Roosevelt Island is a two-mile long sliver of land between Manhattan and Queens. This East River isle is a self-contained community that over 12,000 people call home. The vibe is metro-retro in all the right ways. Though urban, there are plenty of open spaces. Best of all, getting to Roosevelt Island via the three-minute aerial tram ride is hold-your-breathe amazing, all for the cost of one MetroCard swipe.
Get Outdoors
Cyclists are in luck, as you can cram your bike on the tram. The island’s waterfront promenade wraps around its perimeter, perfect for a relaxed ride. You’ll be treated to vistas of the United Nations, the Manhattan skyline and seaworthy vessels in the river as you share the path with joggers and strollers.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is the first memorial dedicated to the former President in his home state. This four-acre park is open every day except Tuesday and is a popular spot to fly a kite when the breeze kicks up.
Tote your mat and try a drop-in yoga class on the lawn. You’ll get a great stretch and a view of Manhattan’s East Side.
Music at Sunset is a free outdoor concert series held here during warmer months, so bring a blanket. Walk or pedal over to sculptor Tom Otterness’ installation The Marriage of Real Estate and Money. Otterness is the artist behind those whimsical figures in the 14th Street and Eighth Avenue subway station. Here on Roosevelt Island, he has placed his signature cartoonish bronze creatures coyly peeking out of the East River.
Eats + Drinks
Dining opportunities are notoriously slim, but food trucks are increasing the edible options. Mobile eateries spotted include Wafels & Dinges, Kimchi Taco and Comme Ci Comme Ca.
At Four Freedoms Park on weekends, The Katchkie Farm bright green food truck is open from 12-4pm, serving nourishing noshes. The Farmers’ Market, held each Saturday, will satiate those in search of farm fresh bites.
For a tempting treat, Main Street Sweets & Eats is an old-fashioned candy store and ice cream parlor that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Insider Tip
The island is rumored to be haunted. Decide for yourself at the abandoned former Smallpox Hospital. Built in 1854 by James Renwick of St. Patrick’s Cathedral fame, you can’t actually enter the spooky structure, but just a peek should help you decide if anyone is home.
How to get here: The tram ride is part of the fun. The wheelchair-accessible Roosevelt Island Tramway departs from Second Avenue and 59th Street and takes passengers high above the East River, peaking at 250 feet. The views of Manhattan’s East Side, the East River and the Queensboro Bridge are spectacular.
Photo credits: m012229, Four Freedoms Park, Katchkie Farm, gigi-nyc
Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributes travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She is fluent in Italian and Spanish and laughably adequate in French. Her background as an Early Childhood Educator gives her an added understanding of what it takes to travel with kids in tow. She firmly believes that the most important part of education takes place outside of the classroom, on the road, around the world. She never misses a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. Follow Allison at @gourmetrav.
Related Posts
The offMetro Guide to Fall Foliage Near NYC (Updated with Videos!)
Car–Free Days (16.04.2015)" style="font-size:12pt;color:#353535">
Maine’s Acadia National Park to Hold Car–Free Days
Block Island: A Timeless Fall Getaway
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram