By MATTHEW TOBJY Dec. 6, 2016
Staten Island: full of history, culture, and tradition. It is often know as the forgotten borough by residents, but has much to offer.
Staten Island satellite view
Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City is also known as the borough of parks. Out of the five boroughs, this is the most suburban part of the city that you can probably find. It has much to offer, even though it is often overlooked by tourists and some New Yorkers themselves. There is good shopping at the local mall, excellent restaurants, some of which the chefs have appeared on The Food Network, and a great comfortable home feeling.
Friday
- Historic Richmond Town, 2pm.
Historic Richmond Town, located in the middle of Staten Island in the town of Oakwood Heights, hold a rich history that can be traced back to the mid 1600s. Take a tour of the town between 1 and 5pm and see how people lived before the era of technology. Here you will see how people survived during these times by seeing how they made their own food, picked their food, made their clothes, etc. Admission is $8 for adults. This is highly recommended because it will take you back to the simpler times. Want to get an experience that will make you feel like you are in the 1600s? Take a candlelight tour of the town in December and meet the employees that will reenact the christmas season in the colonial age.
Photo creds: Matthew Tobjy
2. St. Andrew’s Church, 3pm.
St. Andrew’s Church, founded in 1708 by Rev. Aeneas Mackenzie, holds a lot of history because in the 18th century in Staten Island, the population was mostly Dutch and French. The amount of history that this church has been through is incredible. It played a major part in the Revolutionary War because British troops camped on the property and the church was used as a hospital. Some residents believe that the church is haunted saying that they’ve heard drums playing from one of the British drummer boys that is buried at this site. You can walk the grounds if you please and take a look at the years on the tombstones, it is simply amazing! If you find yourself in this area around Halloween, the church puts on a fright night tour where they have actors recreate a haunted theme and you, the visitor, walk through for a thrill.
3. Conference House Park, 4pm.
Conference House Park, is home to another historical site on Staten Island, the Conference House, located in the Tottenville section on the island. Public tours are available for $4, or you can schedule a private tour of the estate. This is a very historical spot because on September 11, 1776, some Continental Congress representatives met with the British kings representatives to discuss terms for independence, but the British denied them because they didn’t think independence was a negotiable term. Therefore both parties of the discussion left facing war in the future. Visiting the Conference House around Christmas time is a nice activity to do. It is decorated for the season and they hold events around this time of year.
4. Angelina’s Ristorante, 6pm.
Angelina’s Ristorante is an upscale Italian restaurant that is high end with a beautiful view. The restaurant holds weddings and all kinds of events which are exquisite. A dish that is a must to try is the Pollo Valdostano for $26. It is a chicken breast stuffed with ham and mozzarella cheese in a cognac and porcini mushroom sauce and truffle infused. It is absolutely amazing! There are a variety of Italian dishes that make you feel at home, but with an upscale twist. The food served at this restaurant is what most Italian Staten Islanders make at home, from tomato sauce, fresh pasta, and more. Make sure you make a reservation because it is always filled with regulars.
Photo creds: Matthew Tobjy
Saturday
This Botanical garden is a hidden secret in Staten Island. It is absolutely beautiful and full of nature and beauty. Take a stroll throughout the land, which is vast and take in all that there is to offer. Coming here to sit down on a bench and enjoy the beautiful sites is a great start to your day. There is a farm in the botanical gardens that from June- November has a farm stand where people can come to buy locally grown food and see what the gardens have produced. The land is full of culture from performing arts, visual arts, and a Chinese scholar garden. Located on the property is also a children’s museum that has a lot to offer.
Photo creds: Snug Harbor
2. Staten Island Zoo, 12pm.
The Staten Island Zoo, which is famous for “Staten Island Chuck” who comes out each Groundhogs Day to indicate if spring is coming sooner or later. They have an array of animal exhibits from repitles, birds, otters, and a lot more. It is so much fun too see all of these animals in a place you would never expect tot see them, New York. There is a petting zoo, where you can pet the goats and other animals as well. You are sure to spend a good amount of time here, so a cafe is in the zoo so you can grab some lunch then go on your way to see more animals. Admission is $10 for adults, with reduced rates for seniors and children.
3. Alice Austen House, 4pm.
The Alice Austen House is the house of one of America’s earliest female photographer’s. Through her life, she captures approximately 8,000 photos, some which are able to be viewed at the house now. Alice Austen was a artist in every way, she loved to take photos and she was also a landscape designer. Along with being one of the first female photographers in America, she was the first woman to own a car in Staten Island. Most of her photos were candid pictures of daily life on Staten Island. A lot of the photos can now be seen on the website. The admission is about $3 and the grounds are open until dusk.
4. Giovanni’s Trattoria, 7pm.
Giovanni’s Trattoria is a small, but amazing Italian restaurant. The atmosphere is very nice and cozy and you can tell that the staff works great together and now around Christmas it is absolutely beautiful inside. The executive chef, Alessandro Colizza, is straight from Italy and makes homemade pizza in a woodturning brick oven. The pizza is so authentic to Italy with a thin crust, but they make the pizza an oblong shape in 18″ or 29″ pies. The small 14″ pie is good as a personal pizza. They have a variety of classical Italian dishes as well from Chicken Parmesan to Chicken marsala and so much more. The choices for pizza are endless, and my favorite was the Pizza al Metro with shrimp, pesto, and fresh tomatoes. Definitely make a reservation as it gets busy very quickly on a Saturday night.
Photo creds: Matthew Tobjy
Sunday
- Staten Island Lighthouse, 9am.
Staten Island Lighthouse, towering 141 feet above sea level, is very unique to Staten Island. The lighthouse is deigned very ruggedly for a city scene and went into operation in the year of 1912. The beam from the lighthouse can be seen for 21 miles. In 1992, it was taken over by a caretaker who loved lighthouses and he took care of it until he came down with medical problems and had to step down. A keepers dwelling was built 150 feet from the lighthouse and connected to the lighthouse itself. The top of the lighthouse can only be seen from houses nearby, but the beams of light aids ships coming to the Ambrose Channel and the Swash Channel. The keepers dwelling is now a private residence.
2. Beans and Leaves Cafè, 11am.
Beans and Leaves is very popular on Staten Island for their unique waffles with toppings. You can get anything from S’mores waffle to a Cap’n Crunch waffle. Once you get a waffle you can take a picture of it and post it on social media with the hashtag “#postyoutbeans.” They were voted Staten Islands Best Coffee Shop of 2015 according to their Instagram page. Waffles run anywhere from $7.50 and up. This will sure fill you up as you are about to finish your journey on Staten Island!
3. Staten Island Museum, 12pm.
The Staten Island Museum located on the northern tip of the island in St. George. The history in this museum traces back to 1881 and covers history of this region from the past 150 years. There are 3 locations, this one, a location in Snug Harbor, and another location in Snug Harbor for the history center and archives. The museum connects the natural sciences, arts, and history based on the collections that they have. Admission is $8 for adults with reduced prices or seniors, children, and groups.
Photo creds: Staten Island Museum
Lodging:
Hilton Garden Inn New York/ Staten Island
Room rate: $179 per night
There is a complimentary shuttle service to and from the Staten Island Ferry, Newark International Airport, and Bayonne Cruise Port.
Hampton Inn & Suites Staten Island, New York Hotel
Room rate: $149 per night
There is complimentary shuttle service to and from the Staten Island Ferry and Newark International Airport. Shuttle to and from Bayonne Cruise Port must be booked when making reservation.
Transportation nearby: Use local MTA city buses or Staten Island Railway to get across the island.
@. (n.d.). Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. Retrieved December 06, 2016, from http://snug-harbor.org/
Home. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from http://conferencehouse.org/The Church of
Home – Staten Island Museum. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from http://www.statenislandmuseum.org/
Saint Andrew – Staten Island. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from http://churchofstandrew-si.com/
STATEN ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from http://www.uscg.mil/d1/antNewYork/lighthouses/StatenIsland.asp
Staten Island Zoo. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from http://www.statenislandzoo.org/
Welcome to the Alice Austen House | Alice Austen House. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from http://aliceausten.org/
There is so much history to be lived on Staten Island, great choices are expressed.