I work in Midtown and pass through Grand Central every day on my way to work. I can't tell you the sense of relief I feel when the 7 pulls into Vernon-Jackson station. One of the reasons I love living in Queens is the lack of tourists. Queens is just fine the way it is - we don't need to be "discovered" by anyone.
24
A Queens rooftop as a spot to take better skyline pictures of Manhattan from, sure. Queens as a tourist destination though? I find that laughable. I live there and I can't even get a high-speed internet connection..
1
Agreed...the riverfront park there is where you can iconic shots of midtown manny but the rest of the place has the ugliest hi rises in the whole world, looks like a skyscraper ghetto. I am at a loss at the rents they are getting there. The view is not worth an arm and a leg...
1
Paul, are you referring to Hunters Point?
Yes...the general area, don't know the technical name...it is the western tip of LIC, opposite Manhattan, stunning shots...there is a park there...
1
The reason why Queens was so great was because there were no tourists. And now, it will be ruined.
17
Look what happened to Brooklyn. Its depth of character derived from its being the borough of the common people, no matter which ethnicities called it home. Now, no more.
6
Actually Robin From London, Queens is the most culturally diverse place on earth, not London.
6
I am from Queens and now live in London. I think they are both on par.
3
I read the article and watched the video but I still don't know what's there to see in Queens. Diversity? That's something to go and see? How about some shots of interesting buildings? Parks? Restaurant scene?
2
The Queens Museum for starters, or the Museum of Moving Images, The Sciene Museum, plenty of restaurants that there too many too count. Very ethnically diverse. Better to stay in La La Land.
6
The Jackson Heights neighborhood needs to be more commercially oriented before I will visit there. Perhaps, they could make the street signs bigger, and encourage more corporate brands to advertise there. I want signs for brands I recognize.
These top ten lists, like BuzzFeed for the travel-impaired, always amuse me. Next year, an entirely different set of place will be named. How can they all be top destinations to visit?
2
There's the thing. If you want "corporate brands," you may as well stay home. If you want to see new and different things, you travel.
24
So you're trolling, amirite? Because, like you, I know every time I go somewhere else, I want to see exactly the same o.s. I could see everywhere else--it makes the adventure so much more enlightening to know everyone lives just the way I do!
3
Brands you recognize will turn Queens into just another shopping mall. Learn to appreciate the authentic, then maybe you'll understand and appreciate Queens for what it is.
6
All the beautiful garden homes and co-ops in the landmarked historic district of Jackson Heights and that's the photo of a Jackson Heights street chosen to accompany this article? Where was that taken? From the 7 train? Shame on you!
18
I would fire a photographer who couldn't even be bothered to step off the subway platform when the assignment presumably is to capture an image that shows why tourists would flock to Queens. A photo of a Dunkin Donuts sign and some other ugly storefronts when one or two blocks away there are beautiful garden coops and restaurants worth traveling for? That is one lazy photographer.
3
Thanks ever so much for putting the spotlight on Queens, now those hedge fund guys will come in, in even more waves and force everyone out with high rents and the 8 dollar coffees and artisinal foods. Go away haven't you done enough harm?
21
"New York City’s equivalent of a flyover state." Define "flyover state".
Dear Clark:
A "flyover state" is one that you'd always rather fly over than drive through or (heaven forbid) go to, like Nebraska for example. Having flown over and driven through Nebraska I can assure folks it is the archetype of a flyover state, the flatness and lack of sights in the 6 hour drive through can drive men mad.
But I don't think Queens is the flyover state of NYC, I'd say that's Staten Island. Mostly residential, very hilly, very tough to get around with only one subway line. Still, it's nowhere near as mind-rending as Nebraska.
A "flyover state" is one that you'd always rather fly over than drive through or (heaven forbid) go to, like Nebraska for example. Having flown over and driven through Nebraska I can assure folks it is the archetype of a flyover state, the flatness and lack of sights in the 6 hour drive through can drive men mad.
But I don't think Queens is the flyover state of NYC, I'd say that's Staten Island. Mostly residential, very hilly, very tough to get around with only one subway line. Still, it's nowhere near as mind-rending as Nebraska.
5
Dear Stack:
Brief glimpses of places can indeed result in one-dimensional impressions, such as yours regarding Nebraska. I'll never forget my first time in Manhattan in 1964. After a few hours walking around and riding the subway, I noticed there was dirt under my fingernails. It took a long time not to think of "filth" whenever NYC came to mind.
Brief glimpses of places can indeed result in one-dimensional impressions, such as yours regarding Nebraska. I'll never forget my first time in Manhattan in 1964. After a few hours walking around and riding the subway, I noticed there was dirt under my fingernails. It took a long time not to think of "filth" whenever NYC came to mind.
Have you tried a nail brush? Should remedy that little problem.
4
Queens? As some one living there I would move to UES in a heartbeat if it wasn't so expensive. Most of the borough is just dirty immigrant neighborhoods and the few fancier areas are like little Manhattan but not close to substitute for the real thing.
3
I lived in Manhattan for about 24 years and very happily moved to Queens, where it isn't the same old same old banks, nail parlors and big chain stores - yet. Queens is the real thing - vibrant diverse LIFE that hasn't been obliterated by the trendy.
4
@Lifelong New Yorker: And the architecture is still human-sized.
Though we are seeing a few new high-rises, a portent of things to come.
Though we are seeing a few new high-rises, a portent of things to come.
1
Yup, those dirty immigrants.
3
I used to live in Queens. I'm stunned.
1
All well and good; however, when recently visiting my daughter and her husband we took a stroll through Astoria Park only to observe garbage strewn across the grounds, overflowing waste containers and a general lack of maintenance. Very unfortunate for the residents and visitors alike.
4
Can't beleive you fail to mention Rockaway Beach, an absolute jewel.
7
Well if you think that's mixed then people should definitely try London. The most culturally diverse city on the planet.
Queens is the most culturally diverse place on the planet statistically, London might be up there on the list but it is not number one.
2
@Robin , London
Not sure about it being "the most culturally diverse city on the plant" -- But it is one of the MOST expensive...Don't get me wrong. Love London, but it's a bit pricey, even when you know where to go.
Not sure about it being "the most culturally diverse city on the plant" -- But it is one of the MOST expensive...Don't get me wrong. Love London, but it's a bit pricey, even when you know where to go.
1
Queens, gateway to Brooklyn.
7
Yo, not for nuttin, I live in Greenpoint, Bklyn...all the people that can't afford Bklyn are moving to Queens. Queens reminds me of one big Statue of Liberty..ie give us your poor, your huddled masses yearning to afford an apt.!!!
1
Except when you're being priced out of Brooklyn.....
1
Go away you gentrifiying hoards and leave it alone, we don't need another Brooklyn in NYC.
28
Yo..I live in Greenpoint,Bklyn...my mudder, fadder and brudder were born here. You wanna come over here and say that....
Keep tourists out of Queens please! And stop giving tips on great places to visit, eat, etc. Whenever I have out of town guests I literally make them swear on their mother's grave that they will not under any circumstances tell any one about my 'secret' places. My visitors are mostly Spanish and Italian so they know I mean business!
21
Queens does have a lot going for it, despite the aluminum siding. Just looked it up for kicks, and turns out it's the most ethnically diverse county in America, and the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world. I wasn't particularly surprised to learn this. On the other hand, NYC is the northernmost city in North America to have a 'humid subtropical climate', and I was greatly surprised by that, and bewildered by my apparent decision to pass the knowledge along to you.
Anyway the drawback to Queens is actually in exploring it, as the largest borough and a largely residential one, you could walk for miles and just see unassuming small residences and some bodegas. It'd be best to know where to go precisely, and how to get there by subway.
And this tourist destination pick is a bit of a self defeating prediction, because part of the nice thing about Queens is you're not tripping over slow-moving, quick-stopping tourons taking selfies, and monopolizing the whole sidewalk by walking six abreast. When enough tourists start going there, it's going to be a lot less enjoyable.
Anyway the drawback to Queens is actually in exploring it, as the largest borough and a largely residential one, you could walk for miles and just see unassuming small residences and some bodegas. It'd be best to know where to go precisely, and how to get there by subway.
And this tourist destination pick is a bit of a self defeating prediction, because part of the nice thing about Queens is you're not tripping over slow-moving, quick-stopping tourons taking selfies, and monopolizing the whole sidewalk by walking six abreast. When enough tourists start going there, it's going to be a lot less enjoyable.
25
Havent you been in NYC in August, Dan? Then you wouldn't be surprised by that humid subtropical climate factoid.
4
Hehe indeed Lifelong, I'm in NYC in August as we speak, although a couple weeks ago it was a lot worse and I left a trail of sweat wherever I went. The surprising thing to me was that we're the farthest north city to have this going on, I'd have figured Seattle would be in the running.
NYC wouldn't be NYC without the tourists.
My husband and kids and I visited NYC this past July. We stayed in a hotel in Brooklyn (Greenpoint) and caught the 7 train from Queens to Manhattan.
We had a wonderful time, and am glad we didn't run into any disdainful tourist hating New Yorkers like yourself.
My husband and kids and I visited NYC this past July. We stayed in a hotel in Brooklyn (Greenpoint) and caught the 7 train from Queens to Manhattan.
We had a wonderful time, and am glad we didn't run into any disdainful tourist hating New Yorkers like yourself.
I grew up in Richmond Hill. The hamlets still have names. In 24 years, the police were never called to my block. My parochial school is still going strong and has expanded. When asked where is Queens, I always responded: where the airports are. Great places you never hear about: Rockaway Beach and the old World Fair Grounds. The best part of Queens was its proximity to everything. I went to high school and law school in Brooklyn. I had summer jobs on Wall Street, Rockefeller Center and Kennedy Airport.
My first real job was downtown Manhattan.
My favorite playground is New York City (Manhattan).
If I was not born here, I would have to work to get here.
My first real job was downtown Manhattan.
My favorite playground is New York City (Manhattan).
If I was not born here, I would have to work to get here.
3
If you want a more sanitized, upscale experience, I would choose Manhattan. Queens has an urban excitement to it. and don't forget the Museum of the Moving Image.
4
I was going to mention the Museum of the Moving Image. I'm surprised it wasn't in the story.
2
Why would a person want a "more sanitized, upscale experience?" Those are available in so many places. It's unfortunate that you've accurately described Manhattan of late, though.
1
And with the tourists, lets welcome the developers that will try, no doubt, to create the next Brooklyn in Queens. And lets welcome the gentrifiers looking for the next highly populated residential neighborhood to "discover" for themselves. Lets thank Lonely Planet in 5 years for giving the kiss of death to all the cultural diversity and mom and pop shops that they put out once they jack up the prices and build a bunch of boutique hotels, microbreweries, and artisanal mayonnaise shops to appease the masses. RIP Queens, you were good while you lasted.
14
- you forgot neighborhoods with trendy but faux rustic markets with 30 different kinds of olives - but no where to get your shoes fixed.
4
My answer to this conundrum? Why not New York, Paris, Honolulu, Miami, or London, Rome, or San Francisco? Queens is an affordable place to visit, and in these tough times globally, Queens is very affordable. Then people can always scoot over to Manhattan to do the Times Square thing.
But to tell you the truth, I myself would never go to Queens for my vacation, since I already live here.
But to tell you the truth, I myself would never go to Queens for my vacation, since I already live here.
2
How about the Bronx? When will Lonely Planet give this neglected borough a thought? Bronx is as polyglottic as Queens, and there are little Africa's, little Caribbean's and little Bangladesh's all over the borough. There is poverty galore, but a bit of poverty tourism doesn't hurt does it?
2
It's too affordable, unpretentious and real. If you want to be like Brooklyn you have to have grossly overpriced restaurants, be ironic and snobby and rents that nobody can afford.
1
Mario Cuomo, when retiring from being the Governor, moved to Queens. He had his apartment there redone and was so totally frustrated by it all that he moved to Manhattan.
I trusted his judgment better than Lonely Planet.
I trusted his judgment better than Lonely Planet.
I think you may be mistaken. Mario Cuomo lived in Holliswood Queens BEFORE he was elected Governor (great security then...)but did not return. He and Matilda moved to an apartment in Manhattan.
3
In a way, it's makes sense that "Lonely Planet" like Queens.
I am never more lonely that when I walk the streets of Metropolis (in the U.S. or in Europe), an insignificant ant in a long live of ants, none of whom has little individual value or worth to the Queen, or the hive.
On the other hand, I once spent New Years Eve in a tiny Maya village in Central America, the only foreigner in town, and I never felt alone for a moment, even though the only person I spoke to that evening was the guy renting me a room and making my dinner. And by the way, I'm not giving out the name of that tiny Maya village, or even mentioning in which country it is located.
I am never more lonely that when I walk the streets of Metropolis (in the U.S. or in Europe), an insignificant ant in a long live of ants, none of whom has little individual value or worth to the Queen, or the hive.
On the other hand, I once spent New Years Eve in a tiny Maya village in Central America, the only foreigner in town, and I never felt alone for a moment, even though the only person I spoke to that evening was the guy renting me a room and making my dinner. And by the way, I'm not giving out the name of that tiny Maya village, or even mentioning in which country it is located.
2
This article makes the NY Times seem like an out-of-towner in its own city.
19
I've been a Lonely Planet fan for 25 years, since I took an LP guidebook on my first trip to Colombia. LP's specialty is the undiscovered gem. The gem isn't necessarily to everyone's taste - some people are happy to lie on the Caribbean beach and skip hiking the interior rain forest.
And some people are happy to spend their New York vacation in Times Square. But if you'd like a little wilderness mixed into your urban vacation, try the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you want a little beach time, visit the revamped Rockaways.
Food critics have long recognized Queens as the home to truly excellent restaurants of all descriptions. Manhattan has no real Chinese food, for instance - the real stuff, not the glop that Chinese cooks invented for railroad workers in the 1800s. Queens has the cuisine of every region on China, at prices closer to those in Beijing than to those in Manhattan.
Just in walking distance of my apartment, there are excellent Argentinian, Filipino, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Japanese, Spanish, Colombian, Greek, Croatian, Dominican, and many other options. The chefs tend to be recent immigrants, so the food is the real thing.
Queens has Fort Tilden and Fort Totten, first-class museums of art, cinema and science, and niche-appeal historical spots like Louis Armstrong's home.
Just do us one favor. If you don't like immigrants, if you aren't comfortable with ethnic and racial diversity, stay home. We are proud to be home to communities from 100 countries.
And some people are happy to spend their New York vacation in Times Square. But if you'd like a little wilderness mixed into your urban vacation, try the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. If you want a little beach time, visit the revamped Rockaways.
Food critics have long recognized Queens as the home to truly excellent restaurants of all descriptions. Manhattan has no real Chinese food, for instance - the real stuff, not the glop that Chinese cooks invented for railroad workers in the 1800s. Queens has the cuisine of every region on China, at prices closer to those in Beijing than to those in Manhattan.
Just in walking distance of my apartment, there are excellent Argentinian, Filipino, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Japanese, Spanish, Colombian, Greek, Croatian, Dominican, and many other options. The chefs tend to be recent immigrants, so the food is the real thing.
Queens has Fort Tilden and Fort Totten, first-class museums of art, cinema and science, and niche-appeal historical spots like Louis Armstrong's home.
Just do us one favor. If you don't like immigrants, if you aren't comfortable with ethnic and racial diversity, stay home. We are proud to be home to communities from 100 countries.
10
Just a quibble, Manhattan sure does have real Chinese food, not only in Chinatown but in very upscale restaurants. I agree that the little places with the menus under your door and the $4.99 shrimp fried rice special aren't particularly authentic, but there's still the real thing in many areas of Manhattan.
Now for real top quality Malaysian food you're better off in Queens, but Chinese, Japanese, and a lot of others, Manhattan is still where the money is so it's where the top talent accumulates.
Now for real top quality Malaysian food you're better off in Queens, but Chinese, Japanese, and a lot of others, Manhattan is still where the money is so it's where the top talent accumulates.
1
I'm surprised Archie Bunker could stand to live in Queens, with all its "minororities."
1
No doubt topless women with Unispheres painted on them will soon be offending tourists in Queens Plaza.
Or is it Queensboro Plaza? I always get confused.
Or is it Queensboro Plaza? I always get confused.
1
It depends on the subway stop. The N, Q and 7 stop at Queensboro Plaza. The R, M and E stop at Queens Plaza.
3
But what is it when you emerge onto the street?
The Unisphere is in Flushing Meadow Park, far from both.
If your idea of traveling is to see the sights, by all means go to Manhattan . If its to see how people live go to Queens. Compare Queens Boulevard to Francis Lewis Boulevard. How are Astoria and Hollis different? Ride the 7 train and see the world.
2
Ed,
Is that you? The AP Reader?
I thought so!
Is that you? The AP Reader?
I thought so!
Times Square is a Disneyfied tourist trap that has no actual New Yorkers and sells cheap wares. Queens is the real Crossroads of the World. I have lived my life in Queens and it is a great place. Very diverse, middle class, low crime, with any type of cuisine, sports, museum, shopping you can imagine. We are enhancing things like flushing meadow park (rehabing the pavilion), the stadiums (arthur ashe tennis stadium got new roof), the zoos, etc. Hotels are opening everywhere, we are very tourist friendly. Tourists, please come...and spend!!!!
7
Don't forget the Mets!
4
Yeah, but no Broadway, MOMA, Whitney and MET. It depends on why you visit NYC, but I'm sure it's not to see aluminum siding- I'm sure the small restos are good, though. And of course the US Open..
What saddens me is the city government is trying to convert many hotels into illegal family shelters that harken back to the days of SRO’s 25 years ago. At the pace the NYC Department of Homeless Shelters (DHS) added 20 family homeless shelters last year, and their plan to target Queens in its future expansion, who knows what they have in mind in a takeover of hotels in Queens. Some of the growth of Queens hotels is being offset by DHS efforts. Locations that I am aware of include the Westway Motel, Pan American Motel (“NYC’s most convenient hotel”), and the Clarion at La Guardia Airport.
It is not an emergency anymore when the owners of these hotels are given 5 year contracts by DHS with an option to extend another 5 years to operate as shelters. Even the Bloomberg administration agreed in their budget submittals to city council, it is illegal for the City to place families in a location in violation of NYC Local Law 18, section 21-124, which states “No homeless family shelter shall be established which does not provide a bathroom, a refrigerator, and cooking facilities and an adequate sleeping area within each unit within the shelter…”. The current administration despite its progressive agenda seems to think otherwise.
The solution: Better planning. DHS should plan better and put those vulnerable children in legal facilities. At last published count the average stay of a family in a NYC shelter is 11 months. Can you raise a healthy family for 11 months without a kitchen?
It is not an emergency anymore when the owners of these hotels are given 5 year contracts by DHS with an option to extend another 5 years to operate as shelters. Even the Bloomberg administration agreed in their budget submittals to city council, it is illegal for the City to place families in a location in violation of NYC Local Law 18, section 21-124, which states “No homeless family shelter shall be established which does not provide a bathroom, a refrigerator, and cooking facilities and an adequate sleeping area within each unit within the shelter…”. The current administration despite its progressive agenda seems to think otherwise.
The solution: Better planning. DHS should plan better and put those vulnerable children in legal facilities. At last published count the average stay of a family in a NYC shelter is 11 months. Can you raise a healthy family for 11 months without a kitchen?
4
NYC & Company the alleged tourism agency has ignored all the illegal hotels, air B&B, and buildings turned into hotels which take away from real housing for New Yorkers. This is the same tourism agency who thinks small businesses should pay $800 to be a member of their organization. When will the New York Times profile how this organization is a disservice for the legit hospitality businesses.
2
Totally agree. DHS uses the "emergency declaration" to circumvent the law and community notification process. Their definition of "emergency" is DHS' poor planning, poor leadership and ineffective strategies which results in a growing homeless population and they need an emergency declaration to address this. An "emergency" declaration is for catastrophes like hurricanes, flooding, massive fire, etc..., Elected officials should amend the law to distinguish these two types of emergency so that DHS follows the law and is forced to notify and work with communities.
Every affordable hotel has been converted to a homeless shelter in Queens. Deblasio is only helping Manhattan and Brooklyn (his home county). Once the tourist land in JFK or LaG, they cut thru Queens to Manhattan.
This makes complete sense to me... Manhattan has become boring, crowded and expensive; Brooklyn is now expensive and overrun by a frighteningly homogeneous crowd of pseudo hipsters; and Jackson Heights completely and authentically rocks!!!!
8
All that manufactured authenticity is hard to maintain.
2
"Jackson Heights completely and authentically rocks!!!!"
I honestly don't know what that means...
I honestly don't know what that means...
Queens is gross ugly and scary, even on a humble Saturday afternoon on the subway there from Manhattan. As a single woman I felt nervous and apprehensive about what I saw and heard. I found one street that was pleasant, with a cute bar and a nice butcher shop. The vegetable/fruit stand was no cheaper than in Manhattan and a cab ride home from a friend's apartment was $30.00. Money better spent in Manhattan where I can find seek shelter if I need it. Lonely Planet, you lost me.
If you need to cab it because their are folks on the subway who do not look or sound like you, you are correct, Queens is not for you. I speak as an older white woman who grew up in a medium-sized Midwestern city.
4
Are you sure you were in Queens and not Jersey City?
1
Jesus, what part of Queens did you visit that was gross and scary?
2
A tourist destination, I think I'll pass.
1
Lived in Forest Hills for many years and a short time in Jackson Heights. Queens encompasses very vibrant migrant communities and is a treat for the foodie and history buffs.
It's certainly not the artificial Tourist claptrap that Manhattan is - nor the drone nation Brooklyn has become [Where everyone does artisanal this or that and wears bushmen outfits!]. Parts of queens (Flushing for example) can overwhelm visitors!
The US Open Tennis, Belmont Park, Noguchi Musem, Musem of Moving Image, Louis Armstrong's home - numerous places to visit and enjoy.
Or you could do the same old shtick of a selfie at Times Square and have artisanal beer somewhere in Brooklyn! After all, it's your $$$ and vacation :)
It's certainly not the artificial Tourist claptrap that Manhattan is - nor the drone nation Brooklyn has become [Where everyone does artisanal this or that and wears bushmen outfits!]. Parts of queens (Flushing for example) can overwhelm visitors!
The US Open Tennis, Belmont Park, Noguchi Musem, Musem of Moving Image, Louis Armstrong's home - numerous places to visit and enjoy.
Or you could do the same old shtick of a selfie at Times Square and have artisanal beer somewhere in Brooklyn! After all, it's your $$$ and vacation :)
5
@GV: That's the point. Queens denizens want to keep it that way.
See this article in teh NY Times on poetry in Queens,includig an audio of the poem "How to Become the Poet Laureate of Queens." by Norman Stock.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/nyregion/poets-gather-in-exile-in-jack...
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/nyregion/poets-gather-in-exile-in-jack...
1
OK, when with Staten Island be next?
4
Maybe after that ferris wheel monstrosity is built. Good luck.
1
You know how Staten Island got its name? The first dutch sailors who saw it pointed at it and said in their accents...is stat an island?
It seems to me that the latest accolades for Queens are not unlike the kind of ironic, backhanded accolades bestowed to cities like Detroit and Buffalo, which are fetishized by some due to urban blight and decay. That is not to say that Queens is on a similar downward trajectory. Sure, there are a number of interesting, conventionally touristic aspects of Queens here and there. But for the most part, the primary appeal of Queens is the fact that it largely remains what it was before rampant gentrification- trapped in amber while Manhattan and Brooklyn zoomed forward in time. It is a vital remnant of gritty, old New York City before New York City became a branded commodity.
35
Living in Manhattan makes you very hard.
2
Queens is a great place, but not for any reason that would attract someone with a selfie stick or a Parisian who thinks LIC is hip. It is the most ethnically diverse place in this country, with an amazing range of cuisines, some of which cannot be matched by restaurants in Manhattan or anywhere else. And now it is even challenging Brooklyn in the craft beer movement. "Sweetleaf" in LIC? Please, I could name a dozen places in Astoria where I'd rather spend an evening.
16
Queens is terrible. Why would you come here? Terrible food, terrible people, no good bars. Really. Stay in Times Square! So many more interesting things to see and do.
42
They did fail to mention Astoria, perhaps foolishly lumping it in with Long Island City. Or it may be too hip for the Times.
Bravo Jess!
35 year LIC'er.
35 year LIC'er.
Oh by all means stay in Times Square so you can gawk at the naked painted bimbos and get hassled by those costumed psychos pretending to be Elmo an Spiderman panhandling for loose change.
1
This Queens native recognizes that while the borough is enormous and largely residential, and typically mediocre architecturally at that, there is handful of destinations that the curious traveler would find worth the excursion. Yet I hardly think Richmond Hill, Queens Village, Maspeth, Elmhurst etc. are poised for the next wave of international trendsetters filling cafes, galleries and boutiques anytime soon. But I could be wrong.
6
Yes, Hal, I think (hope?)you are right about the international trendsetters but lately I see an awful lot of people who are clearly tourists on my M/R subway line shortly after rush hour on a given day. Mostly northern European judging by overheard languages, some US families. I think the Europeans are accustomed to travel that involves staying in less pricey accommodations and getting to the attractions on mass transit.
No, they're just a lot more adventurist than most others.
LIC, Astoria and Sunnyside are convenient to Manhattan. That's really all that matters. I live way out on Brooklyn, and we're untouched by the hipster culture of the close in neighborhoods. When the New York Times talks about Queens, they mean the part of Queens that already thinks it's part of Manhattan. Howard Beach? Never!
Funny. Very funny.
I was bred, born and raised in Richmond Hill Queens and couldn't wait to get out.
The best thing about Queens is the subway to Manhattan and JFK to the rest of the world.
Tourists, if you're visiting Manhattan for a week or so and want some good cheap food, by all means take the subway to Roosevelt Avenue in Queens otherwise you see enough of that glorious borough in the taxi ride from and to JFK.
What's next, Times, an article recommending "touring" the charming banlieues of Paris?
I was bred, born and raised in Richmond Hill Queens and couldn't wait to get out.
The best thing about Queens is the subway to Manhattan and JFK to the rest of the world.
Tourists, if you're visiting Manhattan for a week or so and want some good cheap food, by all means take the subway to Roosevelt Avenue in Queens otherwise you see enough of that glorious borough in the taxi ride from and to JFK.
What's next, Times, an article recommending "touring" the charming banlieues of Paris?
11
Oh so true acule...I also grew up in Richmond Hill during the '60's and '70's and spent all my free time taking the F train to Manhattan .
After graduating from Queens College I signed up to join the military just to make sure that there was no coming back !!
After graduating from Queens College I signed up to join the military just to make sure that there was no coming back !!
I am glad to see Queens get its due but I must say the New York Times retains its peculiarly ways of hyping the "next big thing." Today we are told that "Everyone in Paris is talking about Sweetleaf," just like not too long ago we were duly informed that the French were describing things as "tres Brooklyn." On top of that, the New York Times takes a couple pictures of Jackson Heights apparently without stepping off of the 7 train, completely missing the classic garden coops for which it is known and completely missing the more appealing retail streets (74th St, 82nd St, 37th Ave).
16
Tourists might enjoy Staten Island also, if it didn't take 45 minutes to travel one mile whether by car or bus.
1
Take the ferry to SI and eat lunch in the St. George neighborhood. Maybe take in a minor league baseball game at the gorgeous ball park that is nearly on top of the ferry terminal. (You could eat there, too.) It's a great, affordable introduction to baseball for anyone who hasn't seen it. The ferry ride out and back is probably the best sightseeing bargain in NYC, a fantastic harbor tour. Not that the rest of SI doesn't have its interesting spots, but if boring travel time is your issue, this is my answer.
4
Oh but the Staten Island ferry is free and so charming- so reminiscent of the boats that ply the Seine in Paris! Yes, tourists, go to Staten Island, bypass Queens altogether PLEASE!
The tourists boats in the Seine are not free, the Staten Island ferry is although
one end of the Seine boats is the Eiffel tower and the other end Notre Dame. One end of Staten Island is the old Great Kills garbage dump and the other end are oil refineries you can see in NJ...
one end of the Seine boats is the Eiffel tower and the other end Notre Dame. One end of Staten Island is the old Great Kills garbage dump and the other end are oil refineries you can see in NJ...
3
Those aren't international tourists, those are the residents!
11
I will never trust Lonely Planet again.
9
I have never trusted Lonely Planet yet. Never trust anyone who's trying to sell you something, they don't actually have your best interests in mind.
For strangers, a map locating Queens in the New York region would help.
6
Look for the airports.
2
The largest of the five NYC boroughs and you cant find it? Do yourself a favor and stay in Ontario.
2
I'll visit Queens a second time...when I can visit the homes of Doug and Carry Heffernan and of George Costanza's parents.
3
Which part of Queens did you "visit" that you feel you are expert on all of Queens? Manhattan ain't such a wonderland.
1
If this attention to Queens gets money to someone to renovate (or tear down) the New York State Pavilion at Flushing Meadows Park, it's worth it.
2
There are some interesting places in Queens, some named in the article, and Bell Blvd. in Bayside, Austin St. in Forest Hills and Steinway/Ditmars in Astoria are fun places, but, overall, yeah, not so much my favorite. I would not recommend to anyone coming over for even a few weeks or a month to go there (apologies to the people there - nothing personal). It is, I have read, the most ethnically diverse county in America and that I easily believe. Some people might find that an attraction. I wonder how much of the article's conclusion as to most popular tourist destination is simply based on the fact that people fly into LaGuardia. Let me tell you why. I used to live in a valley beneath the Blue Ridge Parkway in Va. (which I consider essentially the same as Skyline Drive, a little north of it). It is by far the most visited National Park in the country, far more than the Grand Canyon. But, though it is beautiful and at some of it's stopping places, spectacular, it is a road and what that really means is that people are driving on it to get places. In no way can you compare it as a destination to the Grand Canyon or some other places. I think we may be seeing the same thing here.
5
Exactly. People who never venture off the road in Shenandoah National Park don't really know its value. Waterfalls and swimming spots, domes to climb, flora and fauna, places to camp. NYC is a city of neighborhoods, as much so as Paris or Shanghai, and it is particularly easy to see and enjoy this in Queens.
I'll go to Manhattan first -there's nothing like Central Park in Queens.
Lots of hype.
Lots of hype.
Try the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The landscaping which peaks at US Open time is spectacular. A grounds ticket to the opening rounds is affordable (the food is good but semi-affordable). Coming up next week.
The Flushing Meadow Park (old world fair grounds ) has miles of walks, a zoo, a merry-go-round and a science museum. There is nothing like it.
Swim in the ocean at Rockaway Beach.
The Chinese and Korean is the best any where.
Not to mention the Amazings.
Swim in the ocean at Rockaway Beach.
The Chinese and Korean is the best any where.
Not to mention the Amazings.
Very nice article and does not even mention the fabulous restaurant scene
throughout the borough. you can eat in an outstanding Queens restaurant
for a lot less and not have to put up with the Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn pretenion.
throughout the borough. you can eat in an outstanding Queens restaurant
for a lot less and not have to put up with the Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn pretenion.
5
I wish someone would provide a list of the best authentic Chinese restaurants in Queens. Every time we pick a place in Flushing, it's a mistake. Any recommendations?
If you can't find a good authentic restaurant in Flushing you might as well stop eating out...or go back to the regular American/Chinese restaurants in every area of NYC.....there are hundreds of authentic Chinese restaruants in Flushing, best in NYC and the whole country, too numerous to name..
If Lonely Planet made a decision last December that named Queens the No. 1 travel destination for 2015, why did it take the NY Times nine months to publish this article? I am from Queens and I am proud of it..
4
Note the selfie using a Queens rooftop with good ol' Manhattan in the background. And the other pic with, yes, good ol' Dunkin' Donuts in the foreground in front of a tatoo parlor.
And those fascinating Jackson Heights houses, I mean, how can anyone, even us natives, resist?
I mean, yeah, ExPeterC, Onion parody?
And those fascinating Jackson Heights houses, I mean, how can anyone, even us natives, resist?
I mean, yeah, ExPeterC, Onion parody?
1
I´ve been in Queens twice and I´m going to be there again this October. Interesting and vibrant community near Queensboro Plaza. I like it.
1
Interesting and vibrant is being rapidly replaced by affluent and boring. Once the moneyed Columbuses think they have discovered a place, they begin to ruin it.
4
The problem with the outer boroughs; lack of good hotels, even by JFK the hotels have Manhattan prices and New Jersey values.
4
I understand your point but that is changing rapidly in LIC and along our Queens Boulevard spine if you mean comfortable accommodations at decent price points near interesting ethnic restaurants and good diners. Hotel Z mentioned in the article is the only really upscale place I know about.
This is changing. Downtown Flushing has several new hotels, as well as residential towers. It is a fun place, with much better food than any neighborhood in Manhattan.
I think a shout-out to the book "Walking Queens," by Adrienne Onofri is appropriate. It's got 30 self-guided tours in it -- it should be on every NYC resident's radar, and tourists would do well with a few of its walks.
5
I've lived in Flushing for all of my sixty years and I can't wait to get out as soon as I retire from my job. I am now a foreigner in my own home. I won't have to visit China in my future world travel; I live there in Flushing.
9
What is exactly so horrible about the Chinese in Flushing? Ghetto blasters at 3 am? This is America not Europe; there is no central Ethnic Identity here. Would you be saying the same thing if the Irish staryed moving end masse to Flushing? Or Polish people? Germans? French? Norwegians? I'm not being facetious but you sound like you're complaining about something that is not so horrible. It's the story if America.
Don't be so harshly self-righteous, LMC. I can see where Kayemtee might feel like a fish out of water.
Please leave us alone. Please forget about us. We don't need or want this type of growth. There is nowhere else for us to retreat to. I live in an international section of Astoria, and the only thing that keeps me here is that my elderly landlord isn't greedy. When she dies, this article confirms that my apartment building will become some Airbnb rental or gentrified into luxury apartments.
We are also not some open air zoo for you to gawk at and "see how we live."
We are also not some open air zoo for you to gawk at and "see how we live."
31
Wonderful comment. Thank you.
1
From your mouth to God's ears....
1
Well, if you don't own your residence, you are going to be subject to the whims of the market. Get over it.
Calling Queens the country's top travel destination is why Lonely Planet is so very lonely.
11
And thus developers spurred gentrification, and killed the glorious diversity of yet another borough.
14
I grew up in Ridgewood, Queens and was pert of St. Matthias parish on Catalpa Avenue. The church is over 100 years old, has chandeliers from the Laiser Whilhem's palace- not to mention Matthias was apostle #13 after Judas hung himself. Houses there are historic and Henry Miller mentions Fresh Pond Road in hi Tropic of Cancer novel. Want the rest of the tour? It's a great place!
Dennis McSorley
Burlington Vermont originally from Queens.
Dennis McSorley
Burlington Vermont originally from Queens.
7
My parish was Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (your rival, I think), and lived off Fresh Pond Road. We had a great time growing up in Queens mainly because it was still fairly rural and a hop on the subway to Manhattan. Tourist destination? My last visit there in 2013 was a traffic nightmare. While Queens may have some historic and recreational value for its residents, I don't think it would qualify as a mecca for tourists.
"Everybody in Paris is talking about Sweetleaf!"
Let me translate: "Four people I know are talking about Sweetleaf."
Look, I was born and raised in Queens and I think the borough is wonderful, mostly for it's unpretentious nature, which I hope endures. I read the Lonely Planet article and it seemed to me that LP was more interested in Being Clever On The Internet than seriously describing top-notch travel destinations.
Does Queens really need a bunch of tourists going to Roosevelt Avenue and gawking at all the brown, yellow and black people? It's not a zoo, you know. Or seeking the same, banal, new-agey cafe or hookah bar they can find in hundreds of cities around the world? That isn't New York.
And look at that woman taking a selfie. She could be anywhere and could care less where she is given that she's more interested in herself than her surroundings. If these are the kinds of tourists that will go Queens then may I suggest, among other things, leave Willets Point alone so people in the borough can go buy a quality used muffler if they need one.
Let me translate: "Four people I know are talking about Sweetleaf."
Look, I was born and raised in Queens and I think the borough is wonderful, mostly for it's unpretentious nature, which I hope endures. I read the Lonely Planet article and it seemed to me that LP was more interested in Being Clever On The Internet than seriously describing top-notch travel destinations.
Does Queens really need a bunch of tourists going to Roosevelt Avenue and gawking at all the brown, yellow and black people? It's not a zoo, you know. Or seeking the same, banal, new-agey cafe or hookah bar they can find in hundreds of cities around the world? That isn't New York.
And look at that woman taking a selfie. She could be anywhere and could care less where she is given that she's more interested in herself than her surroundings. If these are the kinds of tourists that will go Queens then may I suggest, among other things, leave Willets Point alone so people in the borough can go buy a quality used muffler if they need one.
73
Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. Fantastic! And the Beer Garden around the corner.
13
Color me skeptical. And I say this as a fan of Queens...but I don't see most tourists foregoing the usual Manhattan experience - and the jaunts to Brooklyn - over Queens.
BTW, the accompanying video is not really very representative of the borough. A boutique hotel and a microbrewery? That's what you're going to feature from a borough that contains Flushing, Jackson Heights and Astoria?
BTW, the accompanying video is not really very representative of the borough. A boutique hotel and a microbrewery? That's what you're going to feature from a borough that contains Flushing, Jackson Heights and Astoria?
7
Can we move Times Square to Queens? Please?
12
NO Manhattanites think they are the center of the universe and Times Square is it. hehe
Can we keep Times Square where it is? Please?
Queens? Is visiting the "slums of America" a new feature on tourist bucket lists?
3
What a mean thing to say.
5
You would be hard pressed to find a real slum in Queens except for the scrap yards near Citifield . There are some pockets where people are crowded into housing, but even those are in neighborhoods with amenities.
We have some of the world's best and most interesting affordable restaurants. We have a number of neighborhoods of single family houses, many quite upscale and many middle class. Also apartment buildings of various provenance; some of the pre-WWII are as classy as the new builds and more spacious. We have beautiful Hindu temples, Greek Orthodox churches and one of the largest predominantly African American church campuses in the country. The beautiful beaches are coming back after Hurricane Sandy. You can see really competitive fotbal on Sundays in Corona Flushing Meadow Park. And that's aside from the "attractions" mentioned in the article, some of which are world class and some of which have more nearly niche appeal.
Oh, and our hotels/motels are mostly more affordable and much more parkable than Manhattan offerings. Most are near subway lines that will get you into Manhattan in no more time than it takes to go from mid-town to the Battery.
We have some of the world's best and most interesting affordable restaurants. We have a number of neighborhoods of single family houses, many quite upscale and many middle class. Also apartment buildings of various provenance; some of the pre-WWII are as classy as the new builds and more spacious. We have beautiful Hindu temples, Greek Orthodox churches and one of the largest predominantly African American church campuses in the country. The beautiful beaches are coming back after Hurricane Sandy. You can see really competitive fotbal on Sundays in Corona Flushing Meadow Park. And that's aside from the "attractions" mentioned in the article, some of which are world class and some of which have more nearly niche appeal.
Oh, and our hotels/motels are mostly more affordable and much more parkable than Manhattan offerings. Most are near subway lines that will get you into Manhattan in no more time than it takes to go from mid-town to the Battery.
7
Excuse me? What an ignorant remark. Come visit and see how wrong you are. On second thought, stay home.
6
May this be the last article that touts Queens as a destination to be consumed and destroyed until the next hip locale is "discovered". We enjoy fairly reasonable rents (compared to Brooklyn and Manhattan), we have small businesses that are practical and usable (butchers, bakeries, fish mongers) and there's not an artisanal mayonnaise shop or gluten free anything in the bunch.
We love living in Queens and would gladly leave it untouched as a "destination." Overhyped and overpriced Brooklyn and Manhattan can feel free to continue to be the standard bearers in that regard and leave Queens for the people who enjoy living there and genuinely appreciate it.
We love living in Queens and would gladly leave it untouched as a "destination." Overhyped and overpriced Brooklyn and Manhattan can feel free to continue to be the standard bearers in that regard and leave Queens for the people who enjoy living there and genuinely appreciate it.
74
I think The Bronx has a lot more to offer a tourist than Queens. The Bronx Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, Yankee Stadium, the Grand Concourse architecture, Arthur Avenue, Van Cortlandt Park, Jerome Park Reservoir, Riverdale.
It's too bad The Bronx has gotten such a bad rap over the years. It has so much to offer.
It's too bad The Bronx has gotten such a bad rap over the years. It has so much to offer.
30
"It's too bad The Bronx has gotten such a bad rap over the years. It has so much to offer."
Although I agree with the second statement, the Bronx, during most of its existence, has been a dump and has earned a bad rap over the years.
But any trip to NYC is not a trip to NYC without spending some time in each of the five boroughs, even if it's one day in the Bronx.
Although I agree with the second statement, the Bronx, during most of its existence, has been a dump and has earned a bad rap over the years.
But any trip to NYC is not a trip to NYC without spending some time in each of the five boroughs, even if it's one day in the Bronx.
1
I'd really love to see what Lonely Planet's criteria are for designating a place the "number one" travel destination. Queens is great, but it's not #1 in America by any criteria I can think of. The photographs in this article are a good example. That picture with the Dunkin Donuts and tattoo signs looks like it could be from some low-income neighborhood in Philadelphia or Boston. And that photo with the two-story houses? I wouldn't have been surprised had you said it was Frederick, MD. Queens is a wonderful borough, but I suspect that LP's pick was more about generating some controversy than anything else.
27
I have used LP guides in some interesting corners of Asia and the Caribbean. They started out in Australia and their original audience was heavy on backpacking hostel-stayers who wanted to interact with the "real people" where they travelled. Haven't read LP's stuff for maybe a decade but this Queens selection seems to fit with their original DNA. I live in Queens and am glad to be pretty sure that this designation isn't going to bring hordes of gawkers. Probably not hordes at all.
1
I don't care what Lonely Planet's criteria are.
I don't take trips based on what someone else says.
I normally choose a destination based on my own investigations and criteria.
I have used Lonely Planet guides for a number of countries, but usually AFTER I had already chosen destination and knew why *I* wanted to go there.
When people who are visiting a country with which I am familiar and ask what they should do in that country, my first question is, Why do YOU want to go there?
And although I plan out my trips, the plans never come out exactly the way I planned them because I am always open to changes and unexpected options.
If you are going to, say, Paris, don't ask me if the Louvre is "worth it." My answer is, If you like art, maybe. However, if you don't learn what Louvre is BEFORE you go, you probably won't check much out of it...except a check off on your bucket list. If you don't particular like art, don't go...although I suspect many people go to certain places because it's on the list of things about which they must tell their friends when they return, and most are afraid to say, Yes, I was in Paris, but I didn't go into the Louvre."
I don't take trips based on what someone else says.
I normally choose a destination based on my own investigations and criteria.
I have used Lonely Planet guides for a number of countries, but usually AFTER I had already chosen destination and knew why *I* wanted to go there.
When people who are visiting a country with which I am familiar and ask what they should do in that country, my first question is, Why do YOU want to go there?
And although I plan out my trips, the plans never come out exactly the way I planned them because I am always open to changes and unexpected options.
If you are going to, say, Paris, don't ask me if the Louvre is "worth it." My answer is, If you like art, maybe. However, if you don't learn what Louvre is BEFORE you go, you probably won't check much out of it...except a check off on your bucket list. If you don't particular like art, don't go...although I suspect many people go to certain places because it's on the list of things about which they must tell their friends when they return, and most are afraid to say, Yes, I was in Paris, but I didn't go into the Louvre."
1
I visit Queens for a week every year -- for the US Open. And although most of my time is spent watching tennis, we love to visit Jackson Heights, Flushing, and other neighborhoods. We stay out in Bayside and are welcomed every year by the waitress at the Italian restaurant on Bell Blvd; when we walk into the Vietnamese place for a late dinner, the owner gets up and switches the TV to tennis for us. He recognizes us, too. Not to mention the friendly and helpful bus drivers. Not an Onion parody at all. Queens is real.
27
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens-chamber-commerce-head-city-to...
The data "sparse" due to the fact that NYC & Company has traditional kept terrible records when it comes to borough statistics. Every year they come out with the same press release but change the borough. "midst of a major hotel boom" and yet the agency fails to speak up against AirB&B.
The data "sparse" due to the fact that NYC & Company has traditional kept terrible records when it comes to borough statistics. Every year they come out with the same press release but change the borough. "midst of a major hotel boom" and yet the agency fails to speak up against AirB&B.
1
First Coming to America, now this
1
I believe the end-time prophecy of the Book of Revelation calls for the appearance of the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the 7th Seal, and the Beast, all to be followed by Queens and Staten Island becoming hip.
We’re apparently up to Queens. A similar article about Staten Island should signal the beginning of “The Rapture”.
We’re apparently up to Queens. A similar article about Staten Island should signal the beginning of “The Rapture”.
11
The Jackson Heights neighborhood needs to be more commercially oriented before I will visit there. Perhaps, they could make the street signs bigger, and encourage more corporate brands to advertise there. I want signs for brands I recognize.
These top ten lists, like BuzzFeed for the travel-impaired, always amuse me. Next year, an entirely different set of place will be named. How can they all be top destinations to visit?
1
We are not particularly interested in hosting folks who want "signs for brands I recognize". Or, better put, I am not particularly interested in living somewhere full of chain stores and restaurants, although my husband wishes we had a Sonic nearby. We like our one-off purveyors of excellent food including great affordable produce, unique imported cooking stuff, furniture that fits in apartments, etc.
By the way, if you are looking for a good place to eat in a Queens neighborhood, an excellent way to choose is to look for an ethnic place with many customers who seem to be from that ethnic group.
By the way, if you are looking for a good place to eat in a Queens neighborhood, an excellent way to choose is to look for an ethnic place with many customers who seem to be from that ethnic group.
5
If you want signs for brands you recognize, why go to the expense of visiting New York?
1
Pretty sure Mr. Little was being sarcastic.
1
I have never, ever, heard anyone say that they wanted to, or were planning to, take their vacation in Queens. Pure marketing hype.
13
If one is in the NYC area, there is no reason for one to NOT visit Queens for a day.
And if one hasn't been in all five boroughs, one has not visited NYC.
But no, Queens probably is not going to be the central focus of anyone's trip to the Big Apple.
And if one hasn't been in all five boroughs, one has not visited NYC.
But no, Queens probably is not going to be the central focus of anyone's trip to the Big Apple.
6
please, save us from the tourists and everything that comes along with them.
now that manhattan has devolved into a faux disneyland, travel agents need something new to sell, something with authenticity, and so now its queens.
with tourists come overcrowded streets busses and subways and all their conspicuous consumerism.
politicians are drunk on tourist dollars.
new hotels, restaurants and alcohol, so much for them to tax.
now that manhattan has devolved into a faux disneyland, travel agents need something new to sell, something with authenticity, and so now its queens.
with tourists come overcrowded streets busses and subways and all their conspicuous consumerism.
politicians are drunk on tourist dollars.
new hotels, restaurants and alcohol, so much for them to tax.
6
I believe Queens is considered the most polyglot county in the world; also, the most varied ethnic restaurants.
Queens was hobbled by history. Unlike Manhattan and Brooklyn, it was not one city but a random collection of towns and development -- more like Nassau County. So it never developed a cohesive personality and by the time Fitzgerald wrote Gatsby, the People Who Mattered looked at it as an industrial wasteland to be endured between "the city" and the North Shore.
Queens was hobbled by history. Unlike Manhattan and Brooklyn, it was not one city but a random collection of towns and development -- more like Nassau County. So it never developed a cohesive personality and by the time Fitzgerald wrote Gatsby, the People Who Mattered looked at it as an industrial wasteland to be endured between "the city" and the North Shore.
4
Queens? Nah. And visitors to the US Open, the Belmont Stakes or the Mets are not relevant to the numbers. They are not really visiting Queens itself but instead specific events which have no historical or cultural attachment to the borough. Might as well count the "visitors" to JFK.
A couple of little museums don't change the grade. Queens, in fact, is beyond boring and actually rates as annoying, especially to those traveling down the always jammed Van Wyck to JFK trying to make a flight. Brooklyn - on the other hand - now there's a borough worth one's time.
A couple of little museums don't change the grade. Queens, in fact, is beyond boring and actually rates as annoying, especially to those traveling down the always jammed Van Wyck to JFK trying to make a flight. Brooklyn - on the other hand - now there's a borough worth one's time.
Belmont Race Track is in Nassau County, not Queens.
1
Be more specific please. Queens is a huge borough. Are we talking about Northern Queens with all of its political clout or where I live in Southern Queens which is usually left to rot because we have no political clout.
2
I live in Queens.
Manhattan has a few world class museums, the Battery, Central, and Riverside Parks, the the huge buildings, which every visitor should see.
However, that's about it.
Brooklyn and Queens have real, vibrant neighborhoods to wander about in. At the same time Manhattan has become as safe, bland and boring as any mall in Middle America.
The real estate developers and politicians made a conscious effort to destroy what made Manhattan special: the old Times Square; the old East Village and Harlem; the quirky mom and pop stores; the grungy clubs; the real neighborhoods, and give it all to the rich elites and corporate interests.
Manhattan was cleansed of the people, the artists, the eccentrics, the neighborhoods and businesses that made Manhattan worth visiting. These types of people and places can now be found in Brooklyn and Queens!
Manhattan has a few world class museums, the Battery, Central, and Riverside Parks, the the huge buildings, which every visitor should see.
However, that's about it.
Brooklyn and Queens have real, vibrant neighborhoods to wander about in. At the same time Manhattan has become as safe, bland and boring as any mall in Middle America.
The real estate developers and politicians made a conscious effort to destroy what made Manhattan special: the old Times Square; the old East Village and Harlem; the quirky mom and pop stores; the grungy clubs; the real neighborhoods, and give it all to the rich elites and corporate interests.
Manhattan was cleansed of the people, the artists, the eccentrics, the neighborhoods and businesses that made Manhattan worth visiting. These types of people and places can now be found in Brooklyn and Queens!
13
This is truly beyond all understanding. I've been back to Queens on occasion over the past 40 years living elsewhere around our country and traveling a good deal, and while most of my re-acquaintance with Queens recently has been from the back of a cab struggling to get into Manhattan from the airport, I fail to see why anyone would want to be a tourist in Queens.
Yes, some stretches of coast are appealing, but overall Queens is dirty, gritty, unkempt, and seriously in need of investment on its roads, bridges and in its public parks and spaces. And a good sand-blasting for most of its buildings.
It looks so depressing, especially in the winter, and just plain worn out. Old yes, but without charm.
Of the four seasons, spring is the best only because of the scattering of trees here and there that give life and beauty to the streets. But putting aside old memories of childhood, growing up, lost friends and family, and taking a clear-eyed look at the borough, it just looks like it needs a good cleaning and renovation. Visit it on vacation? You're out of your mind.
Yes, some stretches of coast are appealing, but overall Queens is dirty, gritty, unkempt, and seriously in need of investment on its roads, bridges and in its public parks and spaces. And a good sand-blasting for most of its buildings.
It looks so depressing, especially in the winter, and just plain worn out. Old yes, but without charm.
Of the four seasons, spring is the best only because of the scattering of trees here and there that give life and beauty to the streets. But putting aside old memories of childhood, growing up, lost friends and family, and taking a clear-eyed look at the borough, it just looks like it needs a good cleaning and renovation. Visit it on vacation? You're out of your mind.
15
Are you kidding me? You're judging Queens by the Van Wyck, Grand Central and the LIE? And you're supposedly a native? How about Alley Pond, Kissena, Cunningham Park and Forest parks? You wish Sarasota had so many trees, forests and wildlife. The borough is 177 square miles and you talk about it like you've seen 10 blocks of it. That's like judging Sarasota based on Gillespie Park.
3
If most of your re-acquaintance with Queens has been in a cab going to Manhattan from the airport, then of course you're not seeing the best of Queens. You're seeing the side-of-the-highway sights whizz by. You aren't going into any neighborhoods and seeing any of the beautiful homes, well kept parks, and amazing mom-and-pop stores that Queens can offer. You're missing out on the wonderful museums, outdoor activities, and communities that Queens has to offer.
As someone who has lived in Queens for her whole life (with the exception of a few years during college), do I want tourism in my borough to increase dramatically? Absolutely not (see the points above made about gentrification, increased prices, etc.). However, do I want people to appreciate that Queens has a lot to offer and isn't just a "dirty, gritty, unkempt" place "without charm." Without a doubt.
As someone who has lived in Queens for her whole life (with the exception of a few years during college), do I want tourism in my borough to increase dramatically? Absolutely not (see the points above made about gentrification, increased prices, etc.). However, do I want people to appreciate that Queens has a lot to offer and isn't just a "dirty, gritty, unkempt" place "without charm." Without a doubt.
4
Never fear, Brooklyn's here right behind, to catch any Queen, just in case she fails!!
1
Makes sense. Tourists, like 99% of everyone real and everything authentic, got priced out of Manhattan.
2
This is a joke, right?
9
George Costanza's parents Frank and Estelle live in Queens.
The joke's on you, my friend.
The joke's on you, my friend.
2
George Costanza's parents are enough to make Queens a tourist mecca?
Tourists, go back to Manhattan!
Tourists, go back to Manhattan!
Queens? This paper is covering Queens - a once a year event folks! The reporters think it's in New Jersey as the coverage there is much more broad than NYC where there is only 1 borough worth covering - the remaining 4 boroughs is left to the NY Daily News!
9
I enjoy living in Queens, but a tourist destination? I don't think so. Unless they mean it's the number one spot to overstay your visa! Sure, go ahead, you'll fit right in.
7
We lived in Queens for 7 years, on the edge of LIC and Woodside. Wonderful place to live with good food and a lot to do, but fit for families and long term residents. Our last two years we saw the "hipsterization" of our neighborhood. Numerous buildings sold, long term residents moving out and rents going through the roof. Our's would have gone up $600 per month, it was the push for us to move out of the city and buy.
Queens is great, hopefully they can prevent themselves from turning into the next Brooklyn. Overpriced overhip and full of themselves.
Queens is great, hopefully they can prevent themselves from turning into the next Brooklyn. Overpriced overhip and full of themselves.
20
Noooo Noooo. What's next "artists lofts"?
4
Dude, there are already many areas in queens with artists lofts, galleries, and such and have been a very long time. If you are going to defend your borough's small businesses and local character, choose the right targets for your ire.
1
Worse, there'll be Artisanal Espresso Bars with $6 cups of espresso. And Organic Artisanal Pickle Emporiums and all the other bizarre, overpriced, useless crud you see in hipster-infested areas. Good luck, Queens.
2
The photo accompanying this article, of "A street in Jackson Heights," shows a large Dunkin' Donuts side. Is this what tourists are supposed to be visiting?
6
The picture of Jackson Heights houses is more typical of Corona or Woodside. Far more typical of Jackson Heights are red brick apartment houses and garden apartment complexes, mostly six stories high.
22
Yeah that's not Jackson Heights. Probably it's Elmhurst.
Was this an Onion parody?
66
Home of my birth and the first 18 years.
If you told me then, what it would be now--trendy hotels where taxi repair shops were (and still are!), I would not have believed you...
If you told me then, what it would be now--trendy hotels where taxi repair shops were (and still are!), I would not have believed you...
9
Oh great, another part of New York about to become unaffordable to the average person, with one immigrant neighborhood after another paved over and converted into a Mecca for WASPy hipsters and yuppies.
84
Beat me to it. I'm not sure this is good news.
1
As people say, step up or step off.
1
A broker friend told me you can't touch anything in Astoria these days in terms of a real one-bedroom below $400,000. As for Long Island City, I believe the prices there have reached parity with Manhattan.
Be careful what you wish for. Where travel agencies see growth, I see danger; where local developers see economic development, I smell gentrification. Case in point? A new-age cafe like Sweetleaf in LIC? That doesn't belong; it's not what our ethnic family wants. The NYT touts it as the most "civilized thing" in LIC. That's an insult to our community.
Queens doesn't want to be "hip" or "chic." We don't want too many expensive hotels and high-rises. A small amount? Sure. But most of us would prefer our affordable housing and stores/shops that actually cater to our needs. Thanks but no thanks, tourists.
Queens doesn't want to be "hip" or "chic." We don't want too many expensive hotels and high-rises. A small amount? Sure. But most of us would prefer our affordable housing and stores/shops that actually cater to our needs. Thanks but no thanks, tourists.
110
Sorry, you have no choice. The machinery of constant consumption will do what it wants and steamroll right over you.
2
That's fine Bob, but the reality is that gentrification is coming. I have been living in LIC for a number of years now, and could not be happier about gentrification. I would like to see Queens become more hip and chic and a generally better place to live.
QED, Astoria was already one of NYC's safest neighborhoods before gentrification began. Now I'm continually seeing affordable eateries being replaced with trendy, pricey ones.
And if you can't afford the rent in a neighborhood, it's no place to live.
And if you can't afford the rent in a neighborhood, it's no place to live.
1
Oh, to see the green house squeezed in between the brown house and the gray
house?
house?
28
The Bronx and The Brooklyn are more interesting than The Queens…
…unless you’re all hepped up to finally visit the 1964 World’s Fair…in “Flushing”. (Unfortunately they tore down all of the 1939 World’s Fair, which was more interesting.)
…unless you’re all hepped up to finally visit the 1964 World’s Fair…in “Flushing”. (Unfortunately they tore down all of the 1939 World’s Fair, which was more interesting.)
3
Compared to Manhattan, Queens is the real deal melting pot. Went to Queens a couple of times mostly in Jackson Heights to eat Indian and Mexican food. I checked out Woodside for the Filipino restaurants.
The restaurants do feel authentic in the sense that they were catering to their own folks. I remember going to a Mexican restaurant and I spent a long time studying the menu. This was not Tex-Mex fare. The Filipino restaurants were mostly point and choose with the name of the food in their language. The Indian restaurant does not have the finesse of the ones you find in Manhattan - if that's a sign of its authenticity.
The atmosphere in the area is kinda gritty but not dangerous like Harlem 125th and up. But I would not want to be there late at night by myself. The folks walking around the area are not wealthy. You won't see folks dressed up to run or go to a gym. The folks are mostly non-white and non-black.
The restaurants do feel authentic in the sense that they were catering to their own folks. I remember going to a Mexican restaurant and I spent a long time studying the menu. This was not Tex-Mex fare. The Filipino restaurants were mostly point and choose with the name of the food in their language. The Indian restaurant does not have the finesse of the ones you find in Manhattan - if that's a sign of its authenticity.
The atmosphere in the area is kinda gritty but not dangerous like Harlem 125th and up. But I would not want to be there late at night by myself. The folks walking around the area are not wealthy. You won't see folks dressed up to run or go to a gym. The folks are mostly non-white and non-black.
2
People in most parts of Queens are not wealthy enough to dine out frequently. They cook their own meals. The restaurants surrounding them must attract this population in order to stay in business. This means they need to make the food tastier and cheaper. Foodies will find cheaper and better ethnic food in Queens.
3
"The folks walking around the area are not wealthy. You won't see folks dressed up to run or go to a gym. The folks are mostly non-white and non-black."
So this on its face makes it dangerous at night? Please do stay on the UWS. Let me guess, you're not from NYC originally and live in a doorman building?
So this on its face makes it dangerous at night? Please do stay on the UWS. Let me guess, you're not from NYC originally and live in a doorman building?
4
New York Worlds Fair awareness -- hello! We're talking 50th anniversary, people. Or 75th, if you want to go back to the '39-40 Fair. Flushing Meadows ... worlds fairs were ephemeral, but unforgettable. Pop culture geeks, lots to learn.
Behold the Unisphere! Exhibitions took place here that had a scope and ... impact that will be forever lost once oldsters like me are not around.
I was there in '65. It was the promise of a future that never came to pass. But the ideal is still there, as long as the Unisphere is still standing. It is more than a relic. I hope the gleaming dreams of tomorrow still shine.
Queens is cool.
Behold the Unisphere! Exhibitions took place here that had a scope and ... impact that will be forever lost once oldsters like me are not around.
I was there in '65. It was the promise of a future that never came to pass. But the ideal is still there, as long as the Unisphere is still standing. It is more than a relic. I hope the gleaming dreams of tomorrow still shine.
Queens is cool.
6
Queens may be cool.
But I'll not go to "Flushing Meadows."
I just can't get the "flushing" part out of my mind.
But I'll not go to "Flushing Meadows."
I just can't get the "flushing" part out of my mind.
2
And there go the rents.....
42
As counties go, Queens will never trump Kings.
4
That's why the Bronx is known as Aces County.
8
Don't be so sure about that Stu. At least until Labor Day Rockaway is hip and happening. All of Williamsburg is waiting at Broad Channel to make the shuttle connection to Beach 116th Street Station and you can't get a seat on the Q35 bus from Flatbush/Nostrand Avenue to Riis Park.
Sharon, as a born-in-Brooklyn native (with relatives living in Queens) I well remember travelling those routes. Esp. The Q35, our summer go to. We were a bit younger, high school students, living with Mom and Dad, who would travel out to Neponsit and Riis Park for a beach day. Its was a summer staple, And you would see lots of Brooklynites there, but they were from Flatbush or Flatlands, not from "away" like Williamsburg (which was then a dreary place).
2