Staten Island is one of the five boroughs in New York City and situated in the southwestern corner of the city. The New York Bay separates Staten Island from Manhattan and Brooklyn, and the tidal straits of Arthur Kill and Kill Van Kull separates the island from the state of New Jersey on the U.S. mainland. Staten Island is the third largest of New York City’s five boroughs but the least populated with 471,000 (2012) people living on the island compared to the New York City’s total population of 8.3 million (2012). http://web.archive.org/web/20210511032113if_/https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?q=40.5795317,-74.15020070000003&key=AIzaSyARNP6PBrYdKNmsYf09tU8jRnffQb-sFQg
The Island
Staten Island comprises mostly of suburban neighborhoods with small commercial establishments dotted across the island. However, there are patches in the borough that are urban in character occupied by apartment blocks, condominiums, and public housing projects. Staten Island is the greenest of the boroughs with large areas of parklands spread across the island. The 2,500-acre (1,012 ha) Greenbelt is a major parkland on the island, home to a diversity of fauna and hundred of species of wildlife including migratory birds.
Wolfe’s Pond Park by Jim Henderson
People
About a third of Staten Island’s residents identify themselves as Italian Americans and not surprisingly, there are plenty of Italian restaurants and pizzerias across the island. The next largest ethnic group is the Irish Americans and every year in June there is the Staten Island Irish Fair. African Americans and Hispanics account for a quarter and Asians are a small but visible minority accounting for around 5% of the residents, live mainly in the northern (upper) area of Staten Island.
See & Do
For many visitors, a visit to Staten Island is a 20-25 minutes ride on the Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan to the St. George Ferry Terminal, then maybe a short walk around the terminal before returning to Manhattan on the ferry. The island offers much more than the Staten Island Ferry, that you would need a couple of days if you really want to explore Staten Island. To get around, there is a network of bus routes and the Staten Island Railway travels between the northern to southern tip of the island.
Staten Island Ferry by InSapphoWeTrust
A short walk from the St. George Ferry Terminal is the St. George Theatre, a major performance venue on the Island including plays and music concerts. Another, within walking distance from the ferry terminal, is the Staten Island Museum, an interesting museum devoted to the arts, science, and history of Staten Island. A must visit destination is the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, a collection of 19th century buildings on an 83-acre (34 ha) site and home to the Staten Island Botanical Garden.
Snug Harbor Cultural Center by Dmadeo
Staten Island is the greenest borough in New York City with a nearly a fifth of the island occupied by parks of varying features including open fields, woodlands, marshes, meadows, valleys, and beaches. Beyond the parks are the sandy beaches situated on east coast, offering an escape from the hustle of New York City. The island is an angler’s paradise with opportunities for freshwater, surf, pier, and deep water fishing. If you are into kayaking, there are water trails passing through rivers, lakes, creeks, bays, and coasts.
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