The best things to do on Staten Island in 2026 are the free Staten Island Ferry for Statue of Liberty views, Snug Harbor Cultural Center with its Chinese Scholar's Garden, Historic Richmond Town, the Greenbelt's woodland trails and the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art. Fort Wadsworth, the Alice Austen House, the Staten Island Zoo, Conference House Park and Freshkills Park round out a visit.
A free ride past the Statue of Liberty.
The free 25-minute ferry from Lower Manhattan to St. George passes the Statue of Liberty and offers superb skyline views both ways.
Good to know: Stand on the right side heading to Staten Island.
1 Bay St, Staten Island, NY 10301
A historic waterfront campus with a Chinese Scholar's Garden.
Snug Harbor's 19th-century buildings and gardens include the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden, a Tuscan garden and art galleries.
Good to know: Take the S40 bus from the ferry terminal.
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301
A living-history village spanning three centuries.
Historic Richmond Town preserves historic houses, shops, a courthouse and a schoolhouse, with costumed interpreters and seasonal events.
Good to know: Visit during a seasonal festival.
441 Clarke Ave, Staten Island, NY 10306
Nearly 3,000 acres of woodland trails in the city.
The Greenbelt has forests, ponds and hiking trails, including High Rock Park and a nature center — a surprising wilderness inside New York City.
Good to know: Start at the Greenbelt Nature Center.
A hilltop museum built to resemble a Himalayan monastery.
This small museum displays Tibetan and Himalayan art in a peaceful setting designed to evoke a mountain monastery, with a terraced garden.
Good to know: Check opening days, which are limited.
338 Lighthouse Ave, Staten Island, NY 10306
A historic fort beneath the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Part of Gateway National Recreation Area, Fort Wadsworth has fortifications guarding the Narrows and close-up views of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Good to know: Go at sunset for the bridge views.
A photographer's waterfront cottage with harbor views.
The Alice Austen House museum displays the pioneering photographer's work, with a lawn overlooking the Narrows.
Good to know: Bring a picnic for the lawn.
2 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10305
A friendly zoo known for its reptiles.
The Staten Island Zoo is a small, affordable zoo with a strong reptile collection, an aquarium and a children's center.
Good to know: Great for young children.
614 Broadway, Staten Island, NY 10310
The southern tip of New York State, with a historic house.
Conference House Park, at the island's southern tip, has the 1680s house where a 1776 peace conference failed, plus beaches and a pavilion.
Good to know: Stand at the 'South Pole' of New York State.
298 Satterlee St, Staten Island, NY 10307
A former landfill becoming one of the city's largest parks.
Freshkills Park is transforming the former Fresh Kills landfill into a vast park of grasslands, trails and views, opening in phases.
Good to know: Check the website for public access days and tours.
The free ferry arrives in St. George. From there, buses fan out across the island, and the Staten Island Railway runs to Tottenville. Many sights are easier by car or rideshare.