Roosevelt Island Day Trip
What this foodstroll is
Our guide to the landmarks of Roosevelt Island, and where to eat when you visit.
Why this foodstroll works
Roosevelt Island is the perfect NYC outdoor adventure, offering visitors a chance to ride the Roosevelt Island Tram, NYC Ferry, and walk, scoot or bike along the extensive footpath surrounding the Island. It has a nice combination of historic points of interest, playgrounds, and empty green space, making it entertaining for all ages. There aren’t a ton of food options on the Island, but enough to have you covered at both the budget and fancy ends of the spectrum. It’s incredibly accessible from anywhere in New York City, but isolated enough to give it a day trip vibe. It can be visited in a few hours, or you could spend all afternoon exploring.
Strolling
You can walk, bike, drive, take the subway, tram, or ferry to RI, and everything is nearby once you’re there.
The Tram opened in 1976 and used to be the primary means of transportation to and from the Island. A subway station opened in 1989, and NYC Ferries now stop along the eastern shore, but Tram rides are still the most fun. Rides take about 5 minutes and depart every 7.5 minutes, so no need to look at a schedule.
Aside from the Tram, our favorite mode of transportion to Roosevelt Island is the NYC Ferry. Connections from ferry to ferry are free, and there are ferry terminals throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Roosevelt Island is on the NYC Ferry Astoria route.
The Island is 2 miles long, and this lovely path wraps around the perimeter. You can easily loop it on bikes, but it’s still possible on foot if you allow enough time. There are six designated NYC Landmarks on RI, and all can be visited along the path. You can read about each of them here.
The Island has changed names several times over the years, known as Hog’s Island to the Dutch, Blackwell’s Island to the British, Welfare Island to Americans, and as of 1973, Roosevelt Island in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Four Freedoms Park is at the southern end of the Island, and a memorial that celebrates the “Four Freedoms” FDR talked about in his 1941 State of The Union is at the very tip. We’ll let you read them yourself during your visit.
The Queensborough/59th Street Bridge can be seen from virtually everywhere, but is not actually a way to get to or from the Island. The span, the third of four major East River crossings (Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg) was completed in 1909,and has been subject to its fair share of pop culture. The bridge famously appears in films like The Great Gatsby, Spiderman, The Dark Knight Rises, and Elf.
The famous Pepsi Cola sign in Long Island City dates back to 1940, and can be seen from anywhere along the southeastern shore of Roosevelt Island. Although now surrounded by upscale apartment buildings, the sign is a reminder of the area’s industrial past.
The old Smallpox Hospital near Four Freedom’s Park dates back to 1856. The Gothic Revival ruin was designed by James Renwick Jr, famous for his other masterpieces like Grace Church and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The hospital is the only ruin in NYC officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Roosevelt Island Lighthouse, formerly the Blackwell Island Lighthouse, is at the northern end of the Island. Another of James Renwick Jr’s Gothic structures, it dates back to 1872. Nearby is The Octagon, a former mental hospital (insane asylum) opened in 1841, although the current building only barely resembles the original structure. Both are designated NYC Landmarks and on the National Register of Historic Places.
Food Spots
1. Granny Annie’s
Granny Annie’s is an Irish pub and kitchen with a menu full of Irish staples, and a lively bar. While Irish cuisine is not esteemed like its southern European relatives, it does have a solid amount of internationally recognizable dishes, like Shepherd’s Pie.
Coincidence or not, Irish food generally goes well with alcohol, and things that go well with alcohol are usually popular with children (and picky adults). The Irish Curry Cheese Fries at Grannie’s will please any crowd.
The traditional bar food at Annie’s, like nachos, wings, and quesadillas are all very good. Annie’s Specialty Burger, which comes with caramelized onions, bacon, and BBQ sauce, is a family favorite.
Fish n’ Chips is another delightfully simple and iconic dish from our English speaking friends across the pond. Grannys’s Irish Ale Battered Fish and Chips are worth traveling for.
Anything At All is an upscale operation inside The Graduate Hotel, right next to the Tram and Ferry terminals. The menu is eclectic American, and a little fussier than we’d normally suggest on the blog. But the vibe is very low key and family friendly, so if you’re in the mood for a proper sit down experience, go for it.
Entrees like the shells on shells are excellent, and reasonably priced for what they are. There is also a rooftop bar inside the hotel called the Panorama Room, with 360 degree views of the surrounds. However they have a zero tolerance child policy (booo) which they enforce on persons as young as 3, so we usually stick to the ground floor.
Transportation
The Tram and NYC Ferry are our favorite ways of getting to Roosevelt Island, with biking being a close second. The NYC Ferry Astoria route puts you in either Astoria or Long Island City in a single stop. The Roosevelt Island Bridge has a protected bike lane, which pedestrians can also use.
The F Train stops on Roosevelt Island at all times. Driving to Roosevelt Island across the bridge from Queens is simple, and there are parking garages as soon as you arrive.