Key Takeaway:
- Long Island City sits on the East River in western Queens, across from Midtown Manhattan, with subway and NYC Ferry connections.
- Gantry Plaza State Park gives you a waterfront view of the Manhattan skyline from the Hunters Point section of LIC.
- MoMA PS1, SculptureCenter and the Noguchi Museum make LIC an easy place to spend a day with art.
Long Island City (LIC) is the Queens neighborhood directly across the East River from Midtown. It was a factory and dockyard district for most of its history. Today the old warehouses hold museums, studios and apartments, and the waterfront is lined with parks. Here is how to get there and what to do once you arrive.
What is the fastest way to reach Long Island City after landing at JFK or Newark
If you are flying into New York and heading to Long Island City, the biggest variable is usually traffic leaving the airport. BLADE offers seats on scheduled helicopter flights between JFK or Newark and Manhattan, which take about 5 minutes, from $195 per seat.
BLADE does not fly to Long Island City itself. It covers the airport leg, which is often the least predictable part of the trip by car at peak hours. BLADE's Manhattan lounges are BLADE Lounge West at the West 30th Street Heliport, BLADE Lounge East at the East 34th Street Heliport, and BLADE Downtown at the Wall St. Heliport. From Manhattan, you continue to LIC by subway, ferry, taxi or rideshare.
How to get to Long Island City from Manhattan
- Subway. The 7 train stops at Vernon Blvd-Jackson Av, the N and W trains stop at Broadway, and the F and M trains stop at 21 St-Queensbridge.
- Ferry. NYC Ferry's East River route runs between Pier 11/Wall Street and the East 34th Street Ferry Landing, with a stop at Hunters Point South. The Astoria route stops at Gantry Plaza State Park.
- On foot or by bike. The Queensboro Bridge has a lane for pedestrians and a lane for bicycles.
Check mta.info and the NYC Ferry app for current service before you go.
Gantry Plaza State Park: A scenic park with views of Manhattan skyline
Gantry Plaza State Park is a 12-acre state park on the East River in Hunters Point. It opened in May 1998 on a former dockyard and manufacturing site, and it keeps pieces of that past. The park's namesake gantries and car float transfer bridges once moved freight railcars onto barges bound for Manhattan.
The northern part of the park was a PepsiCo bottling plant that closed in 1999. Its Pepsi-Cola sign now stands in the park and was designated a New York City landmark in 2016.
Best places in Long Island City for skyline views and photos
Walk the Gantry Plaza waterfront for the classic Midtown view across the river. Come back at dusk, when the skyline lights up behind the gantries and the Pepsi-Cola sign. The Queensboro Bridge walkway gives you a view from above the river.
MoMA PS1: A contemporary art museum
MoMA PS1 occupies a nineteenth-century public school building in the heart of Long Island City. It was founded by curator Alanna Heiss as P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center and grew out of the alternative space movement of the 1970s. It is now affiliated with the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown.
- Address: 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City.
- Hours: open 12 to 6 p.m., from 10 a.m. on Saturday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Admission: free for all. You can reserve tickets on the museum website.
Sculpture Center: A museum showcasing contemporary arts
SculptureCenter is a not-for-profit contemporary art museum in Long Island City. It was founded in 1928 as The Clay Club in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and moved through Manhattan before settling in Queens. Check its calendar for current exhibitions before you visit.
Art scene in LIC: The Sculpture Center, MoMa PS1, Noguchi Museum
You can see all three in one day. Start at MoMA PS1, walk to SculptureCenter, then head north to the Noguchi Museum near the Astoria border.
The Noguchi Museum is the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum at 9-01 33rd Road, at Vernon Boulevard. Noguchi converted a photo-engraving plant into his workshop, and the site now shows his sculpture and its garden. It is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Monday and Tuesday, and tickets are sold at the door. Admission is half price from September 16 to November 1, 2026, while the second-floor galleries are closed for an installation.
5 Pointz: A famous graffiti spot
5 Pointz was a mural space at 45-46 Davis Street, in a building that opened in 1892 as the Neptune Meter factory. Artists covered its exterior walls with murals, and about 200 artists had studios inside. In 2013 the owner had the murals whitewashed overnight, and the building was demolished completely in 2014. Construction of a residential complex on the site began in 2015. The story still shapes LIC's street art scene, so keep an eye out for murals as you walk.
Hunters Point: Exploring the historic area
Hunters Point is the waterfront section of LIC, named in 1825 after British sea captain George Hunter. The Hunters Point Historic District protects 19 townhouses on 45th Avenue between 21st and 23rd Streets, built in the late 19th century. Pair a walk down 45th Avenue with Gantry Plaza State Park, a few blocks west.
Queensboro Bridge: Taking a walk on the iconic bridge
The Queensboro Bridge, also called the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge or the 59th Street Bridge, opened on March 30, 1909. It is a double-decked cantilever bridge between Manhattan and Queens, and it carries one lane for pedestrians and one for bicycles. Walking across is a simple way to start or end a day in LIC.
Restaurants and bars in LIC: Black Star Bakery, Casa Enrique, Corner Bistro, Cyclo, LIC Flea and Food
Casa Enrique is a Mexican restaurant in Long Island City listed in the MICHELIN Guide. LIC has many more cafes, bars and restaurants, but openings and closings change quickly. M. Wells, a long-time LIC favorite, closed on December 31, 2024. Check current listings before you plan a meal around one spot.
Nearby neighborhoods to explore: Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Astoria
- Astoria. Socrates Sculpture Park, at 32-01 Vernon Boulevard, is one block from the Noguchi Museum. Founded in 1986 by sculptor Mark di Suvero on a former landfill, it is a four-acre outdoor space for sculpture and installations.
- Sunnyside. One neighborhood east, with the Sunnyside Gardens historic district. Read our guide to fun things to do near Sunnyside.
- Williamsburg. In north Brooklyn, known for markets, music and the waterfront. See our Williamsburg guide.
FAQs about Fun Things To Do Near Nyc'S Long Island City
What are some fun things to do near Long Island City?
Walk Gantry Plaza State Park, visit MoMA PS1, SculptureCenter and the Noguchi Museum, explore the Hunters Point Historic District and walk the Queensboro Bridge.
Which subway train can I take to Long Island City?
The 7 train (Vernon Blvd-Jackson Av), the N and W trains (Broadway) and the F and M trains (21 St-Queensbridge) all serve parts of LIC. NYC Ferry also stops at Hunters Point South and Gantry Plaza State Park.
Is there a graffiti scene in Long Island City?
LIC was home to 5 Pointz, a mural space whose building was demolished in 2014. Murals still appear around the neighborhood.
Can I fly by helicopter from the airport to Long Island City?
BLADE offers scheduled helicopter flights between JFK or Newark and Manhattan, not to LIC directly. From BLADE's Manhattan lounges you continue to LIC by subway, ferry or car.