Queens, New York guide

Paris has the Eiffel Tower. Queens has the Unisphere. Built in Flushing Meadows Corona Park for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the 36-metre-diameter, hollow steel globe has cool, space-age vibes and serves as a symbol of Queens’ international population. Don’t forget to snap some selfies as you stroll around it. On hot days, the surrounding water feature creates a lovely, cooling mist.

The Queens waterfront has the best views of Manhattan, from the Empire State Building to the United Nations Headquarters and beyond. Once a railroad terminus, Gantry Plaza State Park in Hunter’s Point mixes groomed spaces with natural expanses of tall grass. Walk along the swooping piers, then relax in one of the deck chairs. And definitely get a photo of the enormous, neon Pepsi-Cola landmark sign.

Don’t miss the Queens Museum’s Panorama of the City of New York, an incredible scale model of all five boroughs. Scaled at 2.5 centimetres to 30 metres, the Empire State Building towers at a whopping 38 centimetres tall. Stroll along the walkways to peer out over the sprawling model that’s nearly an exact replica, with every street, park and almost 900,000 buildings.

It seems crazy that you can sunbathe and bodysurf within New York City limits, but that’s exactly what happens on the Atlantic beaches of Queens. For a throwback beach day, hit Jacob Riis Park, which has an old-school bathhouse. Rockaway Beach has a more modern scene, with a boardwalk, burger joints and truly surfable waves.

Between MoMA PS1, The Noguchi Museum and the New York Hall of Science, museums in Queens have a lot to offer. The Museum of the Moving Image honours both big and small screens. Tour the permanent exhibit of artefacts, including retro video game consoles and merch from popular TV shows. Visiting with kids? Check out the Media Game Lab or The Jim Henson Exhibition.

Jackson Heights boasts some of the best restaurants in Queens. Jackson Diner has been a top choice for authentic Indian food since 1980. Strolling around the area of Roosevelt and 37th avenues, you’ll find top-notch Mexican, Bangladeshi, Brazilian, Colombian, Pakistani, Filipino, Italian and Iberian spots for dine-in or takeaway. Get your hands on a good old gastropub-style burger at The Queensboro.

The Queens Night Market feels like a mashup of an enormous picnic and a craft fair. Every Saturday between April and October, outside the New York Hall of Science, the market spotlights musicians and performers — and almost none of the food costs more than $6. For great vibes and craft cocktails, head to Dutch Kills Bar, Side Hustle and The Beast Next Door in the Queens Plaza area.

For unique independent shops and excellent thrifting, head to Ridgewood, an artsy enclave of brick terrace houses and small businesses. On Woodward Avenue, grab a coffee and browse the used books at Topos Bookstore. Or duck into Saint Seneca or Stay Forever for modern takes on a general store — think indie beauty brands and small-batch paper goods.

Come to Queens in late August and early September to catch the action of the US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Grandstand and grounds pass tickets give you access to several courts, so you can watch multiple matches. Visiting outside of that time? Bring a racket and you can play on the same blue courts the pros do.