With the first of our bitesized guides to New York's boroughs, we head to the Bronx, home of hip hop, the New York Yankees and New York City's most famous zoo. It's also got more parkland then any other borough and has its very own seaside resort.
Why go?
New York City’s northernmost borough is a focus for Latin music, hip hop, the visual arts and sport. Exhausted by Manhattan? Then head to the Bronx.
See
New York Botanical Garden (www.nybg.org)
The largest city garden in the US has an astonishing array of flora including a 20-hectare (50-acre) native forest. Kids love the Adventure Garden with its boulder maze and touch tanks. Current exhibitions include Henry Moore’s sculptures.
Orchard Beach and City Island (www.nycgovparks.org)
Orchard Beach, known as the ‘Bronx Riviera’, is a mile-long sandy strip with ball courts, a boardwalk and great views towards City Island to the east.
City Island, linked to the mainland by bridge, resembles a quaint New England fishing village. Nautical paraphernalia, seafood restaurants and the City Island Nautical Museum make for a salty, seaside sojourn.
Woodlawn Cemetery (www.thewoodlawncemetery.org)
Final resting place of famous New Yorkers including Miles Davis, Herman Melville and Duke Ellington. Don’t miss F W Woolworths’s Egyptian-style mausoleum complete with Sphinxes. Great for a spot of contemplation amongst the tidy tombs.
Wave Hill (www.wavehill.org)
Once the summer residence of Teddy Roosevelt and later home to Mark Twain, Wave Hill overlooks the Hudson River and is now home to public gardens that contain elaborate topiary and glasshouses with specimens from all over the world.
Do
Bronx Zoo (www.bronxzoo.com)
More than 100 years old, Bronx zoo is home to the country’s largest population of western gorillas and contains over 15,000 African animals and plants. The wild Asia exhibit can be explored by foot or on monorail.
Yankee Stadium (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com)
The first game in the new Yankees stadium is scheduled for 3 April. Getting tickets for this historic event will be very tricky, but it’s possible with StubHub, a ticket vending site for fans. Afterwards, take a stroll down Grand Concourse which has several interesting art deco buildings.
Arthur Avenue (www.arthuravenue.com)
The Bronx’s very own Little Italy, Arthur Avenue is less known than its Manhattan counterpart, but foodies flock to its Retail Market for olives, meats, spices and hand-rolled cigars.
Bronx Museum of the Arts (www.bronxmuseum.org)
Housed in a daring, angular modern building, this permanent collection focuses on work form artists of African, Asian and Latin American descent and temporary exhibits regularly champion little known local talent.
The surrounding area is also architecturally interesting – Grand Concourse is host to the classical Borough Hall.
Getting there from Downtown
Journey time: About 40 minutes from Times Square.
Subway: B, D, 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6.
Did you know?
The original Yankee stadium is known as the ‘House That Ruth Built’ after 1920s baseball star Babe Ruth.
