things to do in Astoria

Astoria/Long Island City is located just over the Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th St. Bridge. Astoria Extends from 34th Avenue to Ditmars Blvd. 34th Ave. tends to be a bit more industrial and, as you proceed north along 31st st. towards Ditmars Blvd., you see the neighborhood turn more residential. Astoria runs across the East River from Manhattan from east 59th St up to approximately 125th st.
The primary appeal for people to visit Astoria is its restaurants, in particular its Greek restaurants. The Greek influence can be seen in many ways. You will see many Greek flags hanging from the houses and apartments. Located on 30th Ave. and 29th St. is a small recreational area with a playground and places to sit. In front of this park is a statue of a Greek God with an inscription below it which says that it was a gift from the mayor of Athens to the city of New York and then-Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani.

For people who are looking to live near Manhattan but not pay the sky-high prices, Astoria is a great alternative. While you can find some large apartment buildings, the majority are small, two- to four-family homes. Most areas that are popular for young adults are between 21st St. and Steinway Ave. from 36th Ave. to Ditmars Blvd. It is conveniently located within walking distance to the N,W, or R trains which make for a nice, short, 15-minute commute to NYC.

Quick Tips:

For tourists, I would not recommend staying in Astoria but instead staying in Manhattan and taking a day trip. Astoria happens to be located 5 minutes from Laguardia Airport on the way to Manhattan right before the Triboro Bridge. This leaves a good option of visiting for a bite to eat either on your way to or from the Airport.

If you are taking a car service from the airport then the above is not really a viable optional. If you are still interested in heading to Astoria, then hop on the N or W train from anywhere in Manhattan and you can be anywhere in Astoria in 20 minutes. I would recommend going to Ditmars Blvd. which contains the highest concentration of restaurants. In addition to that, you could visit one of my favorites, which is a Greek restaurant located on 31st St under the train tracks at 30th Ave. called Opa Opa.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best and most cost effective way to travel between Astoria and Manhattan is the N,W or R trains run by the MTA (public transportation in NYC) which only costs .00 each way. If you don't mind spending a bit more money on travel expense, then you could stop any yellow taxi in the city and they will take you to Astoria. As a side note, tell them you want to take the 59th St. Bridge as there is no toll and it will usually save a little money.

Once in Astoria, the only way to get around is walking. The neighborhood usually has a nice amount of people roaming the streets. The majority of the streets east of 21st street and west of Steinway St. are safe to walk down at any given time. I have been known to come home from nights out and have no problem walking around the neighborhood and always feeling safe.

As far as getting back to Manhattan from Astoria, you can usually find a taxi on the street. As a hint, if the taxi number on top of the car has its light on then it will pick you up, If not it means somebody is in the taxi. This applies to all boroughs of NYC.
If you cannot find a taxi then hop on the N or W train which runs down 31st St. towards Manhattan. You will be back in the city after a maximum of six stops.