is roosevelt island worth a visit

Roosevelt Island Guide: Planning Your Visit

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A Bit of History

Things to do, what to eat and drink, where to stay, getting there, money saving tips.

• Frequently Asked Questions

Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island, only 2 miles long and 800 feet wide at its widest point, is a curious little sliver of Manhattan that sits isolated in the East River. It's where the city once kept prisoners and quarantined highly contagious smallpox patients; now it's packed with apartment buildings, like the rest of New York City , although people visit the narrow holm often to take in its fascinating history—and the noteworthy views of Manhattan and Queens across the water, of course.

A tram will deliver you to and from the island, offering up unobstructed looks of the city along the route. A unique day trip awaits in this secluded haven, so plan your trip with the best of Roosevelt Island's restaurants, events, and attractions in mind.

Formerly known as Blackwell's Island, this stretch of land off Manhattan's shore used to feature a penitentiary, workhouses, almshouses, an asylum, and a number of hospitals from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s . A lighthouse, named the Blackwell Island Light, was built by prisoners and still stands today; along with the ruins of the other buildings on the island, the lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1973, the island was renamed in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (a New York state native).

The future of the island started looking promising during the second half of the 20th century when the United Nations headquarters opened nearby and many dignitaries took up residence there to be close to work. Prestigious architect firms began erecting apartment buildings for more than 20,000 residents. A park, named the Frank D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, was designated for recreation. Later, the tram came, followed by a subway station. Now, the island is home to a Cornell tech campus, a slew of art museums and studios, and green space aplenty boasting a coveted community feel just a short jaunt from the bustling city.

Roosevelt Island is brimming with culture, present in every art gallery, museum, park, and restaurant you come by. In the summer, the locals put on a rollicking Roosevelt Island Day celebration complete with carnivals rides, live music, food, and city-wide beautification projects. The warm-weather season is flanked by a cherry blossom festival in the spring and a Halloween parade in the fall. It's also where Manhattanites escape for a peaceful Christmas tree lighting ceremony and to watch fireworks on the Fourth of July.

• Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park : On the southern tip of Roosevelt Island is a memorial to the late president, its name inspired by his famous 1941 speech. The park was also the last work of Louis I. Kahn, a famous 20th-century architect. The park comprises four acres of free-to-roam green space, featuring granite pillars with parts of the speech inscribed on them throughout. Many visit for the excellent view of the United Nations building across the river. Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park hosts a plethora of events—lectures, film screenings, festivals, concerts, and more—in the summer.
• Blackwell Island Lighthouse : On the other end of the island, at the most northern stretch, is a 50-foot-tall lighthouse built by prisoners in 1872. It's now on the National Register of Historic Places and is surrounded by a park with great panoramic views.
• Gallery RIVAA : This gallery, affiliated with the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association, shows the work of local and international guest artists. Painters, sculptors, computer artists, graphic designers, ceramists, and installation artists all exhibit their masterpieces here. It's open daily Wednesday through Sunday.
• Blackwell House : The sixth-oldest farmhouse in the city, Blackwell House was built in 1796 for the original owners of the island. After an interior renovation in October 2020, the home is now open for tours.

While it isn't what one would call a culinary destination in itself, there is a growing restaurant scene on Roosevelt Island. Most of the eateries are congregated on Main Street and provide an eclectic mix of dining options. Popular spots include Fuji East Japanese Bistro , a sleek-but-inexpensive sushi house with more than 70 different rolls on offer, and Nisi , the distinctly all-glass Greek restaurant where all the locals like to hang out.

Near the tramway, tucked inside the new Graduate Hotel, is Anything At All, a book-lined eatery serving up farm-to-table dishes like sweet potato katsu, seared mackerel, and malfaldini with almond bolognese and first-pressed olive oil. Afterward, head up to the hotel's rooftop bar, Panorama Room , for 360-degree views of NYC with a signature cocktail or two.

Another new addition to Roosevelt Island's culinary scene, Granny Annie's is an Irish bar and kitchen where you can find traditional Irish comfort foods like Shepherd's pie and corned beef Reuben, as well as burgers, pasta, and other pub fare.

For more of a market experience, Bread & Butter has everything you could want: sandwiches, salads, burgers, pizza, or soup. You can eat there or take it to the park. Another place to pick up snacks is Wholesome Factory , a grocery and deli known for its superior omelets.

The only hotel on the island, the Graduate Roosevelt Island offers something that the hotels in Manhattan just can't offer: incredible views of both the Manhattan skyline and Queens. Situated near the Cornell Tech campus, the 18-story hotel features 224 rooms and a lobby filled with 5,000 books and a 12-foot Hebru Brantley sculpture. Visiting parents of Cornell students will appreciate the nods to the university's past and present, including key cards that feature famous alumni of the Ithaca campus.

The tiny island is located in the middle of the East River, parallel to Manhattan's East 46th to 85th Streets. From Queens, you can get there via the Roosevelt Island Bridge—this is the only way to walk or drive onto the island. Its entrance is at Vernon Boulevard and Main Street in Astoria.

From Manhattan, take the Roosevelt Island Tramway from East 59th Street and Second Avenue. It costs $2.75 each way (the price of a metro ride) and can be paid with a regular MetroCard. Students with tram permits ride free and senior citizens and people with disabilities receive a reduced fare (usually $1.35). The views are spectacular, but note that the tram only runs Sunday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., including on holidays. Try to avoid riding during rush hour (7 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 8 p.m.) as many Roosevelt Island residents commute into the city for work.

Those who aren't keen to ride the tram can instead take the F-Train from Manhattan or Queens, or travel by NYC Ferry , whose Astoria line connects Astoria, Long Island City, East 34th Street, and Wall Street to East Main Street on Roosevelt Island, just east of the tram station. Tickets, again, are the same price as the subway.

Another easy mode of transport from Queens is the Q102 bus line, which operates between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m., stopping every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends.

• With Roosevelt Island being accessible by tram, metro, ferry, and bus—all the price of a standard subway ride—and the town itself offering free access to a constantly circulating red bus , you shouldn't have to spend a fortune on getting to or around the island.
• There's rarely a shortage of free art to entertain in this New York City oasis, between the annual Figment NYC event in June, the Fall for Arts Festival in September, and the host of free galleries that crop up throughout the year.
• Whereas you'd pay a pretty penny to get a good view of New York City in other parts of town, Roosevelt Island offers unlimited, free views from its ample green spaces: the island's west side, Four Freedoms Park, and the space that surrounds the lighthouse, not to mention from the tram.

There are a number of things to do on Roosevelt Island, including exploring Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, taking a tour of the 226-year-old Blackwell House, and enjoying a picnic next to Blackwell Island Lighthouse. For art lovers, Gallery RIVAA features the work of local and international guest artists. When you get hungry, enjoy New American dining at Anything At All, located inside the Graduate Hotel, then head up to the hotel's rooftop for drinks at Panorama Bar.

There are several ways to get to Roosevelt Island. From Manhattan, you can take the Roosevelt Island Tramway, located at East 59th Street and Second Avenue, for $2.75 one way. If you're coming from Queens, you can drive or walk onto the island via the Roosevelt Island Bridge, or take the Q102 bus line. For those who would prefer to take the subway, the F-Train connects Roosevelt Island to Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. You can also take the NYC ferry's Astoria line, which runs between Astoria and Wall Street.

Located in New York City's East River, Roosevelt Island runs parallel to the borough of Manhattan, between East 46th and East 85th Streets.

National Park Service. "Blackwell's Island (Roosevelt Island), New York City." Retrieved on February 10, 2022.

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Best things to do on Roosevelt Island in New York City

Oct 7, 2021 • 5 min read

The aerial tramway that connects Roosevelt Island to Manhattan © Getty Images

Known decades ago as Welfare Island, thanks to its assortment of hospitals, and before that as Blackwell Island, when it was home to an asylum, a prison, and even more hospitals, New York City’s Roosevelt Island hasn’t always been a popular attraction.

But in recent years, this tiny island in the East River has become a quick, easy escape from the urban sprawl, boasting green spaces, historic landmarks, a chic new hotel with an even chicer rooftop bar, and an aerial tram with incredible views of Manhattan ’s Upper East Side. Here are the best things to see and do while you’re there. 

Roosevelt Island tram:  a commute with a view

Giving the Staten Island Ferry a run for its money as one of the best ways to see New York's sights without breaking the bank, the Roosevelt Island tram glides over Upper East Side avenues and the East River, offering one of the city's most memorable commutes – all for the swipe of a MetroCard. Watch this 60-second video with a driver who's worked for the tram since it opened in the '70s.

Four Freedoms State Park: an unconventional Presidential memorial

When architect Louis Kahn died in 1974, so did plans to build his only New York project, a memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt on the southern tip of what was then called Welfare Island. Fortunately, it was eventually revived:  Four Freedoms State Park  opened in 2012, and it's a sight to behold, comprising an open-topped deck lined with tall granite blocks. The park's event season runs from May to October and includes yoga, book readings, kite flying, public talks and music performances. (It’s also a great vantage point for the Fourth of July fireworks if you’re willing to get there obscenely early to snag a spot.)

Smallpox Hospital: a relic from the island's former life

Just before you reach Four Freedoms park, you’ll walk past the ruins of the weed-covered Smallpox Hospital, which, when it opened in 1856, was the first hospital in the country dedicated to treatment of the infectious disease. Though you aren’t allowed to wander through the ruins for safety reasons, you can still get a good glimpse of the aging structure from behind the fence.

The Graduate Hotel: the best – and only – hotel around

The island's sole hotel, the Graduate pays tribute to the rich history of its surroundings, with a hallway on the first floor dedicated to photographs of the Roosevelt family and a copy of FDR's famous "Four Freedoms Speech" in every guest room. A nod to its location at the center of Cornell Tech (more on that later), the first-floor lobby and adjoining area are lined with more than 10,000 textbooks, all of which were donated from the school. Just off the lobby is the island's newest restaurant, Anything At All, which takes a farm-first approach to contemporary comfort food. (Its name is a reference to a line in The Great Gatsby,  for all you bibliophiles.) Topping it all off, quite literally, is the Panorama Room, a rooftop bar offering stunning views of Manhattan, Queens and beyond.

The Lighthouse: a north-point attraction

A t just 1.75 miles – or 35 city blocks – long, it's worth hitting both ends of the island, and the northern tip is a pleasant, 20-minute stroll from the tram (or a five-minute walk from the terminus of the island bus system, which you can ride for free). Once there, you'll reach a lonely Gothic Revival lighthouse, built in 1872 using granite quarried from the island itself – and constructed, legend has it , by a patient at the former asylum. That institution is long gone, but there are some shaded lawns and sitting spots by the lighthouse that look north towards Randall's Island.

The Octagon: a revitalized landmark

A block south of the lighthouse, this mid-19th-century remnant was built as the main entrance to the New York City Lunatic Asylum, and its architecture was so impressive it drew praise from  a visiting Charles Dickens . The asylum  became a hospital, then fell into decades of neglect beginning in the 1950s, but in 1972, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2006, it was refashioned as high-end housing . Today you can visit the "flying staircase" up its winding entry, and there's an adjoining gallery.

Blackwell House: a glimpse of 18th-century history

The sixth-oldest house in New York City, this clapboard farmhouse was built in 1796 and dates back to when the island was a private residence (then known as Blackwell Island, after its owners). The interior was renovated in 2020 to restore the building's 18th-century decor.

Artistic endeavors: galleries on Main Street

A couple blocks north of the subway station is  Gallery RIVAA , a Main Street salon affiliated with the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association. It shows pieces by local artists, hosts jazz sessions and poetry slams, and keeps some unusual hours (6-9pm Wed & Fri, 1-5pm Thu, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun). Works by RIVAA artists are also exhibited in the OCTAGON Gallery in the Octagon Building. 

Roosevelt Island Historical Society: smart shopping 

The Roosevelt Island Historical Society runs a small visitor's center in a historic, relocated streetcar-entrance kiosk, just next to the tram terminal. The merch is great, and includes a heartbreakingly cute, hand-drawn RI map.

Cornell Tech: contemporary architecture...with a side of cheese

When it opened in 2017, the Cornell Tech campus  brought an ambitious assortment of buildings and tech entrepreneurialism to this sliver of land in the East River. Among the new additions was the House at Cornell Tech, the first residential high-rise built as a so-called passive house, which requires very little energy. In addition to its striking architecture, the campus also includes two acres of open public space. While you're on the premises, drop into the cafe at the Bloomberg Center to pick up some Big Red Cheddar Cheese Curds, a product of Cornell's Department of Food Science.

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This article was first published May 2019 and updated October 2021

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The Best Things to See and Do on Roosevelt Island, NYC

For too long, Roosevelt Island has lived in the shadow of the New York City island, Manhattan. Yet, that’s all changing thanks to a new ferry stop and Cornell Tech’s campus here. This 2mi (3.2km) stretch was once home to prisons and asylums but now boasts an aerial adventure, the RIVAA contemporary art gallery and much more. Discover the best things to do on Roosevelt Island, New York City.

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Four Freedoms Park

Conceived in the ‘70s and opened in 2012, Four Freedoms Park was well worth the wait. This Roosevelt Island park is an FDR-dedicated memorial positioned on the island’s southern tip, featuring a striking granite deck and hosting events ranging from kite flying to readings to yoga – plus there are stunning views of Midtown Manhattan, home to the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.

Full disclosure: Roosevelt Island comes with a somewhat spooky backstory, a key point of which can still be observed – from a distance. Opened in 1856, the island’s Smallpox Hospital – also known as the Ruin – is where patients infected with the contagious disease were once quarantined; it now stands in ruins. However, the off-limits attraction is still viewable from behind a fence, with only the colony of nearly 100 feral cats that have taken over the building allowed to pass.

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The Roosevelt Island Tram

The Roosevelt Island Tram is consistently credited as one of New York’s most underrated attractions, and for good reason. For just a swipe of your MetroCard , this decades-old institution whisks you through the air on a journey from Roosevelt Island to Manhattan’s Upper East Side , providing bird’s-eye views of the East River and city skyline on a commute that’s both efficient and enjoyable – really.

Contemporary art at RIVAA

To see some of the best contemporary art around, you’ll have to take to the sea. Or, rather, the East River, where RIVAA (Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association) exhibits works by some 35 artist members alongside international guest artists. Whether you’re interested in photography, painting or live music, you’ll find your fix at RIVAA.

Views of the Manhattan skyline

We know, we know: we’re meant to be discussing what to do on Roosevelt Island, but we couldn’t help but notice the panorama! From Roosevelt Island’s west side, you’re afforded a front-row view of Manhattan’s Midtown and Upper East Side, not to mention one of the most famous skylines in the world. So, snap away – the island will understand.

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Blackwell Island Lighthouse

Lighthouse Park is easy to find on any Roosevelt Island map – it’s at the northeast tip of the island (about a 20-minute walk from the tram). If you find yourself here, look out for the Blackwell Island Lighthouse. The 1872-built Gothic Revival structure, which has the honor of being on the National Register of Historic Places and a New York City Landmark, used to light the old New York City Lunatic Asylum (one tale even claims it was built by an inmate). It now provides a picturesque backdrop for locals relaxing on the lawn.

The Octagon

As you can likely tell by now, Roosevelt Island is a perfect balance of old and new. No place exemplifies this point better than the Octagon, a mid-19th-century structure that was converted into high-end housing in 2006. Even richer than the building’s current tenants is its history. For example, Charles Dickens wrote about its stately main staircase, and multiple fires affected its facade. It was once the entrance to the old asylum, which was opened in 1841. Before its conversion, the five-story rotunda, which was made of stone quarried from the island, was rather un-loved following years of decay.

Blackwell House

History buffs won’t want to miss the bragging rights that come with a visit to Blackwell House. The 1796-built clapboard farmhouse, one of the oldest houses in New York City , was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The refurbished house has been opened up to the public, and exhibits tell the story of Roosevelt Island and the buildings that are no longer standing. Entry is free.

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17+ Awesome Roosevelt Island Things To Do (& Complete Guide)

By: Author Charles

Posted on October 31, 2023

Situated right in the East River between Manhattan and Queens is a sliver of land called Roosevelt Island.

What used to be an island full of hospitals, asylums, and prisons, has turned into one of the top spots to visit during a trip to New York City.

Today, you will find parks, viewpoints, walking paths, cherry blossoms, and the famous Roosevelt Island tramway on the island.

This guide will go over some of the top Roosevelt Island things to do during your time exploring NYC.

*  Affiliate Disclosure : This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase through the links provided, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting the work I put into TripTins!

1) History & Background

I always like to include a short history section about places in NYC since so much has changed in the city over time (and Roosevelt Island is no exception).

• While originally occupied by the Canarsie Indians and called Varckens Island , the island was eventually owned by a family from Queens – the Blackwell family. The name of the island was then changed to Blackwell’s Island .
• In the early 1800’s the Blackwell family sold the island to the city of New York . The first building that the city built was a penitentiary – Blackwell Island’s Penitentiary.
• Over the years, the prisoners worked to break up rock on the island’s quarry . These rocks were used to then build other structures on the island such as the church, lighthouse, and smallpox hospital.
• The smallpox hospital was built in 1856 and it is where the city sent the sick. After the severity of smallpox tamed down, it was converted into the New York Training School for nurses.
• There was also an asylum built on the northern part of the island , which originally had inmates from the prison supervising patients for many years. The asylum was later shut down in 1895 .
• In 1929, the name of the island was changed to Welfare Island to better portray the island (for whatever it was worth).
• One of the bright spots that was built on the island in 1939 was the Goldwater Memorial Hospital – a hospital built for the chronically ill patients. After some of the other institutions closed down, it was essentially just this and another hospital that occupied the island for years.
• It was then in 1969, that the island was leased to the state of New York . This is when the name changed to Roosevelt Island as the island began to be developed.

Today, the island is full of life, and has a much different feel from its eerie history. While you can still see some of these original buildings, much has been re-developed to what you see today.

2) The Roosevelt Island Tram

While you can get to the island by subway (F line), car (from Queens), bus (Q102 from Queens), and ferry (Astoria line), the best way to get there is by tram.

The Roosevelt Island tram was built in 1976, and was the first tram in the country used for urban transport.

The two famous red trams run back and forth from 60 th Street and 2 nd Avenue in Manhattan to the southern end of Roosevelt Island.

Along the quick ride, riders will be able to enjoy views of the East River, Queensboro Bridge, NYC skyline and Roosevelt Island.

Below are some helpful things to know about the tram:

Roosevelt Tram Hours

• 6:00AM – 2:00AM (Sunday to Thursday)
• 6:00AM – 3:30AM (Friday & Saturday)

How Much Does it Cost to Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram?

The tram costs $2.90 (same price as a subway/bus fare). This is the one way cost, so you will need to pay the fare both going and leaving from the island.

Note that subway/bus transfer rules do apply. So, if you happen to take a subway up to the tram, you will not need to pay an additional $2.90.

How Long is the Tram Ride to Roosevelt Island?

The Roosevelt Island tram takes just 4 minutes to get from one station to the next.

How Often Does the Roosevelt Island Run?

Depending on rush hour schedules, the tram runs every 7 – 15 minutes . So, you should not need to wait too long in order to make your way over.

3) How Do You Get Around

Once you arrive, you will be able to choose from several things to do on Roosevelt Island.

In order to get around, you can opt for a few main options:

Walk : for the most part, you will probably be walking to the attractions on Roosevelt Island. There is a walking path that encircles the island, in addition to some main streets in the middle of the island.

Citi Bike : if you want to ride around the island, that is possible too. There are a few Citi Bike stations to grab a bike from. These include locations right next to the tram and one on the southern end of the island (see map for locations).

Bus : there are two busses that run on Roosevelt Island – the Red Bus (which is free!), and the Q102, which encircles the island and connects with Queens.

4) Roosevelt Island Map

Before diving into all the various Roosevelt Island things to do, I wanted to include a map. This should give you a better sense of where everything is located in relation to one another.

The island is just 1.5 miles long and 1/8 of a mile wide, so it shouldn’t take long to get from one place to the next.

5) Roosevelt Island Things To Do

Now that you have some background on Roosevelt Island and how to get there, let’s dive into some of the top things to do on Roosevelt Island.

I have set up this list in a way for you to do a self guided walking tour in this specific order. The route will take you northbound from the tramway, before looping back around the waterfront and heading to the southern tip of the island.

If you don’t want to see all the sites, no worries at all! Simply pick & choose those that work best for you.

Be sure to also check out some of the other top things to do in New York City during a visit!

Blackwell House

Since the island used to be owned by the Blackwell family, you can imagine that they had a house there too.

The Blackwell House was built all the way back in 1796 and stands as the sixth oldest farmhouse in all of New York City.

Today visitors have the chance to check out this historical house from the inside and the outside. Within the house you will find various artifacts and exhibitions of the island’s rich history.

If you are into the art scene, then RIVAA is for you. It stands for the Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association, and is a nonprofit organization on the island.

There you will find a gallery, where shows are put together throughout the year. To see a full list of upcoming events, check out the RIVAA website .

Chapel of the Good Shepard

Located in the heart of Roosevelt Island is the Chapel of the Good Shepard.

The chapel was built back in 1889 by Frederick Clarke Withers to provide a place of worship for those in the various institutions on the island.

Today the chapel stands as a community center for the residents of Roosevelt Island. You may also find an open air market along the surrounding brickwork of the chapel.

The Octagon

As you head further northbound on Roosevelt Island, you will come across what is known as the Octagon.

This was actually the original entrance to the mental asylum that was built on the island. While the hospital is no longer there, the Octagon has gone through some renovations over the years and still stands tall.

Today, the Octagon serves as the lobby for the adjoining apartment buildings built right next to it.

So, if you are looking for an apartment on Roosevelt Island, and want to walk through a historical landmark each day, the Octagon may be for you.

Lighthouse Park

While the southern tip of Roosevelt Island has the more famous park (more on that soon), the northern tip of the island has a park too.

Lighthouse Park makes up a large greenery filled open area with plenty of trees and surrounding nature.

It is the perfect spot to take a seat, relax, and enjoy the view of the nearby lighthouse before continuing on with your day.

Roosevelt Island Lighthouse

Speaking of the lighthouse, that is what you will find at the northernmost point of Roosevelt Island.

The lighthouse was built back in 1872 by James Renwick Jr, and stands at 50 feet tall!

If you remember from earlier, this was one of the structures that was built by inmates using the rock quarry from the island.

The lighthouse was operational until the 1940’s and it has been restored as recently as 2022.

As you walk along the western side of Roosevelt Island, you will get some great views of the Manhattan skyline on the other side of the East River.

One of the more interesting lookout spots is at Ship Peer, which is essentially a piece of boat artwork jutting out over the water.

This used to be a boat landing area back in the day, so it makes sense that a ship was built here to resemble its history.

Tom Otterness Sculptures

Continuing along the riverfront, you will begin to see a set of three sculptures built out on the water.

These sculptures are called The Marriage of Money and Real Estate, which were put there in 1996.

The sculptures were installed to depict the wealth inequality of New York City, and stand on small platforms on the riverside.

Eleanor’s Pier

Perhaps my favorite lookout spot on the Roosevelt Island waterfront is at Eleanor’s Pier.

Just north of the Queensboro Bridge , you will find a wooden deck with chairs, tables, and benches, where you can enjoy the view.

The bridge with the Upper East Side Manhattan skyline out in front of you, is a hard viewpoint to beat.

It is also a great spot for sunset too if you make it out that late!

The Graduate

While it may seem surprising, there is actually a hotel on Roosevelt Island called the Graduate (one of the top hotels in NYC with a view ).

At the Graduate, you will also find one of the best bars with a view of NYC – The Panorama Room.

It is an indoor/outdoor bar and makes for the perfect spot on the island to grab a drink and get that elevated view from above. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time!

If staying at the hotel is of interest to you, feel free to make a booking here .

Cornell Tech

What may be even more surprising, is that Roosevelt Island is home to a graduate program college campus – Cornell Tech.

You will find the several buildings of Cornell Tech just south of the Queensboro Bridge, including the Emma & Georgina Bloomberg Center, the Tata Innovation Center, and the Verizon Executive Education Center.

Feel free to just walk through the campus area taking in the beautiful architecture that houses it all.

Southern Viewpoint

Just south of the campus, is an open field area that is slightly elevated over the campus.

As I was wandering around, I happened to head up to the middle of the area, where I was able to take in some beautiful views of the surroundings.

You will get some great views of the campus, Queensboro Bridge, and Manhattan skyline from there.

Southpoint Park

Just before entering the southernmost area of Roosevelt Island, you will come across Southpoint Park.

Instead of walking along the river, you can instead walk along the few pathways within the park itself.

In the park you will find plenty of flowers and plants grown throughout in addition to some other structures.

Some of these include the FDR Hope Memorial, the Strecker Memorial Laboratory, and the Smallpox Memorial Hospital (more on those last two next).

The park also has some public restrooms, which is good to know just in case.

Strecker Memorial Laboratory

While many of the original institution buildings were taken down over the years, there are a couple that are still there.

One of those is the Strecker Memorial Laboratory, which served as a place to conduct pathological and bacteriological research.

It was actually the first lab of its kind at the time in the country!

While it is no longer in use today, the lab produced some important work over the years. It now is used by the NYC transit authority as a power conversion station.

Smallpox Memorial Hospital

Another one of the original buildings on the island is the Smallpox Memorial Hospital.

The hospital certainly has a sad history behind it, as those with the smallpox disease were sent there as a way to quarantine from the rest of the NYC population.

It later closed once a vaccine was created, and then was used as the New York Training School for nurses.

Today just some of the main walls of the structure are intact, covered with vines & greenery.

Franklin D Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

Last but not least is the Franklin D Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park located on the southernmost tip of the island.

The park of course serves as a memorial for Franklin D Roosevelt, who was president from 1933 to 1945.

The name comes from the four freedoms that he mentioned in a speech – freedom of speech & expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

Within the park you will find an open field of grass with two rows of tree covered pathways on either side.

Directly in the middle is a large monument of Franklin D Roosevelt.

Head on over the southernmost tip to see the monument and some unobstructed views looking down the East River.

Bonus: Cherry Blossoms

I can’t go over the best Roosevelt Island things to do without touching on cherry blossoms.

If you happen to visit the park in the springtime, you will get the chance to see some cherry tree blooms all along the western waterfront walkway.

Learn More | Roosevelt Island Cherry Blossoms

There are two main cherry blossoms that bloom here – the white/lighter pink Yoshino trees and the darker pink Kwanzan trees.

Usually the Yoshinos bloom in mid April, with the Kwanzans coming in a couple weeks after.

It is one of my favorite places to see cherry blossoms in NYC , so be sure to head on over if your trip lines up.

6) Where to Eat

Now that you have a pretty good idea of the best things to do on Roosevelt Island, you may also be wondering where to eat on the island too.

Below is a list of some of the top rated restaurant spots, when going about a day there.

• Anything At All
• Granny Annie’s Bar & Kitchen
• Fuji East Japanese Bistro
• Piccolo Trattoria Ristorante Pizzeria
• Wholesome Taqueria
• Wholesome Factory
• ME Mediterranean Eatery
• Zhongzhong Noodles
• China 1 Kitchen

7) Is Roosevelt Island Worth Visiting?

While Roosevelt Island is not on most New York itineraries , I definitely do believe it is worth the visit.

Spending a couple hours taking the tram, walking the waterfront, enjoying the views, and hanging out at the parks, is a perfect addition to a day.

You can easily add it onto a day exploring some Upper Manhattan highlights such as Central Park and the Met.

Getting to experience that tram and those views will not be something you regret during your time in NYC.

That wraps up a guide to the top Roosevelt Island things to do. If you have any questions or comments, be sure to add them in below.

Also, don’t forget to check out the other New York itineraries and guides up on the site (like the best things to do in NYC at night ).

Have fun out there and safe travels!

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Sunday 30th of April 2023

Great guide - thanks!

Wednesday 19th of April 2023

The Nitty Gritty Travel OT

The Nitty Gritty Travel OT's Narrative

Guide to Visiting Roosevelt Island in New York, NY

Just one tram ride away from the bustling New York City streets, you’ll find the not-so-hidden gem of Roosevelt Island . This small and skinny island is situated between Manhattan and Queens and is only 800 feet wide.

The entire island is just 2 miles long meaning you can walk it in about 30 minutes! FYI: If you’d prefer, you can also take the Red Bus shuttle which transports you around the island for free, it runs on a loop and makes different stops throughout the island.

The walkability, ample green spaces, and mixture of new and old make Roosevelt Island such a fun day trip. I’m excited to share the ultimate guide to visiting Roosevelt Island in New York, NY. 

Disclosure: This blog post has affiliate links which means if you click and make a purchase I may earn a small commission at NO additional cost to you. These are my own personal suggestions based on products/experiences I love and use. Read the full disclosure here .

About Roosevelt Island

Today, Roosevelt Island is a vibrant residential community with over 12,000 permanent residents , a hospital, a Tech College, a hotel and several restaurants.

However, it has an extremely interesting history that dates back hundreds of years. What is known as Roosevelt Island today, was originally named Blackwell’s Island. The Blackwell family owned the island until 1828, when they sold it to New York City. 

The city then used the secluded island to serve as the site of various institutions, including a penitentiary, lunatic asylum, and a smallpox hospital during the 19th century. It was even nicknamed “Welfare Island” to reflect its role as a home for these institutions. 

The most significant transformation came in the 1970s when the island underwent a redevelopment process and was renamed Roosevelt Island in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

Although the island does have many modern amenities today, you will still appreciate its effort to preserve the elements of its historical past. 

How to Get to Roosevelt Island

Although an island, Roosevelt Island is surprisingly easy to get to. Visitors can either take the F train to the only subway station on the island, the ferry, drive there and rent a vehicle beforehand or (my personal favorite) the Tramway. 

The Roosevelt Island Tramway runs daily every 7-15 minutes depending on the time of day. You can hop on the tram right in Manhattan at 59th Street and Second Avenue. It’s then just a quick 4-minute ride to the island with some of the best views! 

You can pay for the tram with your Metrocard, which can be purchased from the machines right at either station. Much to my surprise, the tram ride cost the same as a subway or ferry ride! 

When is the Best Time to Visit Roosevelt Island?

There’s truly not a bad time to visit Roosevelt Island as each season brings its own unique charm. However, it’s important to note that most of the things to do on Roosevelt Island are outdoors, so be sure to dress for the weather! 

Spring offers mild weather and the chance to see the famous cherry blossoms (late March to early May), making it ideal for leisurely strolls. Summer is perfect if you enjoy warm weather and outdoor events but it can get crowded. Fall provides pleasant weather and beautiful autumn foliage, while Winter is quieter but much colder. I went during the Summer and had a blast.

Roosevelt Island Map of Things to Do

Things to Do at Roosevelt Island New York, NY

Tour the blackwell house.

Nestled on the corner of East Road and Main Street, you’ll find Roosevelt Island’s oldest landmark, The Blackwell House. The home was built in 1796 for the Blackwell family, the longtime owners of the island. After NYC purchased the island, they used this house as living quarters for wardens of the island’s institutions. 

Today, you can get a glimpse of the island’s past with a free tour of The Blackwell House. The home is open to visitors on Wednesday-Sundays from 11am-4pm. Each visit is limited to 30 minutes. 

Enjoying so far? Keep up with new blog posts here:

Check Out the Smallpox Hospital

Another interesting thing to do on Roosevelt Island in New York is to check out the historical Smallpox Hospital. Although you can not go inside, you can view the ruins of this 1856 hospital from the perimeter.

Have a Picnic at Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

Found at the southernmost point of the Island, Four Freedoms Park is the perfect place to relax, learn a bit about history, and have a picnic. The park was built as a memorial for former president, Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). 

Throughout the park you’ll find memorials, sculptures, and plaques outlining FDR’s history. Four Freedoms Park is open daily from 9am-7pm and closed every Tuesday. 

Go Fishing at Roosevelt Island Lighthouse

No stop to Roosevelt Island is complete without checking out the historic Lighthouse at the north end of the island. This 50-ft lighthouse was designed by the same architect of the Smallpox Hospital and was built by inmates of the penitentiary. 

Today, it’s a great spot for fishing and taking in the views. 

View the City From the Meditation Steps

After a day full of walking, the Meditation Steps are a great place to take a seat and relax. You’ll find these recently renovated steps on the west side of the island, overlooking the river and the Manhattan skyline.

View the Chapel of the Good Shepard

The Chapel of the Good Shepherd is another fascinating part of the island’s history. A quick stop here is a must to admire the architecture and stained glass windows. In the past, the chapel was used to serve the residents of the almshouses and today it is used as a community center.

Where to Eat on Roosevelt Island New York, NY

Although limited, there are several options as to where to eat on Roosevelt Island. However, I do still recommend packing a picnic to enjoy on the green spaces of the island and then checking out one of the following choices for dinner!

Anything At All

Anything At All is a quirky restaurant located inside The Graduate Hotel. They pride themselves on providing delicious food while focusing on seasonality, locality, and sustainability. You’ll see a wide variety of sandwiches, burgers, pastas, and other small plates on the menu while you admire the environment and walls lined with books. 

Panorama Room

Also located inside The Graduate Hotel, The Panorama Room has the best views of the island. This rooftop bar is on the 18th floor of the hotel and is home to fun drinks, outdoor seating, and panoramic views. It’s the perfect place to end a fun-filled day on Roosevelt Island.

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs

Does it get anymore “New York” than grabbing a delicious hot dog from a stand? Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog stand can be found just north of the tram station. You’ll find a variety of hot dogs and sides to choose from. 

The Meditteranean Eatery

The ME is a fan-favorite among Roosevelt Island locals and visitors alike. The staff members are always friendly and helpful and the food is top notch. They even have picnic boxes if you forgot to pack your own! 

Where to Stay on Roosevelt Island

Although you’ll have many more options of hotels on the mainland, if you have your heart set on staying on the island you do have one option. The Graduate Hotel is located on the Cornell Tech Campus, just south of the tram station. 

Is Roosevelt Island Worth Visiting?

Yes! Roosevelt Island is definitely worth visiting. Although just 2 miles long, Roosevelt Island is chalked-full with adventures to fill a day. From admiring the views on the tram to walking from point to point, a trip to Roosevelt Island in New York, NY is a must.

Ready to book? Check out the guide below to purchase tickets at affordable prices:

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Final Thoughts

Roosevelt Island is a great place to visit for its history and magnificent views. Don’t sleep on visiting this one of a kind destination. As always, thank you for reading. Did you learn anything new or have any feedback? Would you visit Roosevelt Island? Let me know. Please comment below and don’t forget to subscribe here . 

Find me here: I’m on most social media, so let’s be friends: Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter . Ever wondered what the largest home in America looks like? Read this . Ready to experience a peaceful garden oasis? Read this . Are you a fan of nature and looking for ideas on where to go hiking? Read this . Visiting NYC and you’d like to take a trip to Albany but don’t know how? Check this out. Traveling to Austin and looking for cool museums to visit? Read this post and this one . Visiting San Francisco and looking for delicious spots to eat at? Look here and here . 

Final Thoughts Continued

Have a sweet tooth and looking for tasty treat ideas? Check this out . Are you a wine drinker or you’d like to experience a wine tour? Read this . Want to know whether you should carry-on your bag or check it on the plane? Read more here . Having wanderlust, or traveling out of the country? Check out my detailed travel itineraries to Aruba , Belgium , London , Paris, and Amsterdam .

Need resources related to blogging? Check out my tips on email marketing here and how to protect your blog here . Have a long flight planned and need tips on how to get through it? I’ve got you covered here . Wonder how you can be safe when traveling? Check out my tips here . Curious as to how I choose my travel destinations? Read this .

Found this blog post helpful? Any support is greatly appreciated! 🙂 

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Photo Credit

Thank you to Qianshan Weng , Benjamin Hanimann and William Justen de Vasconcellos for the photos on Roosevelt Island (I discovered their work on Unsplash.com ). Make sure you check them out!

This blog post has affiliate links which means if you click and make a purchase I may earn a small commission. This commission comes at NO additional cost to you. These are my own personal suggestions based on products/experiences I love and use. Read the full disclosure here .

Covid-19 Disclaimer : The recommendations listed are based on my own suggestions and in no way endorses or condemns travel at this time. If you decide to take a trip, follow national and state guidelines, and of course the CDC when traveling. 

This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com .

14 thoughts on “Guide to Visiting Roosevelt Island in New York, NY”

Even though I’m from the US, I haven’t been to New York before. Roosevelt Island would be a great place to visit if I do travel to New York!

Yes, it’s a great destination. Please come by and visit one day if you can!

Roosevelt Island is definitely going on my list of things to do when I finally get back to New York. I love islands and this one sounds like a lot of fun (and easy to get to).

I can’t wait for you to revisit and check it out. The views are unbeatable and it’s such a great escape from the hustle and bustle.

I love places like Roosevelt Island that have plenty of green areas to explore on food *and* that you get to use a novel form of transport like that tram to reach! It sounds like the trip there would be part of the whole adventure! 😀

p.s. Grabbing a picnic from the ME sounds great too!

It definitely was a great aspect of the trip and even better that there were plenty of walking areas. Definitely have your own picnic if you’re able to go!

The tram looks beautiful! What a lovely contrast with NYC!

It’s a great trip with beautiful views!

I’d love to visit Roosevelt Island one day! Sounds like a great way to spend a day in New York. Thanks for sharing all your recommendations!

I hope you’re able to visit one day and you’re welcome!

We have sadly missed Roosevelt Island on all our visits to NYC. It would be fun to take the tramway over. This looks like a great escape for a few hours. And love that there is a shuttle around the island too.

So sad to hear you missed it. Definitely visit on your return trip to NYC, you won’t regret it!

I love a good quirky restaurant. Thanks for the tips!

You’re welcome, thanks for reading!

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The 8 Best Experiences On Roosevelt Island In New York City

• Destinations
• New York City
• United States

Just yards from Manhattan across the East River lies a little gem in the middle of a concrete jungle. Enjoy solitude and peacefulness from the noise, people, cars, and chaos of the hectic urban sprawl in New York City. Roosevelt Island has loads of green spaces, an uber-hip hotel, and a wonderful sightseeing tram ride with amazing views of Manhattan and the East River. The small, 2-mile-long, sliver-shaped island has about 18,000 residents, 3.5 miles of flat bicycle and walking paths, restaurants, and many parks.

History Of Roosevelt Island

It hasn’t always been known as a popular place due to its checkered history throughout the years. Currently called Roosevelt Island — since 1973 — in honor of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the island has had several names and at one time was known as the “Welfare Island.” It was initially used by Native Americans to raise hogs and later occupied by the shamed British Captain John Manning after surrendering New York to the Dutch in 1664. The island was passed down and was later inherited, becoming known as Blackwell’s Island in 1686 due to marriage. The island then became home to a mental asylum, a prison, and a smallpox hospital. During the 1920s, the city reformed the island and started establishing hospitals. Now, the island is comprised of a quiet residential area with businesses that support the locals. A newly opened Cornell University Tech Campus and easy public transportation add to the island’s charm. A large five-star rehabilitation center to help patients recover is located on the northern tip.

1. Ride The Roosevelt Tram

Getting to the island is quick, easy, and affordable. Hop on the Roosevelt Island Tram and soar 250 feet for a quick 4-minute ride over the East River — just $2.75 each way. Board at 59th and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan or load at the island. You can’t miss the large red 120-person-capacity tram as it travels next to the Queensboro Bridge !

Pro Tip: The locals refer to the bridge as the “59th Street Bridge,” which is not the official name of the “Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.”

2. Bicycle Around The Island

Consider renting a Citibike to pedal effortlessly around the flat island. I rented a bike and rode the complete 3.5-mile bike path in less than an hour! There are two well-placed bike loading stations making getting on and off centrally located next to mass transportation. I made mental notes of where I wanted to return and enjoyed a take-out lunch on one of the many benches looking towards Manhattan. It’s a snap because you can’t get lost on this small island; it’s less than a football field wide!

Pro Tip: If you decide to walk and get tired, there is a Free Red Bus every 15 minutes that circles the island with many hop-on, hop-off stops.

3. Public Bus, Subway, And Public Ferry

If the tram isn’t your first choice for getting to the island, there are many ways to utilize the easy and affordable public transportation. You could easily hop on the Q102 public bus that runs onto the island and makes a complete circuit every 20 minutes from Queens. Or for a faster, more direct route from Queens or Manhattan, take the F train and exit mid-island. Most transportation spots have access to the free Red Bus, Citibike, public bus, or tram stations. You could also get an Uber or cab and drive over the bridge from Astoria — a small quaint area of Queens. There is also access to the NYC ferry for a very affordable boat cruise up the East River to and from the island. Regardless of what mode of public transportation you choose, access to the island couldn’t be easier.

4. Where To Eat

Although the island is small, it packs a mighty punch in options for food. The hippest place to eat is at the Graduate New York . Dine at their uber-hip, 18th-floor rooftop bar, The Panorama Room , with amazing views, or their American Lobby restaurant. If this isn’t your speed, there are several local restaurants in the middle of the island. Hands down my number one choice in a place like this is to grab food from one of the grocery stores and have a fabulous impromptu picnic sitting on a bench, with the majestic skyline as my backdrop.

Pro Tip: Grill up something yummy at the public barbecue grills available for free near Octagon Park , home of the former insane asylum.

5. Visit The Parks Of Roosevelt Island

This tiny island has at least 12 parks with walking paths, greenery, park benches, and areas to stretch out and run. The two most popular parks are Lighthouse Park on the north end and FDR Four Freedom State Park at the south end. Take the free Red Bus to either park from anywhere on the island.

Be sure to visit The Girl Puzzle exhibit at Lighthouse Park. It’s a fascinating story about a female investigative reporter, Nellie Bly , in the late 1800s. Bly shed light on the horrific conditions of the mental asylum, posing as a patient and then writing a scathing exposé. 

Pro Tip: Stop by and see the Island’s Last Chance Canadian Geese Sanctuary along the FDR walkway and see the darling goslings.

6. Play Tennis Or Pickleball

Stop off at the Roosevelt Island Racquet Club and hit a few balls. If you forgot your tennis racquet, the club lets “loaners” out. Showers and towels are available for a small fee. Behind the club, the city offers two free pickleball courts. Bring your own paddles! Call first to reserve the tennis courts. Be a kind visitor and donate a can of tennis balls if you “borrow” a loaner tennis racquet.

Pro Tip: Look for large yellow vent tubes on sidewalks. Roosevelt Island is the only U.S. city to use an automated vacuum waste system , which moves 5.8 tons of trash daily. Residents put their trash in collectors and it’s sucked down below street level into a central facility. No Loud trash trucks here!

7. The Blackwell House

Soak up a little history on your stroll through the island and visit the historic home of the Blackwells , former owners of the island during the late 1700s. Entry is free. Learn how the island changed names from Manning to Blackwell.

8. Smallpox Hospital

Visit the grounds of the first Smallpox Hospital in the country. When smallpox spread rampant in New York City during the 1800s, patients were mandated to isolate on the island at this location to receive care. After the smallpox vaccine was created, the hospital closed. The ruins are currently in repair and hopefully will open in the future for tours. During the night, “up lighting” creates a spooky scene and highlights the ivy-covered stone building.

Related Reading:

• Top 13 Stops While Exploring New York City’s LGBTQ+ History
• Top 12 Tips For Experiencing New York Pride This Year And Every Year
• 10 Fascinating Spots In New York City For History Lovers

Christy Karsten is an airline pilot who loves to travel and explore the globe. When she's not exploring the world on a jet, she's adventuring the road less traveled, shopping, and enjoying local foods. She has been to five continents; with each trip, her bucket list continues to overflow while her list of destinations continues to expand. At her home in Southern California, she spends her time working out, hiking, and researching her next global journey. Depending on the day, this wife and mother is either an international airline pilot or a travel-hungry globetrotter.

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What to Do on Roosevelt Island

This post is a self-guided tour of Roosevelt Island, located in the middle of the East River.

You may recognize the island by the red aerial tram that goes to the island.

The tram has been the setting for many films and TV shows, such as  Spider-Man  (2002), in which the Green Goblin blows up the Roosevelt Island tram station. 

• How to Get Here
• Things to See + Do
• Roosevelt Island Tram
• Other Things To Do In NYC

TIP:  Check out our other self-guided tours  and our GPS-enabled audio tours . 

Located in the middle of the East River, Roosevelt Island offers picturesque views all the way around its perimeter.

There are also several interesting landmarks ion the island that played noteworthy roles in the City’s history.

The Island is mostly residential -- among some of the Island’s past residents include Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General, now deceased actor Al Lewis, who played "Grandpa" on The Munsters,  and Sarah Jessica Parker, the actress who is best known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City.  

Its appeal to residents is its small-town feel, with many big parks. For visitors, the appeal is, of course, the views as well as the historic, landmarked buildings.

A trip to Roosevelt Island is well worth a visit if you have time in your schedule.

HOW TO GET HERE

Getting to Roosevelt Island via the tram is easy and part of the fun. If you are afraid of heights, no problem – the subway goes there too.

Crossing the river from 250 feet above, the  tram ride is a thrilling 3-minute ride with spectacular views of New York City.

The views from the Island itself are also fantastic. For information on where to go to get other great skyline views, see our post Skyline Views of NYC .

All the details can be found in our detailed instructions on getting to Roosevelt Island .

THINGS TO SEE AND DO ON ROOSEVELT ISLAND

The island is only 2 miles (3.2 km) long and very walkable. From the south to the north, it's the equivalent of 35 city blocks.

Touring the Island will take about 3 hours. It’s best to go when the weather is pleasant as all the sights are outdoors.

If you want to speed up your time between sights, there is a local small red bus  costing 25 cents per ride that traverses the island making a north/south loop.

Note that the bus does not go all the way to the tips of the island so you will still need to do a bit of walking to see some of the sites included in our self-guided tour below. 

Click here for a larger interactive map.

Roosevelt Island Historical Society Visitor Center

This welcome center adjacent to the tram station was once the kiosk entry for the trolley car service that ran over the Queensboro Bridge to the island from 1930 to 1957 when buses replaced it.

This was long before the aerial tramway was installed in 1976, followed by the F train subway service in 1989.

At the Visitor Center, you can buy souvenirs and historical books about the island and ask any questions of the staff who are volunteers who live on the Island.

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday  12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Closed on Monday & Tuesday. See their  website .

Blackwell House

The best place to start your tour of the Island’s landmarks is here - at New York City’s 6th oldest house.

This modest colonial-style house was built in 1796 for the Blackwell family, who owned the island for many generations beginning in 1686.

Fittingly, the island was called Blackwell Island.

In 1828, the City of New York purchased the island for $32,500 (adjusted for inflation, that would be $680,242 in 2016 prices).

The city erected a smallpox hospital, an almshouse (home for the poor), and a penitentiary.

Later, an asylum for the mentally ill was built. In 1921, the City renamed Blackwell Island to the better-suited name of Welfare Island.

Over time the Island’s many institutions ceased to be necessary and one by one they closed down.

In 1971, the Island was renamed Roosevelt Island in honor of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Today Blackwell House has been refurbished and is used as a community center. It is designated a New York City and National landmark.

Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association (RIVAA)

This is a local art association, which supports community efforts to enhance cultural development on the island.

They collaborate with schools for educational events and promote public involvement through the arts.

Musical performances, theatre, dance, book signings and poetry readings by talented professionals and various community gatherings are hosted on a continual basis by Gallery RIVAA.

They also install exhibitions in the historic Octagon lobby (included in this tour). Click here for their calendar of exhibits .

Chapel of the Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd’s historical roots go back to the 19th century when Roosevelt Island was serving as a home for some of the city’s poor, sick, and mentally ill residents.

Beginning around 1850, the Episcopal (Anglican) Church, through its Mission Society, began sending missionaries over to the Island to serve the residents of the almshouses.

n 1872, the Episcopal Church of New York appointed a Chaplain to the Island, but the almshouse officials would not let services be conducted on-site.

A benefactor, George Bliss, stepped forward with funding, and the noted architect Frederic Clark Withers (who designed the landmarked Jefferson Market Courthouse in Greenwich Village ) was commissioned to design “the most beautiful church in the city for its most neglected class of humanity.”  

The Chapel was completed in 1889.

Over time, the welfare institutions on the Island closed down and in 1952 the almshouses next to the Chapel were closed and converted into two long-term care hospitals.

The Chapel of the Good Shepherd building became the personal residence for the chaplain of one of the hospitals. In the late 1960s and early ’70s, the island was re-developed as Roosevelt Island, a planned community of mixed-income housing.

The chapel building was deeded to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) who renovated it and reopened it as the Roosevelt Island Community Center, where public meetings of all kinds could take place. 

At the same time, the Episcopal Church restarted its original mission of serving the residents of the island, now an entirely different type of population made up of mainly middle-income New Yorkers.

Image by Payton Chung (Flickr) [ CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

The Octagon

In 1839, this building was the main entrance to the New York City Municipal Lunatic Asylum.

This asylum gained an infamous reputation for its horrific treatment of its patients. 

In 1887,  journalist Nellie Bly faked insanity to expose the horrible conditions at the asylum. 

Her book,  Ten Days in a Mad-House , led to a grand jury investigation and the hospital was forced to alter its practices and be more humane.

The asylum remained open for several more years before being converted into the Metropolitan Hospital which stayed open until 1955.

The building fell into disrepair and was unused for 50 years.

When the redevelopment of Roosevelt Island began, the asylum’s main wings were torn down but the Octagon was inadvertently left standing and its deterioration continued.

In 2006, it was refashioned as the lobby for the attached high-end residential housing.

Visitors can enter the Octagon to see the building’s original rotunda, framed by a spiral staircase, as well as visit the adjacent gallery with RIVAA exhibits.

No photos are allowed in the Octagon.

The Lighthouse

This Gothic-style lighthouse was built by the City of New York in 1872.

The architect was the famed James Renwick, Jr., who designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral .

Its purpose was to light the way for boats navigating “Hell Gates”, a treacherous part of the East River that lies just north of the tip of the Island.

The Lighthouse was built using stone quarried on the Island and construction was carried out with the use of forced labor provided by the inmates of the Island’s penitentiary.

The lighthouse ceased being used in the 1940s.

Surrounding the lighthouse is a quaint park which is a lovely spot to lay down on a blanket on the grass and enjoy the splendid views of Manhattan and Queens before heading back south.

There are restrooms here as well.

Tom Otterness sculpture "The Marriage of Money and Real Estate"

If you walk from the north point of the island along the western promenade facing Manhattan, you can't miss a group of bronze sculptures placed in the water next to the promenade.

The sculptures, a set of playful, cartoonish figures, were created in 1996 and installed at this location in 2005.

Tom Otterness is the same artist behind the whimsical figures along the platforms of the 14th Street and Eighth Avenue subway station as well as  many other public art installations  in the city.

The House at Cornell Tech

Completed in 2017, this unusually shaped and stunning building is a 26-story, 352-unit residential high rise that houses about 530 graduate students, faculty, and staff of Cornell University's NYC campus.

What is special about it is that it is considered to be the tallest "Passive House" in the world.

To be able for architects to claim that their building is a 'Passive House', they must receive an official certification that it has met certain strict standards beneficial to the environment, much like the energy-saving LEED certification.

Cornell House uses 60-70 percent less energy than that of a typical building!

The wave of the future is just an 8-minute walk from what is left of the Smallpox Hospital, built in 1856.

Strecker Memorial Laboratory

This now-defunct laboratory was built in 1892 and was the first laboratory in the country devoted exclusively to pathological and bacteriological research. 

The lab was closed in the 1950s and the building was unused until in 2000 it was restored by the city to house a substation that has powered the E and M subway lines.

The building is a New York City landmark as well as being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Southpoint Park

This is a spacious park with lots of green spaces and flora.

It doesn’t get overcrowded and is a great place to sit and enjoy the magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline. 

Public restrooms are located at the entrance and there are water fountains throughout the park to keep you hydrated.

Smallpox Hospital (also known as the “Renwick Ruins”)

Inside of Southpoint Park are the remnants of a smallpox hospital built on the island in 1856. 

This site is considered one of NYC's secret gems, though not everyone knows that. This article from Jetline Cruise explains why the Smallpox Hospital ruins are so alluring. 

Like The Octagon, architect James Renwick, Jr. designed this Gothic-style hospital building. 

It was the first hospital in the United States to take in smallpox patients, the highly contagious and deadly disease.

Although a vaccine existed, it wasn’t until the late 1800's that efforts were made in the United States to eradicate the disease by universal vaccination.

Until then, special hospitals were built specifically for treating smallpox sufferers. 

From its opening until its closing in 1875, the hospital treated about 7,000 patients a year.

In 1875, the hospital was moved to North Brothers Island since Blackwell Island was becoming overcrowded and not an appropriate setting for a hospital populated with infectious patients.

The building was then converted into a nurses' dormitory.

But as the institutions and hospitals of Blackwell’s Island (by now renamed Welfare Island) closed down, the hospital building was abandoned in the 1950s and fell into terrible decay and disrepair.

However, in the 1960s, the deteriorating structure was saved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, who had what was left of the hospital shored up to avoid total collapse.

What little remains of the original building is often referred to as the “Renwick Ruins.”

Overrun with weeds and wild ivy twisting through the brick structure, the ‘ruins’ have the appearance of a medieval castle. At night, it is just downright spooky! 

As tempting it may be, do not go into the areas that are off-limits. You may not go into the remains and it is fenced off.

You will be breaking trespassing laws if you do go beyond where you are permitted, as tempting as it may be.

Fortunately noted Urban Explorer Steve Duncan doesn’t mind the risk. Watch his video and see the inside of the Renwick Ruins at night!

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

The Island’s southern-most tip is the site of Four Freedoms Park and a memorial to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Opened in October 2012, the Park is one of the last works designed by the famed architect Louis I. Kahn.

The park celebrates the four freedoms that Roosevelt spoke of in his 1941 State of the Union speech: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

The park caught some media attention when in 2015, Hillary Clinton held her first rally after announcing her candidacy for president.

The park hosts events April-October, including yoga in the park, reading forums, walking tours, and playgroups for toddlers.

View the  park’s calendar  for more information. The park has ample green space for picnicking and sunbathing and yet again, taking in the spectacular views.

If you’ve enjoyed this self-guided tour, we have plenty more for you! 

Check out our other self-guided tours  and our GPS-enabled audio tours . 

Of course, you are always welcome to join one of our  pay-what-you-wish   walking tours!

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The full guide to Roosevelt Island in NYC

Visit Roosevelt Island in NYC, a two-mile-long, 800-foot-wide town that is blossoming with character

If you’re looking for a scenic getaway, we highly recommend one of our many awesome day trips from NYC . But if you don’t want to travel too far, a journey to Roosevelt Island in NYC may be the relaxing escape you’re looking for. Apart from picturesque views of Manhattan and Queens, the two-mile-long, 800-foot-wide cloister is known for being a quiet town. However, there are plenty of things to do and see once you take the train or the tram over the East River: The Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association hosts art shows , you can check out historic New York attractions like the Blackwell Island Lighthouse and Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park definitely deserves a spot on our best NYC parks list.

How do I get to Roosevelt Island?

Take the F train to the Roosevelt Island stop. After ascending the escalator from New York’s deepest subway station, you’ll be floored by the stunning view of the East River. For an even better picture of the water, take the red, boxy Tramway Car at 59th St and Second Avenue.

What can I do on Roosevelt Island?

The area’s attractions include tennis courts, ball fields and Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, a tribute to our 32nd president. You can check out historic attractions like the Blackwell Island Lighthouse and the beautiful Chapel of the Good Shepherd.

Archive Roosevelt Island, NYC, content

See renderings of Cornell Tech's Roosevelt Island campus (slide show)

FDR Four Freedoms Park: A new space is dedicated on Roosevelt Island (slide show)

Today's Last-Minute Plan: Improv Everywhere takes over Roosevelt Island

F to Roosevelt Island

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Roosevelt Island ? Worth the visit?

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However, Roosevelt Island is really pretty. Nice views of midtown Manhattan too. The Four Freedoms park at the southern end is lovely but whether this is worth it to you is your own decision. I liked it, but some people might not think it's a first visit "sight" to see.

To walk from the tram station to Four Freedoms Park at the southern end is about 15-20 mins. That's where most people want to go when on RI.

I believe you can ride a bike around over there too, if that's your thing. And there's a free Red Bus service that goes around the island.

The northern section is less touristy but there's a very cute lighthouse right at the northern tip.

Info here: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-york-city/travel-tips-and-articles/76780

http://www.newyork.com/articles/neighborhoods/roosevelt-island-a-day-away-from-the-city-without-leaving-the-city-51706/

https://rioc.ny.gov/bustransportation.htm

You can get there via from the tram in Midtown East, or the F train subway has a stop there as well.

Someone on the Syracuse travel forum just said that they thought the leaves would be a week or two early because of the drought this summer. That makes sense to me but the problem with trying to time any kind of trees & flowers is that they are so weather dependent that they are extremely hard to predict. I remember paying money for a "fall foliage" bus trip to New England & the trees were really late that year & that's not the 1st time I've either been the beneficiary or the victim of Mother Nature's whims.

PS: If you are looking for a nice Fall walk, I'd recommend the Forest Hills Gardens neighborhood in Queens.

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Tips for Visiting Roosevelt Island in New York City

New York City / April 14, 2022 by Allison / 1 Comment This article may contain sponsored content or affiliate links.

Hi there! Have you considered visiting Roosevelt Island on your trip to New York City?

My family visited Roosevelt Island on our last trip to New York City. We were hanging out at Central Park with my brother-in-law and his kids, who were visiting NYC at the same time. We had four teens between us on a sunny fall afternoon, and we were in the mood to do something different.

Roosevelt Island was the perfect fit. The tram to Roosevelt Island was an easy 15-minute walk from the lower end of Central Park. 

Here are my tips on how to get to Roosevelt Island, what to do there, and what I liked best.

What and where is Roosevelt Island?

Roosevelt Island is located in the East River, between Manhattan and Queens. It was formerly known as Blackwell's Island, then Welfare Island. Historically, it was home to an infamous asylum, a prison, and a smallpox hospital.

Roosevelt Island is less-colorful today. But with a college campus, modern apartments, parks, historical sites, restaurants, galleries, and more, Roosevelt Island is a fun and fascinating place to visit.

It can also be inexpensive. Our day trip to Roosevelt Island cost just $5.50 per person.

How to Get There

There are several good ways to get to Roosevelt Island from Manhattan or Queens.

• Roosevelt Island Tramway – from Manhattan at 59th Street and Second Avenue
• Subway – via the F Train from Manhattan or Queens
• Ferry – via Astoria, Long Island City, East 34th Street, or Wall Street on the Astoria Line
• Bus – via the Q102 Bus from Queens
• Car – via the Roosevelt Island Bridge from Queens

We took the Tramway to Roosevelt Island and the subway back to Manhattan. Both are part of the MTA public transportation system and both currently cost $2.75 each way.

The tramway offers great views and leaves every 10-15 minutes from Midtown Manhattan. The subway is a good option if you want to travel to/from another part of the city.

Once you get to Roosevelt Island, you can walk, bike, or take the Red Bus to get around. Citi Bikes are available for rent. Roosevelt Island is about 2 miles long and only 800 feet wide.

Get the most current transportation information on the official Roosevelt Island page at https://rioc.ny.gov/339/Transportation

Related: Tips for Riding the NYC Subway with Kids 

Things to Do

Roosevelt Island has several nice parks, historical sites, galleries, restaurants, and even a college campus. Here are a few of the most popular places to visit on Roosevelt Island.

• Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park – grassy park, monuments, and fantastic views
• Smallpox Hospital Ruin – gothic hospital opened in 1856 during a pandemic, now a fascinating ruin
• Roosevelt Island Lighthouse – 50-foot gothic lighthouse and park. The lighthouse is no longer in use.
• Cornell Tech – tour the campus and get Cornell Dairy ice cream or cheese curds at the cafe
• Blackwell House – NYC's 6th oldest house
• The Octagon – former entrance to the infamous Blackwell's Island asylum

All of these activities cost nothing. We spent about two hours on the island, and it only cost $5.50 per person for the tram/subway rides.

We walked south from the tramway station through the Cornell Tech campus. It was a leisurely half-mile to Four Freedoms Park and the Smallpox Hospital Ruin. 

The gothic hospital ruin is fenced off for safety, but it's the sort of thing you won't see anywhere else in NYC – or many other places in the USA. I thought it was fascinating, and our teens enjoyed seeing it too. It was used during a pandemic, which is something that all of us can relate to now.

The Four Freedoms Park is named for a famous speech given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940. You can read about and appreciate those freedoms at this monument – and enjoy fantastic views of New York City and the East River.

Why we  really visited Roosevelt Island

We love visiting Manhattan and all its popular tourist attractions like the Empire State Building, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty . But sometimes, the city and the crowds can feel… overwhelming.

And we like finding less-touristy places that not everyone visits. 

Roosevelt Island is that kind of place. If you want a quieter and uncrowded part of the city – while still enjoying fantastic city views and fun (but less frenetic) activities – then add Roosevelt Island to your New York City itinerary.

Related: 10 Fun Things to Do in Queens

The Spider-Man Connection

Does anyone else love the Spider-Man movies? My husband has been a Spider-Man fan since he was a kid and we've watched them all many times. 

My family loves movies and we enjoy seeing movie locations when we travel. We don't usually go out of our way for it, but it's still so fun to connect our family movie nights with our family vacations when we get the chance.

In the first Spider-Man movie starring Tobey Maguire, the Roosevelt Island Tram is featured prominently near the end of the movie. Just after that scene, the final fight scene takes place in the Smallpox Hospital Ruin on Roosevelt Island.

We knew about the tramway's cameo during our trip but didn't realize that the Smallpox Hospital Ruin was in the movie until we watched Spider-Man again after our trip. I recognized it immediately and that made the movie even more fun.

The Roosevelt Island Tramway also makes a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home . 

Roosevelt Island was perfect for an afternoon in New York City when we wanted to do something different and get away from the crowds. It was green, easy, and inexpensive. 

And since I'm a fan of historical sites and state parks, the hospital ruin and Four Freedoms Park were fun and interesting.

I hope that our experience at Roosevelt Island helps your family plan a great trip! If you have Roosevelt Island tips or questions, please share them in the comments.

Happy travels!

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April 14, 2022 at 11:00 am

Thanks for this tip. I hadn’t heard of Roosevelt Island as a spot to visit. I’d seen the tram in movies (like Spiderman), but that’s where my knowledge level stopped. I appreciate the ideas on why I would want to include this in a future trip to New York City.

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Tracy Kaler

Lifestyle and Travel Writer

in New York Blog · New York Guides

Have You Been to Roosevelt Island? Here’s What to Know

Riding the Roosevelt Island tram is only part of the fun.

A Guide to Visiting Roosevelt Island

When you think of  this slender island, riding the suspended red cable car across the East River probably comes to mind. But there is much more to this narrow isle than a scenic ride. That’s not to take anything away from the Roosevelt Island Tramway, because in itself, it is spectacular. After picking up the tram in Midtown East, however, I suggest exiting to explore the island, if even for an hour or two before making the return trip to Manhattan. Here’s a guide to visiting Roosevelt Island.

The views of Manhattan from Roosevelt Island are breathtaking

On the way to and from the tram and on the ride itself, you’ll discover a captivating view of New York City. So take it all in! The ride is really too quick, in my opinion. You’ll be able to see the 59th Street Bridge up close, and clusters of skyscrapers that populate the East Side.

But you’ll also be able to catch the Manhattan skyline from the Western Promenade of Roosevelt Island, and you’ll notice Queens in the opposite direction. Plus, since it’s a narrow island, you’ll spot water and city views no matter where you turn. The views are astonishing.

Roosevelt Island is considered part of Manhattan

Plopped between Manhattan and Queens, Roosevelt Island may appear to be its own borough. But this two-mile long, 800-foot wide peninsula stretching from 46th to 85th Streets is indeed considered part of Manhattan.

Once the setting of prisons, poor houses, hospitals, and even an insane asylum, Roosevelt Island has a history dating back to at least the 17th century when the Canarsie Indians owned what was then Hog Island, later called Welfare Island.

Named Roosevelt Island in 1971, it has endured a ton of improvements over the years with some significant ones in the past decade-plus.

One was the renovation of the Roosevelt Island Tramway (a massive undertaking that was completed in 2010). And in 2012, the opening and dedication of Four Freedoms Park, a memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt designed by renowned architect Louis Khan, took place. This new park became a primary reason to visit the island.

FDR statue at Four Freedoms Park

See the sights on Roosevelt Island

There are a handful of notable sights, such as the Blackwell Island Lighthouse in Lighthouse Park, Chapel of the Good Shepherd (now the community center), the Octagon (the former insane asylum entrance that’s now part of an apartment complex), the Strecker Memorial Laboratory, and the spooky Smallpox Hospital (now in ruins). There’s a possibility the ruins will become a Covid-19 memorial in the future. I recommend checking out these sights while you’re there.

Four Freedoms Park sits at the southern end of the island, and is the must-see attraction. The vast open space acts as a respite from midtown Manhattan, which hovers to the west, with Queens to the east.

But the project that has created all the buzz in recent years is Cornell-Tech’s Roosevelt Island Campus. This 12-acre plot transformed the culture and appearance of Roosevelt Island. It’s also bringing more people to the isle.

Smallpox Hospital on Roosevelt Island

Four Freedoms Park

Details on getting to Roosevelt Island

Of course, I’ve talked about the tram, and that’s the best way to get there from Manhattan. Pick up the tram at 59th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan. It makes trips to and from Roosevelt Island every 7 to 15 minutes. It does get crowded at times – the tram holds up to 110 passengers. The cost is $2.75 per trip (use your MetroCard), and the journey takes less than five minutes. (See hours of operation below.) And please note, there are no MTA booths at the stations, only machines to purchase a MetroCard.

• Sunday – Thursday: 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM
• Friday & Saturday: 6:00 AM to 3:30 AM
• Morning Rush Hours (M-F): 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM
• Evening Rush Hours (M-F): 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM

When you exit the tram, you’ll see the Roosevelt Island Historical Society’s kiosk. Stop in, pick up a map, and ask any questions. The kiosk has limited hours but should be open on weekends.

There’s also the F train, but that is not always so reliable; hence, take the tram since it’s very reliable (and way more pleasant).

Ferry service connects Astoria, Queens to Wall Street with a stop on Roosevelt Island. The Roosevelt Island Bridge provides cars and pedestrians access from the island to Astoria, but currently, there’s no way to drive a car directly from Manhattan – you have to go through Queens to get to Roosevelt Island.

You can also ride a bike over the Roosevelt Island Bridge from 36th Street in Queens, or take the Q102 bus from Long Island or Astoria.

An exciting future for Roosevelt Island

Exciting things are happening in Roosevelt Island, and I think we’ll see more small businesses choosing to set up shop here.

There’s a Graduate Hotel on Roosevelt Island now, so that’s luring tourists, I am sure. Within the hotel is the all-day restaurant Anything At All , which was written up by Eater . In general, the food and beverage scene is growing and I expect that to continue as more New Yorkers and visitors venture across the river.

You may wonder, do people actually live on Roosevelt Island? Yes, they do. Living on Roosevelt Island has improved in the past several years because of the growth and development. I had friends who lived there some years ago and enjoyed it even before the completion of Four Freedoms Park and the opening of restaurants. The island is super convenient to Midtown East and the Upper East Side. And it’s quiet compared to Manhattan.

I believe it’s a matter of time before everyone discovers how special this island is. I encourage you to take a day trip to Roosevelt Island where you’ll feel as if you’ve left the city, but you’re only a few minutes from Midtown.

Go here for more info on the Roosevelt Island Tram. To find out more about Four Freedoms Park, visit the website.

The view from Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island

Have you explored Roosevelt Island? I highly recommend it.

Also, visit the High Line and Little Island, two unique New York City parks.

And one of the most incredible art exhibits I’ve ever witnessed was in a park. See photos here!

Some posts may contain affiliate links from Amazon or other partners. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Paid links on this site come at no cost to you as a reader. You can find the full disclosure here. 

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10 Most Interesting Things to Do in Roosevelt Island, NYC

Published: August 31, 2020

Modified: December 27, 2023

by Ashley Phillips

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Once home to an asylum, Roosevelt Island is now one of New York City’s best-hidden gems. This narrow island sitting between Manhattan and Queens is a great side trip when visiting The Big Apple. It offers a quick break from the busyness of New York without actually leaving the city. Whether you want a day trip or enjoy a night or two in this island, the option is yours. Either way, Roosevelt Island is brimming with interesting things to do that make it worth the visit.  

After living in the shadows of New York City, Roosevelt Island is finally making a name for itself. Let’s get to know the 10 interesting things to do on this island. 

Where Is Roosevelt Island?

Photo by Alex Simpson on Unsplash

The two-mile-long stretch of Roosevelt Island sits in New York City’s East River. It’s sandwiched between Queens on the east and Manhattan on the west.  

How To Get To Roosevelt Island

There are three ways to visit Roosevelt Island, depending on your preference. 

Subway or bus

• The F train runs from Queens, Manhattan, and ends in Brooklyn. The F train line makes a stop at Roosevelt Island. 
• If you’re visiting from Queens, the Q102 Bus is a great option to take to go to Roosevelt Island. The bus operates from 5:00 A.M. to 1:00 A.M.
• When taking the tram, familiarize yourself with the metro schedule to avoid rush hours. The Roosevelt Island Tramway connects the Upper East Side of Manhattan to Roosevelt Island. It operates every day of the week and has two schedules: regular (non-rush hour) and a rush-hour schedule. 
• Aside from knowing the schedule, you need to get an MTA Metro Card . You pay your tram fare using this card. Take note that there are no MTA boots at the station, so purchase yours before arriving at the station. 

Car or bike

• For the more adventurous and thrifty souls, you can drive to Roosevelt Island or ride a bike. There are 3 suggested routes when driving from Manhattan: 

59th Street Bridge, Upper Roadway 

59th Street Bridge, Lower Roadway 

Midtown Tunnel (I-495 East) to Queens

You can also drive from Long Island or from Brooklyn to Roosevelt Island. 

• Get on your bike to save money and time! To visit Roosevelt Island via bike, you can head over to 36th Avenue toward the Roosevelt Island Bridge. After crossing the bridge, turn left onto Main Street.

Is Roosevelt Island Safe?

Roosevelt is a small island that is very safe and quiet. In fact, it’s a great neighborhood for families. Offering lots of green space, great views, and historic landmarks, Roosevelt Island is more than a quick stop when in NYC. 

Compared to the busy New York City, there’s little traffic on this island. This gives you more reasons to escape here even for a while.  

When Should You Visit Roosevelt Island?

To fully enjoy what Roosevelt Island has to offer, visit from April to June and September to early November. If you’re familiar with Manhattan weather , you know these months give pleasant or warm weather. Aside from that, the crowd is not overwhelming. If you want the cheapest time, plan a mid-January to an end of February trip.

Time to bring out your weekend bag because we’re ready to explore Roosevelt Island!

The Roosevelt Island Tram

Photo by Patrick T’Kindt from Unsplash

You shouldn’t miss riding the Tram when visiting Roosevelt Island. The Roosevelt Island tram is the first commuter aerial tramway in North America. Running every 7-15 minutes, the Roosevelt Island Tramway offers amazing Manhattan views. Based on East 59th St. and 2nd Ave. of Manhattan, the aerial tramway is a fun and cheap way to explore the city. It’s also one of the convenient ways to visit the island. Simply swipe your MetroCard and enjoy gliding over Upper East Side avenues and the East River. 

Best times to travel?

As per the metro schedule, the rush hours are from 7 am to 10 am and from 3 pm to 8 pm. So, to enjoy as much view, avoid the rush hours. 

What will I  see along the way?

The 3-minute trip will let you take in the beauty of the New York island and Manhattan. It will also give you great views of the East River, as well as the 1st and 2nd Avenue. Aside from that, it takes you closer to the Queensboro Bridge. 

Roosevelt Island Lighthouse

Photo by Adobe Stock

If you’re willing to climb 64 wooden steps to enjoy panoramic views of the island, visit the Lighthouse. Known then as Blackwell Island Lighthouse, the 50-foot-tall stone lighthouse holds both history and mystery. It is located at 10044 New York, New York.

Legends say that two deranged occupants of a nearby insane asylum built the lighthouse. Along with this myth are ghost and creepy stories. Truth or myth, these stories just make Roosevelt Island Lighthouse more interesting . 

The Octagon

Photo from The Octagon’s official Facebook page

The Octagon at 888 Main Street was once the main entrance to the New York City Lunatic Asylum. But don’t worry, entering the building won’t lead to anything crazy. Today, the Octagon is attached to a large apartment complex. The building is also highly sustainable, thanks to its utilization of solar panels. 

Photo by Jack Boucher from Wikimedia Commons

Looking back at how the Octagon looked like, it’s amazing how it was carefully restored and renovated, all while retaining its original grandeur. The Octagon is now an upscale residential community with state-of-the-art amenities. 

Blackwell House

Photo by Doug Kerr from Flickr

At the corner of Main Street and East Road sits a historic property called Blackwell House. It’s a charming wooden house that holds historical significance to the island. Blackwell House is the sixth oldest house in New York. Also, it’s the only surviving building on Roosevelt Island that goes back to when the island was still private property. 

The Blackwell family once owned Roosevelt Island until New York City purchased it from them. Later on, the house became a residential quarter for wardens of hospitals, the almshouse, and the penitentiary. Today, it serves as a community center and boasts a beautifully landscaped setting. 

Smallpox Hospital

Photo by Ed from Flickr

Ready your spirits and flashlight and take a trip to Smallpox Hospital at Southpoint Park. More known today as Renwick Ruins, it’s the first hospital built to treat infectious diseases on the island. When the smallpox vaccine came out, the hospital became obsolete and shut its doors in the 1950s.

Today, the weed-covered hospital is undergoing renovations, albeit at a slow pace. While visitors aren’t allowed to wander inside, you can still get a good view of the building’s architecture and of what’s left of it.

Southpoint Park

Sitting between Four Freedoms Park and Cornell Tech at the southeast tip of Roosevelt Island is the lush Southpoint Park. Home to wide, green lawns and gardens, this park is among the best places to visit in Roosevelt Island. It’s an excellent spot to stroll at, relax, and enjoy nature and some frolicking squirrels or cats. 

Southpoint Park offers gorgeous views of Queens and Manhattan, various plants, and native flowers. If you’re visiting the island with the kids, don’t forget to swing by here.

Four Freedoms Park

Photo from Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park’s official Facebook page

Another interesting place to visit at Roosevelt Island is the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park . The first park dedicated to the former President in his home state of New York, this park is very much open to the public. The memorial is a dramatic triangular four-acre plot, where a bronze head sculpture of FDR sits. 

The park was designed to celebrate the four freedoms that the former President articulated in one of his famous speeches. These freedoms are freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. To maintain the park’s cleanliness and beauty, there are certain rules to follow. Take note that smoking and alcohol are not allowed in this park. Pets, bicycles, or scooters are also prohibited from entering the park. But don’t worry, photo taking and leisure walks are very much welcome.

Cornell Tech

Photo from Cornell Tech’s website

Tech buffs should swing by Cornell Tech , a transformational milestone for technology in NYC. Spanning 12 acres on 2 West Loop Road at Roosevelt Island, the campus focuses on technology, business, law, and design. 

Aside from its cutting-edge design, Cornell Tech features energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings. The campus is a stunning work of art that attracts visitors to admire its world-class beauty. More than that, it’s a venue that offers endless opportunities for the city and the people. 

Roosevelt Island Library

Photo by Monika Kozub from Unsplash

Book lovers are in for a treat as the New York Public Library has another branch at 524 Main Street on Roosevelt Island. The library was born because of Dorothy and Herman Reade, two Roosevelt retirees who desired to build a community library. It opened in 1976, and in 1997 joined the New York Public Library system. That makes Roosevelt Island Library the 85th branch of NYPL. 

Today, the branch provides the community with a fine selection of materials, services, and programs. 

If you’re keen on exploring other museums and libraries, get a hold of a NYPL Culture Pass. This card allows you to enjoy free admission to dozens of museums, heritage centers, libraries, public gardens, and more in NYC. The Culture Pass currently covers 47 venues, and you can reserve one pass per location every year. You can reserve your pass here . 

Gallery RIVAA

Photo from Gallery RIVAA’s Facebook page

Aside from the historical landmarks, Roosevelt Island is passionate about the arts. The Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association (RIVAA) at 527 Main Street has been dedicating its efforts to bring art to the island. In fact, it continues to promote Roosevelt as the “Island of Art,” which links Long Island and Manhattan. Comprising of roughly 35 members, this main street gallery showcases works from local and international artists. 

RIVAA showcases programs that support cultural developments and educational events. Throughout the year, they feature musical performances, poetry readings, and other community programs. 

Where To Stay In Roosevelt Island

Here are the best and nearest hotels to stay in when visiting the New York island:

• Concorde Hotel New York (0.5 km from Roosevelt Island Tramway): Enjoy premium rooms that are closely situated to main attractions such as the Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. 
• Loews Regency New York Hotel (0.6 km from the Tramway): Sitting on the famous Park Avenue, this family-friendly hotel is a short distance from Central Park and the Rockefeller Center.
• Whitby Hotel (1 km from the Tramway): If you’re willing to splurge, book a room at Whitby and enjoy an exceptional stay. Nestled in the upper midtown Manhattan, you can’t expect anything less than luxurious. 
• AKA Sutton Place (0.3 km from the Tramway): For apartment options, AKA Sutton is a great option. Pick from either a one or two-bedroom apartment, enjoy comfortable rooms with modern amenities and facilities. 

Can people live on Roosevelt Island?

Yes! In fact, Roosevelt Island is a neighborhood with a population of 11,346. Living in Roosevelt Island offers a peaceful, quiet, and safe environment. 

How long does it take to walk around Roosevelt Island?

It won’t take you more than an hour to walk around the island. Roosevelt is a small island — 2 miles long and 800 feet — much smaller than Manhattan. If you prefer the bike, it will take you about 11 minutes from one tip of the island to the other. 

Can you walk from Roosevelt Island to Manhattan?

Yes, you can. You have to take the Roosevelt Island Bridge, which is the only way to drive or walk to the island. 

Time To Discover New York’s Hidden Gem!

Roosevelt Island may be low on most travelers’ radar, but this hidden gem holds many surprises. From stunning city views, historical sites to lively art scenes, the list goes on. For such a small island, the many interesting things to do are nothing less than impressive. The best part is, it’s just a quick car drive, tram, or ferry ride away when you’re in New York City. 

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A Guide To Roosevelt Island + What To Do On Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island, a place that was once known for prisons and abandoned buildings, is now one of the most attractive places to explore for its green spaces, stunning views , and rich history.

It has a population of 11,722 diverse residents, composed of 45% Whites, 27% African Americans, 14% Hispanics, and 11% Asians.

Living on the island is one of the best options for those looking for a dense urban vibe with low crime rates and excellent public schools for children.

As a tourist, you’d be glad to know that the island has numerous amazing restaurants , green parks , historical landmarks , and coffee shops to tick off from your bucket list.

The island is a perfect side trip or a weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of New York City.

Check out what you can do on this narrow island of Manhattan through this list I have created for you.

But first, get to know a bit about Roosevelt Island.

Where is Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island is located in East River, New York County. This two-mile-long narrow island is in the New York City borough of Manhattan and is bordered by nearby neighborhoods, including Lenox Hill, Ravenswood, Queensbridge, and Midtown East. Moreover, it can be found in between the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens.

How to Get to Roosevelt Island

If you want to drive or walk to the island, the best option is going through the Roosevelt Island Bridge, which is accessible from Astoria, Queens.

For those coming from Manhattan, you can hop on the Roosevelt Island Tramway for only $2.75 for a one-way ticket.

The train is also another available transportation to visit the island, specifically the F-Train from either Queens or Manhattan.

You can also take the Q102 Bus Line from Queens for easy access. If you are the type who doesn’t get seasick, then the NYC Ferry is another great option.

What to Do on Roosevelt Island

What is on Roosevelt Island and what can I do there? Roosevelt Island is popular for its architectural history, which means you will find several historical buildings and national landmarks.

Aside from sightseeing and visiting the landmarks, Roosevelt offers more interesting places to explore and restaurants to dine to make your Roosevelt Island experience worth the trip.

The Octagon

888 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, Manhattan, NY 10046

Phone: 646-891-4517

Visit Website

Originally built in 1834 and later restored in 2006, The Octagon is among the six must-see landmarks of the island.

Today, it is an upscale residential place loved for its park and green spaces. Moreover, it is one of the best places to hang out since it has several restaurants for eating and stores for shopping.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

1 FDR Four Freedoms Park, Roosevelt Island, NY 10044

Phone: 212-204-8831

Located on the southern end of the island, Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park or FDR Four Freedoms State Park is a four-acre memorial park created in 2012 and is a designated New York State park.

The park is an ideal place to stroll, exercise, learn history, and participate in hosted events. On top of that, it offers stunning panoramic views of the city skyline.

Strecker Lab

Southpoint Park, Roosevelt Island, NY 10044

Opened in   1892, Strecker Lab or the Strecker Memorial Laboratory is a historical building that used to be a laboratory for City Hospital, a historic hospital built in 1832.

It features Romanesque Revival architecture and was designated a New York City Landmark in 1972. It was also included in the list of National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Smallpox Hospital

E Rd, New York, NY 10044

Smallpox Hospital or Renwick Smallpox Hospital was a hospital that opened in 1856. It is a spooky old ruin that is part of the list of the National Register of Historic Places.

The architectural style features a Gothic Revival that was designed by James Renwick Jr.

Blackwell Island Lighthouse

Northern end of Roosevelt Island, NY

Known as Roosevelt Island Lighthouse, Blackwell Island Light is a lighthouse constructed in 1872 on the East River. It is a 50-feet lighthouse that was first lit in 1872 and was shut down in 1940.

It is another stone Gothic Revival structure that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and a New York City Landmark in 1976.

New York Public Library

504 Main St, New York, NY 10044

Phone: 212-308-6243

Among the 92 New York Public Library locations, one of them is located at 504 Main Street in Roosevelt Island. It started as a community library and later became a part of the New York Public Library system in 1998.

So if you are looking for a place to read free books, the New York Public Library will surely encourage your interest in reading.

Roosevelt Island Garden Community

Between the Octagon Field and Pony Field, NY

Email: [email protected]

For the garden enthusiast or nature lover, Roosevelt Island Garden Community is a non-profit organization run by volunteers to help create beautiful community gardens.

It is located between the Octagon Field and Pony Field and is open to the public on the weekends. Diversity is one of its main agendas as they are most welcome to all races, colors, genders, religions, and many more.

The Roosevelt Island Tramway

E 59th St & 2nd Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Phone: 212-756-8739

What better way to have an aerial view of the city than riding the Roosevelt Island Tramway . Located at E 59th St and 2nd Avenue, the Roosevelt Island Tramway is the first public sky tram in North America. It is a 3,100-ft long line operating at a 17.9 mph speed.

Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association (RIVAA) Gallery

527 Main St, New York, NY 10044

Phone: 212-308-6630

Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association (RIVAA) Gallery is the best place to appreciate contemporary art.

The association includes 35 artists who are passionate about showcasing talent and delivering excellent artwork. Not only can you appreciate art, but also live music in the gallery.

Blackwell House

500 Main St, New York, NY 10044

Phone: 212-832-4540

Named after Jacob Blackwell, Blackwell House is a historic house built in 1796 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It is located at the corner of Main Street and is the sixth oldest farmhouse in New York.

The house can be visited from Wednesdays to Sundays every 11 am to 5 pm. You can come inside for free but only for a limited time of up to 30 minutes.

Panorama Room

Graduate roosevelt island.

Phone: 929-447-4717

A rooftop lounge with stunning views of the city , Panorama Room is a contemporary cocktail bar that serves oysters and small dishes.

It is a spectacular spot for sunsets and good vibes. Try their famous East Coast oysters for $36 and shrimp cocktail for $24.

Fuji East Japanese Bistro

455 Main St, New York, NY 10044

Phone: 212-583-1688

If you feel like having a Japanese night, visit Fuji East Japanese Bistro at 455 Main Street. Their menu options are extensive, so you have choices for salads, appetizers, sushi rolls, sashimi, party trays, entrees, and many more.

People love their satisfying dishes, great customer service, and top-notch food presentation.

Zhongzhong Noodles – Roosevelt Island

568 Main St, New York, NY 10044

Phone: 646-870-0005

Get a taste of Chinese with Zhongzhong Noodles on Main Street Roosevelt Island. This noodle bar serves Chinese-Japanese ramen, noodles, rice bowls, hot pot, and dumplings .

Some of their must-try dishes are their famous beef noodles, vegan dumplings, and delicious beef trip mini hot pot.

The Cafe at Cornell Tech

2 W Loop Rd, New York, NY 10044

Email: [email protected]

The Cafe at Cornell Tech is a cool spot for breakfast or lunch . You can order a variety of breakfast options such as pancakes, croissants, sandwiches , and salads.

If you are going for lunch, try their free crust pizzas and flatbreads paired with hot soup. It is also a great place to stop for strong coffee such as Parliament coffee and espresso.

Phone: 917-981-0388

For a refreshing drink to start your day, head over to Jupioca and choose from their selection of juices, smoothies , shots, and milk teas. Their juices are good for those who are health conscious as they are served with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Try their vitality green, crazy sexy, and brain power for that extra body boost. If you are looking for heart breakfast foods, their acai bowls are worth the try and are made from organic ingredients.

Where to Stay on Roosevelt Island

22 N Loop Rd, New York, NY 10044

Phone: 929-447-4700

Looking for a place to stay? Look no further as there is only one hotel around – Graduate Roosevelt Island. It is the only best hotel available for a quick island getaway.

You can find it across the Cornell Tech university campus, just a five-minute walk from the station.

The hotel boasts stunning city and river views from your hotel room. Furry friends can also join you in the hotel as they have pet-friendly rooms too.

Enjoy their amenities like the fitness center and Anything At All, a restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

For unique activities to do, check out their featured special events and join them. For instance, the All About Wellness is an exclusive package for yoga and sculpt sessions.

Other packages to make the most of your stay are NYC Day Out, Pup Package for dogs, island Lovin’, and Roosevelt island Retreat.

Is It a Safe Place?

Yes! Roosevelt Island is one of the safest places in New York that is best for families and professionals. It has a lower percentage of crime rate than the New York average. Living and staying on Roosevelt Island offers a quiet and relaxed residential neighborhood.

According to Niche’s Crime & Safety grade , Roosevelt Island has a grade of B- based on overall violent and property crimes reported.

For every 100,000 residents, about 212 become victims of assault and 288 of theft. These statistics are relatively low compared to other dangerous neighborhoods.

Nevertheless, keep in mind to consistently follow travel safety tips. Don’t draw too much attention, especially wearing flashy jewelry or accessories.

If you are traveling alone, I suggest keeping your family and friends updated with your current location.

As a well-traveled tourist, I have dealt with countless scammers. So, I highly suggest staying vigilant and aware of them.

Should you decide to have a night out, drink responsibly and always go with a friend. Always remember these tips to stay safe wherever you go.

Plan Your Visit at Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island is a place for history buffs, nature enthusiasts, and art lovers. With a chic hotel, large green parks , and several historical landmarks, the island is a great way to enjoy New York without the crowds.

So, what are you waiting for? Plan your stay and choose the best mode of transportation to get here.

Book ahead of time if you decide to stay with Graduate Roosevelt Island as rooms might be limited since it is the only hotel around. If you are aiming to do a unique itinerary, then I suggest you check out special events hosted by the hotel, restaurants, and organizations.

Lucky for you, I have already listed their contact information, so you can easily call them for monthly or annual events.

Have you ever been to one of the places mentioned? Leave a message below via the comments section and share your experiences with fellow travelers.

Did I miss anything good? Let me know in the comments section too! I would love to hear about your suggestions and can’t wait to try them.

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GoNOMAD Travel

Inspiration and links to plan your trip.

Roosevelt Island: NYC’s Most Impressive Water Views

Take the Famous Roosevelt Island Aerial Tramway

By Tab Hauser GoNOMAD Senior Writer

Roosevelt Island is in the middle of the East River between Queens and Manhattan. It is a perfect half-day destination when visiting the Big Apple and you have seen the major sites. Here you will get the maximum water views and get away from the crowds and noise of the city.

It is a place I pass on the water many times during the summer when I run my private chartered boat tours to the Statue of Liberty   on Glen Cove Cruises. I would tell my guests all about Roosevelt Island as I motored by at 15 mph. Yet, living in New York for 64 years I had never stepped foot on it. This changed one late winter day.

A Brief History of Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island has gone under four names in 400 years. Growing up in New York, it was called Welfare Island because of the history of hospitals on it. In 1973 its name was changed to honor President Franklin Roosevelt.

In the 1800s to early 1900s, the island was known for having several hospitals, a penitentiary, and a “Lunatic Asylum”. It also housed just one of four nursing schools in the country. In the 1960s long-term plans started coming out regarding building of apartments and making a community on Roosevelt.

For the 21st century, Roosevelt Island added a technical campus called Cornell Tech . It is a collaboration between Cornell University and the Technion Institute. In the past 20 years, the island has also seen historical restorations, art, and parks added as well as a memorial to President Franklin Roosevelt.

The Roosevelt View

Roosevelt Island is two miles long and 800 feet wide in the middle. It makes the perfect waterside stroll. Its paths and sidewalks that circle the island are flat and always have a water view. A pleasant stroll will take 90 minutes without stopping.

During your walk, you will see the Manhattan skyline to the west. This is a blend of old-style skyscrapers like the Empire State Building mixed with modern glass structures and the new “match stick” towers. You will also see up close the United Nations and the Carl Shultz Park where Gracie Mansion and the mayor live.

On the Queens, side look for the landmark Pepsi sign built in 1940. You can also view the old and new buildings of Long Island City and Brooklyn. Most of the tall buildings were built in the last 15 years. To the south just under 2 miles away is the Williamsburg Bridge, built in 1903.

If you are on the northern tip of the island around full tide you will see the East River charge by. Here it merges with the Harlem River and you can see waves, whirlpools, and eddies in the turbulent waters. From this location, it flows fast in or out of what has been known since the Dutch Days as Hell’s Gate. This is because it could be pure hell if a sailing vessel times the tides wrong. To this day sailing and underpowered boats must show respect when boating here.

Roosevelt Island Sights

I recommend visiting the island in two halves. Start your self-tour at the Roosevelt Island Visitor center . This cute historical structure is where you can get a free map, buy a souvenir and ask questions. Take the island in two loops starting here and stopping for lunch halfway.

Start by walking south passing under the double-decker, Ed Koch Bridge opened in 1909. (New Yorkers still call it the Queensboro Bridge).

From 1919 to 1953 a ten-story elevator lowered people and cars to support the hospitals where the visitor center now stands. This bridge quickly transformed the farmlands in western Queens into apartments and commerce.

Continuing south you will pass the Graduate Hotel where you can circle back as a lunch option. A little further along the river you will see the modern designed building of Cornel Tech. Five minutes further south you will see the ruins of the smallpox hospital.

The Renwick Smallpox Hospital opened in 1856 and had 100 beds. In 1972 it became a member of the National Register of Historic Places. Its architecture is Gothic Revival which gives the ruins an eerie look. There are historic plaques with details on the place in front. The view on its east side is better.

The next stop is the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park . The park is located on four acres at the southern tip of the island. It is named after the president’s eighth state of the union address. There is an excerpt of the speech on one of the walls with a large bust of him in between two small walls.

The tall bare walls on the east and west sides focus your view south on the East River. An architect I know told me the excellent craftsmanship of the memorial is something you don’t see too often these days. Personally, I did not care for the closed-in feeling and did not linger.

Making your way up to the east side you will pass 1892 landmarked Strecker Labs. This stone building was the first institution in the county to do bacteriological and pathological research. Continuing north will have you pass back under the Koch Bridge, the ferry dock, and up to Grannie Annie’s as a possible lunch stop.

To get a feel of the community on Roosevelt Island, consider walking down Main Street instead of the east side of the island. Here you will see a gallery and the stores that serve the community.

The Blackwell House off Main Street was built in 1796. The Blackwell family owned the island in 1686 and was one of the original namesakes for the island. The house is of modest size. Visitors entering it will see mostly photos as there is nothing original inside. Further up the street is the Chapel of the Good Shepherd dating back to 1889 where services are held every Sunday. Visitors are welcome to view the interior.

From the church continue on Main Street about 500 feet until you see the Roosevelt Island Bridge and make a right to the river. Then make a left going north on the path about 1500 feet to the Octagon.

Octagon an Upscale Condo

The Octagon is now an upscale condo. It started as the entrance to the City Municipal Lunatic Asylum in 1839. The place was made infamous in a story by Nellie Bly (more on her below) who faked her way into the asylum for 10 days. She reported the most deplorable conditions.

Visitors can enter the Octagon and view the old photos including those of the restoration.

Continuing 500 feet north, stop and linger at large facial sculptures at The Girl Puzzle Monument honoring Nelly Bly. Nelly Bly lived from 1864 to 1922. She was a reporter that tired of female-oriented or lifestyle stories as women did back then.

On a challenge from Joseph Pulitzer, she broke the story about the lunatic asylum taking days to get into character as someone with mental issues. Her six-part expose story made her one of the best journalists in the country. It was also the start of what we call investigative journalism. Another of her accomplishments was challenging Jules Verne’s book Around the World in 80 Days by doing it in 72. www.thegirlpuzzle.com

The Blackwell Lighthouse is on Roosevelt Island’s north end. This stone lighthouse built in 1872 is 50 feet tall. Its style is gothic revival and was designed by the same architect, James Renwick Jr, who did the smallpox hospital. (He also designed the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.) The light in Blackwell’s Lighthouse was turned off in 1940. Extensive renovations took place in 1970.

Continue your walk back on the west side taking in the Manhattan skyline. In about 1500 feet look for three pieces of art in the water. These three small copper sculptures are called The Marriage of Money and Real Estate. Your loop around Roosevelt Island will end back at the visitor’s center in 15 minutes

Getting to Roosevelt Island 

Roosevelt Island can be accessed in different four ways. This includes the scenic seven-minute tram from 59th street in Manhattan, driving across the Roosevelt Bridge from Queens, taking the subway that stops under the middle of the island, or hop on the NYC Ferry.

While you’re on the island, there is a free shuttle on the red bus that stops all over the island.

Information on Roosevelt Island can be found at this link

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9 thoughts on “ Roosevelt Island: NYC’s Most Impressive Water Views ”

Like you, I have lived my entire life in the NY/NJ area and have never visited the Island. Passed it, saw it, thought about it, just never visited it. Thanks to your review, that will now change. So much history, so close to home. I look forward to the tram ride and a visit to Roosevelt Island in the not so distant future.

Wonderful article!!

Thanks Tab for the great article. The narrative and photography are outstanding as always! Many years ago I went to the island before the tram and the subway stop and all the development. I can’t recognize it now. It is indeed a hidden gem in the East River and you did it proud. Best Wishes ………………………..Jim.

Lived in New York all my life and didn’t know any of this! Will look at the Island now with new appreciation and definitely plan a visit, which I’ve never done before – or even thought of doing! Thanks so much Tab!

Thanks for the article. I also have lived in NY a long time and have looked at the island and tram so many times but have never stepped foot on it. It sounds like a perfect place for a morning or afternoon excursion with lots of nice water views and points of interest. I am already planning a visit as soon as the weather warms up a bit

Thanks Tab for the great article showcasing the nuances & splendors of Roosevelt Island. I lived on the Island 40+ years ago. Beautiful duplex apartment with an amazing Manhattan view! But wow, the Island sure has grown up since those early days. Many sights have been restored and some new ones created. It will be interesting and fun to revisit the Island to enjoy the new features and historical sights. The subway was under construction in those days, and there was no ferry service. In fact, the tramway was down for preventive maintenance for a couple of weeks and this caused a major “shtuss” for those of us who worked in Manhattan; the buses provided got hung up in early morning inbound traffic on the Queensborough Bridge. I remember the helicopters swooping in low over the Roosevelt Island tram station; almost reminded one of the helicopters in the film Apocalypse Now. I am glad the helicopters didn’t have speakers playing The Ride of the Valkyries. That would have caused a stampede. Thanks Tab for the trip down memory lane and i am certain that all NYC-bound travelers will enjoy a day exploring Roosevelt Island using your terrific review as their guide for the day!

This is a very cool place to spend a few hours. The Manhattan views are wonderful and the tram is a super deal and fun to do. Well worth the trip. Enjoy!!

Fascinating article! Glad to be introduced to the story of Nelly Bly!

thank you for taking the time to comment. I read more about Nelly when I got home. She was an incredible woman

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Here's Everything To Know About Visiting Theodore Roosevelt Island

Plan a visit to President Theodore Roosevelt's Memorial to learn about his incredible history as a great conservationist.

Quick Links

How to get to theodore roosevelt island, history of the theodore roosevelt island, things to do at theodore roosevelt island, is it worth visiting theodore roosevelt island.

Nestled at the head of Mount Vernon Trail, Theodore Roosevelt Island, the awesome things that Washington DC is famous for . Covering a space of 91 acres, the island was dedicated to the 26th US President, Theodore Roosevelt, who was famous for being a great outdoorsman and naturist. The goal of the Congress was to honor the former US president’s contributions to environmental conservation. It is a perfect place to seek peace and serenity. Its fascinating history and uniqueness make it one of the best things to do in the US capital . Planning a visit to Theodore Roosevelt Island? Here is everything to know about it.

Related: 10 Cheap Hotels In Washington DC That Offer A Quality Stay

Located in the Potomac, tourists can have access to the island from the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Just north of the Roosevelt Bridge is the entrance to the parking lot. Vacationers getting here by car should ensure they arrive early because the parking spots are limited and get filled up pretty quickly, especially during the weekends.

Metros can also get tourists on this island. Upon arriving at Rosslyn Metro station, the island is a 10-minute or 15-minute walk to Rosslyn Circle. From there, cross the footbridge over Potomac to access the island. Biking is another popular way of getting to the island, but since bikes are not allowed on the island, visitors can leave them locked at the parking lot’s racks.

This land was originally a Native American fishing village, which later came under the ownership of the Mason family. During the Civil War, the island played a crucial role – it served as a training ground for African American soldiers. The island later became a refuge for more than 1,000 black slaves, many of whom made their struggles and sufferings publicized. After the end of the Civil War, the island became a refugee camp.

It was until 1931 that the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association bought the land and had it renamed by 1932 . This was after about 13 years after Roosevelt’s death, who passed away in 1919. The funds for the memorial’s construction were approved by Congress in 1960.

Theodore Roosevelt Island was added to the list of the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The memorial was later dedicated to Roosevelt in 1967 by the National Park Service (NPS).

To honor the 26th U.S. President, the memorial was designed to mimic the previous natural forest that once called the island home. The island was made unique, and while it doesn't get that much of attention, it is definitely one of the best hidden historical gems in Washington, D.C.

Related: Washington DC In A Day: These 10 Fun Activities Will Leave You Exhausted ( In A Good Way)

While Theodore Roosevelt Island appears like it has been in existence for more than a thousand years, it is actually artificial and was designed by architects at the Olmsted Brothers Firm. But that doesn't take away the fact that it is one of the best historical sites and monuments in Washington, D.C. There are a good number of experiences to explore on the island.

Hike Theodore Roosevelt Island’s Trails

Walking the island’s trails is one of the best things one can do during their visit. Theodore Roosevelt Island boasts three incredible trails, including:

• Swamp : stretching for one and a half miles, Swamp Trail is a must-do. It is the island's longest trail and leads tourists to swampy woods and marshes.
• Woods Trail: At a third mile, Woods Trail is the shortest of Roosevelt Island’s trails. The trail passes through the middle of the island, including the Memorial Plaza.
• Upland Trail : This trail extends for three-quarters mile and extends the island’s length, passing through forest and loops and near the former John Mason’s mansion. During this hike, travelers will get a chance to explore the burnt remains of the mansion.

See Theodore Roosevelt Island's Beautiful Plants

When hiking on the island, travelers are bound to come across different plants, including cottonwoods, black walnuts, silver maples, butternut hickories, and sycamores. The island is home to more than 35,000 indigenous species of plants.

There is a special tree known as “the Grandmother tree,” which is an elegant tree with limbs that appears like they are hugging the air.

Wildlife Viewing

Theodore Roosevelt Island is home to a few large mammals, including foxes and deer. Plenty of bird species also call this place home. Woodpeckers, ducks, and herons are some of the birds to watch while on the island. Getting an up-close view of ducks sailing on the water is incredibly breathtaking. Sometimes a few raccoons are spotted in the jungle beyond. Vacationers can also see some fish and frogs during their visit.

Related: 10 Reasons Washington DC Should Top Your Spring Travel Bucket List

Spend Some Time At the Memorial Plaza

Located in a clearing on the island’s northern side, the Memorial Plaza and the statue of the former U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt, is a must-see. It is the most striking attraction on the island, and the various nature trails pass through it. The plaza is surrounded by two stunning pools with fountains. Then the whole place is surrounded by a moat filled with water and stretched by pedestrian bridges. At the plaza, tourists will see amazing quotes that capture Teddy's incredible ideas about the conservation of the environment, youth, and more.

Visitors looking to make the most of their visit can do so in certain ways. One is by either becoming a part of a ranger or a volunteer with the NPS for a guided tour that lasts about 45 minutes. This option is available every Saturday at 10:30 between August and October. During the walk, vacationers can learn a lot about Roosevelt’s life, especially his conservation legacy.

Well, Roosevelt Island is one of the most amazing things to do in Washington, DC , and with its beautiful nature trails and the Memorial Plaza, it is definitely worth visiting.

Can you drive to Roosevelt Island?

Located in the East River of New York City, Roosevelt Island is a favorite amongst tourists for its picturesque views juxtaposed with landmark buildings. It's a unique landscape to explore because you're just an inch away from the bustling city while being immersed in an oasis of green space, air, and water.

You can drive to Roosevelt Island from the mainland USA via the Roosevelt Island Bridge which is open year-round and is free to cross. Just under a half hour drive from Manhattan, a short drive to Roosevelt Island will be a straightforward and exhilarating one.

With a plethora of one-of-a-kind monuments to explore, accompanied by the serenity that comes with being at a distance from the chaos of New York City, keep reading to find out more about the drive to Roosevelt Island, places to see, and things to do!

Yes, you can drive to Roosevelt Island, while there are other alternative modes of transport like taking the Subway, cycling, or even taking a ferry to the island if you'd like. However, the 5-mile-long drive from Manhattan is a pretty convenient way to get to your destination.

The subway is a great option if you want to avoid finding and paying for a parking spot while you're on the island as it'll take you the same amount of time to reach from the stop at 81 Street, Museum of Natural History to the Roosevelt Island subway stop.

Another way to arrive, if you're feeling extra adventurous is via the NYC Ferry, along the Astoria Line, which costs just $4 (calculated at the time of writing).

How to drive to Roosevelt Island from the mainland USA

If you happen to be driving from Manhattan, your 25-minute-long drive will take you through the best of New York City, taking you through Central Park, where you'll pass by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bethesda Terrace, and more, before making it to the outskirts of Queens, and the bridge to Roosevelt Island, and all its glory.

How long does it take to drive to Roosevelt Island?

Getting to Roosevelt Island from nearby cities is straightforward, if you have the patience to bear with New York City traffic.

For each of the driving routes, you'll have to arrive at the Queens entrance onto the Roosevelt Island Bridge, while also crossing the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge which crosses over the breadth of the island.

You'll arrive at Main Street on the Island, which is an easy access point to get to most parts of the island.

Which port should you arrive at on Roosevelt Island?

There's only one bridge, namely the Roosevelt Island Bridge, which begins in Queens at the crossing of 36th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, connecting the island to the mainland.

The bridge is open all day, all year, though if you're driving from Manhattan, you'll also have to cross the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge which is closes from 6am – 10am on weekdays.

If you happen to take the ferry, along the Astoria route, you can board from any stop along the line, from East 90th Street to Pier 11.

Things you need to know about driving to Roosevelt Island

To get to Roosevelt Island via car is a fairly easy feat, though some simple tips to make your journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible are:

• To keep your driving time to a minimum, avoid traveling during rush hour traffic and remember that parts of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Upper Roadway are closed between 6 and 10 AM on the weekdays, so don't leave during that time of day.
• If you happen to take the ferry, you can purchase tickets via the NYC Ferry App, website or at a ticket kiosk on the Ferry landing – the cost ($4.00) remains the same and since it departs several times a day (calculated at the time of writing).
• Getting a ticket at a kiosk wouldn't be hard, though during rushed times you may have to wait longer.
• It can get crowded during the sunny days in Spring and Fall, so be ready to face some crowds if you're planning on traveling during that time as well.

Things to see once you reach Roosevelt Island

You can easily drive to Roosevelt Island from New York, so it makes a great day trip to visit all the amazing attractions right at your doorstep on the island. Here are our top recommendations for some of the amazing things to do on Roosevelt Island during your visit:

• Roosevelt Island Tram - One of the most attractive destinations on the island, this tram glides over the Upper East Side and all the picturesque New York City views, all accessible through a MetroCard!
• Smallpox Memorial Hospital - Opened to handle the smallpox crisis, the hospital ruins are now a memorial for the hardships faced in the 19th century & can be admired from afar, within a beautiful park
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park - Named after Franklin D. Roosevelt (like the island), this memorial is located on the Southernmost tip of the island. With beautiful architecture and scenic views of the river, it's worth a visit.
• The Lighthouse - A granite gothic-style lighthouse, which is believed to be constructed by an asylum patient decades ago is a sight to see. It is located on the northernmost tip of the island, just a short walk from the last stop on the Island bus!
• The Octagon - A massive 19th century mansion (with a dome) was the entryway to the New York City Lunatic Asylum, turned hospital, and then ultimately a historic landmark. Apparently, it was toured by Charles Dickens in its early days.

A trip to Roosevelt Island is a perfect way to get away from the hustle-and-bustle of the city for a while, especially on a sunny spring day where you can explore the landmarks of the region, eat at a nice restaurant with a view of the river, and truly soak in the hidden gems of New York!

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13 Stunning Waterfalls to Visit Once in Your Life

By Katherine McLaughlin

At AD , we’re committed to helping you discover the beauty in the world around you. Uncovering a collection of striking waterfalls to visit might be one of the more dramatic ways to do that. These beautiful natural wonders are composed of the same elements that make any visual discipline interesting: There’s contrast, balance, form, and structure. Below, AD visits 13 incredible waterfalls, from one in Iceland with healing properties to a lava-like waterfall in Yosemite National Park. These beauties prove that Mother Nature might just be the most gifted designer of all. Here, the must-see waterfalls to visit around the world.

Niagara Falls (US and Canada)

There are debates as to whether Niagara Falls is better on the Canadian side or the American one. The Canadian side is generally credited as boasting better views, particularly panoramic ones, whereas the American ground offers up-close visits to many of the falls, in addition to being a bit more parklike. Ultimately, either option will offer a wholly unforgettable experience at some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls.

Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia)

Croatia ’s largest national park, the waterfalls within Plitvice Lakes National Park connect a series of striking lakes, both above and below ground. “The lake system is the result of millennia of ongoing geological and biochemical processes creating natural dams known as tufa barriers,” UNESCO explains. “The scale of the overall lake system and the natural barriers are an exceptional expression of the aesthetically stunning phenomenon, acknowledged since the late 19th century.” Here, the falls flow through dense forests and down limestone canyons.

Skógafoss Waterfall (Iceland)

Located in southern Iceland, the water that flows through Skógafoss comes not from a lake or river, but directly from glaciers: Myrdalsjokul and Eyjafjallajokull. Hiking to the top of the falls is a popular activity and offers views of the Icelandic coastline. However, legend has it that there may also be merit in what’s underneath the natural beauty. According to folktale, a viking named Thrasi hid gold under the powerful stream. As the legend goes, one brave adventurer found the chest that held the treasure and tied a rope to the handle ring. He pulled, but only returned with the ring, which was used for a door at Skogar Church.

Iguazu Falls (Argentina and Brazil)

Located on the border of Misiones province in Argentina and Paraná state in Brazil, Iguazu Falls are among the most famous waterfalls in South America. The area is the largest waterfall system in the world and so impressive that former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt was rumored to have said “poor Niagara” when she first saw them.

By Katie Schultz

Angel Falls (Venezuela)

With a height of 3,212 feet, Angel Falls is the tallest uninterrupted waterfall in the world. Water flows from the Churun River and spills over the edge of Auyantepui mountain. Located within a dense jungle, the views are said to be best from the air .

Yosemite Firefall (US)

There are many waterfalls in Yosemite National Park, and the Horsetail Fall is rarely considered the most impressive. However, that changes every February, when natural conditions can line up to create the appearance of molten fire flowing from the side of El Capitan mountain. Conditions have to be just right, explains the national park , but if the weather is good, the viewer is in the right place, and water is actually flowing (it comes from melting snow, so it occasionally dries up), sunlight hitting the mountain creates a ember-like effect. The name comes from an old tourist attraction that involved pushing an actual bonfire off the mountain, but this tradition has since stopped.

Ruby Falls (United States)

Deep inside Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee, travelers can find Ruby Falls , a series of cascading underground waterfalls. Leo Lambert, a chemist and cave lover, found the falls by accident and named them after his wife, Ruby. According to the Chattanooga tourism board , the site offers tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public.

Victoria Fall (Zambia and Zimbabwe)

According to Victoria Falls Tourism , visitors near the enourmous falls can hear the roar of cascading water from almost 25 miles away. Though not the tallest or widest, the site is considered to be the largest curtain of falling water in the world. One of the most thrilling places to observe the massive natural wonder is in Devil’s Pool , located on the Zambian side of the fall. Like a natural infinity pool, those brave enough to take a dip can watch the waterfall from the edge of a rock wall. Access is available through guided tours and only under low-water conditions.

Krimml Waterfalls (Austria)

Europe’s largest waterfall, Krimml is said to have healing properties. According to researchers , the mist from the pounding water becomes an aerosol, similar to the type of fine particles that come out of an inhaler. People near the falls can inhale this spray, which consists of water particles with negatively charged ions . “The ions stick to minutely small water drops,” explains the fall’s official visitor website . “Regular respiratory air contains 300 to 3,000 ion pairs per cubic centimeter—up to 70,000 were measured near the Krimml Waterfalls.” The negative ions are said to have anti-inflammatory effects, resulting in improved symptoms for people with asthma and allergies.

Erawan Falls (Thailand)

Seven tiers of flowing water make up Erawan Falls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Located in Thailand, emerald green water collects in rock ponds, creating a striking picture. The falls get their name from a three-headed white elephant in Hindu mythology, which the top tier is said to resemble.

Jog Falls (India)

Jog Falls is particularly striking because it is a segmented waterfall. The four separate streams stem from the Sharavati River and plunge from 830 feet in the air. During a monsoon, the different arms can appear almost as one.

Bigar Falls (Romania)

The stream trailing down the mossy rocks in Bigar Falls in Romania looks a big like if a weeping willow’s leaves suddenly turned into water. Located in Cheile Nerei-Beusnita National Park, the water flows over a collection of relatively flat surfaces, forcing the streams to disperse across the landscape.

Havasu Falls (US)

There are few things as mesmerizing as the contrast between the red rocks of the Grand Canyon and the aqua water of the Havasu Falls. Though stunning, it's not an easy waterfall to get to. It requires a 10-mile hike deep into the canyon, and visitors are required to camp here overnight.

By Julia Eskins

By Christina Liao

Total solar eclipse April 8, 2024 facts: Path, time and the best places to view

In the U.S., 31 million people already live inside the path of totality.

Scroll down to see the list of U.S. cities where the April 8 total solar eclipse will be visible, the duration of the eclipse in those locations and what time totality will begin, according to GreatAmericanEclipse.com .

"Eclipse Across America," will air live Monday, April 8, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on ABC, ABC News Live, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Disney+ and Hulu as well as network social media platforms.

On April 8, 2024, a historic total solar eclipse will cast a shadow over parts of the United States, prompting a mass travel event to the path of totality -- from Texas to Maine and several states and cities in between.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth and, for a short time, completely blocks the face of the sun, according to NASA .

The track of the moon's shadow across Earth's surface is called the path of totality, and to witness the April 8 total solar eclipse, viewers must be within the 115-mile-wide path. To discover when to see the solar eclipse in totality or the partial eclipse in locations across the U.S. outside of the path, check out NASA's Eclipse Explorer tool .

Eclipse travel

In the U.S., 31 million people already live inside the path of totality, bringing the celestial phenomenon to their doorsteps, Michael Zeiler, expert solar eclipse cartographer at GreatAmericanEclipse.com told ABC News.

MORE: Eclipse glasses: What to know to keep your eyes safe

But for individuals outside of the path, investing time and money are needed to experience the event in totality.

Eclipse chasers, or umbraphiles, are individuals who will do almost anything, and travel almost anywhere, to see totality, according to the American Astronomical Society .

"There's a very active community of solar eclipse chasers and we will go to any reasonable lengths to see solar eclipses anywhere in the world," Zeiler said. "All of us are united in pursuing the unimaginable beauty of a total solar eclipse."

MORE: The surprising reason why a Texas county issued a disaster declaration ahead of April total solar eclipse

Bringing together both eclipse experts and novice sky watchers, the total solar eclipse on April 8 is projected to be the U.S.'s largest mass travel event in 2024, according to Zeiler, who likened it to "50 simultaneous Super Bowls across the nation."

"When you look at the number of people expected to come to the path of totality for the solar eclipse, we estimate those numbers are roughly the equivalent of 50 simultaneous Super Bowls across the nation, from Texas to Maine," he said.

Eclipse map, path of totality

In the U.S., the path of totality begins in Texas and will travel through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, according to NASA.

Best times, places to view eclipse

Below is a list of some American cities where the April 8 total solar eclipse will be most visible -- pending weather forecasts -- the duration of the eclipse in those locations and what time totality will begin, according to GreatAmericanEclipse.com.

• Eagle Pass, Texas, 1:27 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 23 seconds
• Uvalde, Texas, 1:29 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 16 seconds
• Kerrville, Texas, 1:32 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 23 seconds
• Austin, Texas, 1:36 p.m. CDT: 1 minute, 53 seconds
• Killeen, Texas, 1:36 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 17 seconds
• Fort Worth, Texas, 1:40 p.m. CDT: 2 minutes, 34 seconds
• Dallas, Texas, 1:40 p.m. CDT: 3 minutes, 47 seconds
• Little Rock, Arkansas, 1:51 p.m. CDT: 2 minutes, 33 seconds
• Jonesboro, Arkansas, 1:55 p.m. CDT: 2 minutes, 24 seconds
• Poplar Bluff, Arkansas, 1:56 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 8 seconds
• Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 1:58 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 6 seconds
• Carbondale, Illinois, 1:59 p.m. CDT: 4 minutes, 8 seconds
• Mount Vernon, Illinois, 2:00 p.m. CDT: 3 minutes, 40 seconds
• Evansville, Indiana, 2:02 p.m. CDT: 3 minutes, 2 seconds
• Terre Haute, Indiana, 3:04 p.m. EDT: 2 minutes, 57 seconds
• Indianapolis, Indiana, 3:06 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 46 seconds
• Dayton, Ohio, 3:09 p.m. EDT: 2 minutes, 46 seconds
• Wapakoneta, Ohio, 3:09 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 55 seconds
• Toledo, Ohio, 3:12 p.m. EDT: 1 minute, 54 seconds
• Cleveland, Ohio, 3:13 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 50 seconds

Pennsylvania

• Erie, Pennsylvania, 3:16 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 43 seconds
• Buffalo, New York, 3:18 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 45 seconds
• Rochester, New York, 3:20 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 40 seconds
• Syracuse, New York, 3:23 p.m. EDT: 1 minute, 26 seconds
• Burlington, Vermont, 3:26 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 14 seconds
• Island Falls, Maine, 3:31 p.m. EDT: 3 minutes, 20 seconds
• Presque Island, Maine, 3:32 p.m. EDT: 2 minutes, 47 seconds

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ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

How Steve Bannon guided the MAGA movement’s rebound from Jan. 6

A shroud of black mesh fence closed around the bright marble colonnades of the U.S. Capitol campus. The twelve‐foot barrier, topped with razor wire and guarded by troops in combat fatigues with flak vests and long rifles, had sprung up to secure the seat of government after it was overrun by a mob of Trump’s supporters trying to stop the formal certification of his electoral defeat. Whether the fortifications were too much or too little, they were clearly too late. Their effect now was to sever the federal office buildings from the adjacent neighborhood of Capitol Hill, a picturesque historic district of low, colorful row homes. In the basement of one of these townhouses, Stephen K. Bannon was about to take to the airwaves.

‘Finish What We Started: The MAGA Movement’s Ground War to End Democracy’

Seated in his podcast studio, Bannon looked, as usual, under-slept and over-caffeinated, but on this morning, the first Saturday in February 2021, his beady eyes were bright with excitement. He wore chunky black headphones that swept back his long gray mane until the tips grazed the epaulets of an olive‐green field jacket. This MAGA Che Guevara look was new for Bannon, a transformation from the preppy layered collars that he used to wear in 2017 to his West Wing office, which he’d called “the War Room.”

If White House strategist to podcast host sounded like a fall from grace, for Bannon it was more of a return to form. He was in his natural mode, playing a role that came easily to him: the outside agitator with a huge online following. This same basement, years earlier, had been the headquarters of Breitbart News, the rising voice of reactionary right‐wing nationalism, rebranded for an online generation as “the alt‐right.” Official Washington, Democrat or Republican, didn’t know what to do with Bannon when he showed up, with his scruffy neck and multiple shirts. Bannon relished that air of foreignness, dubbing this townhouse the “Breitbart Embassy.” Fittingly, the upstairs rooms were decorated as if for a state visit, with yellow brocade curtains, crystal chandeliers, filigree mirrors and white stars dotting a dark‐blue rug running up the stairs to a Lincoln‐themed bedroom. It was in those rooms, during a book party in November of 2013, that Bannon had once announced, “I’m a Leninist.”

“What do you mean?” asked his shocked interlocutor, a historian at a conservative think tank across town. The historian, Ronald Radosh, was all too familiar with Lenin’s contributions to the ledger of human suffering. Lenin’s most influential and enduring innovation, laid out in his 1902 treatise, “What Is To Be Done?,” was the revolutionary party: an institution for organizing society not according to competition or merit, but rather based on adherence to an ideology.

“Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too,” Bannon answered. “I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.”

Bannon’s Manichaean worldview started young. At a Catholic military school in Richmond, Virginia, he learned about the 1492 reconquest of Spain as the turning point in an ongoing clash of civilizations between the Christian West and the Muslim world. As an adult, he devoured books on Attila the Hun and great military campaigns. He was obsessed with history, specifically the concept of historical cycles — the idea that time was not, as Americans usually learned, a linear march of progress, but rather, more like the view of ancient traditions, a recurring pattern of distinct phases. Bannon especially liked the version of this theory in “The Fourth Turning,” a 1997 book by historians Neil Howe and William Strauss, which ordered American history into generation‐long periods of highs, awakenings, unravelings and crises. The book predicted a coming rise of nationalism and authoritarianism, across the world and in America.

Bannon was not merely a student or passive observer of this prophecy; he wanted to be an agent of it, and an architect of the era that came next. So when he watched Trump glide down a golden escalator to announce his campaign for president, in 2015, his first thought was, “That’s Hitler!” By that he meant someone who intuitively understood the aesthetics of power, as in Nazi propaganda films. He saw in Trump someone who could viscerally connect with the general angst that Bannon was roiling and make himself a vessel for Americans’ grievances and desires.

Bannon’s thinking on building a mass movement was shaped by Eric Hoffer, “the longshoreman philosopher,” so called because he had worked as a stevedore on the San Francisco docks while writing his first book, “The True Believer.” The book caused a sensation when it was published in 1951, becoming a manual for comprehending the age of Hitler, Stalin and Mao. Hoffer argued that all mass movements — nationalist, communist, or religious — shared common characteristics and followed a discernible path. “The preliminary work of undermining existing institutions, of familiarizing the masses with the idea of change, and of creating a receptivity to a new faith, can be done only by men who are, first and foremost, talkers or writers and are recognized as such by all.” (How about a reality TV star?) But such leaders cannot alone create the conditions that give rise to mass movements. “He cannot conjure a movement out of the void,” Hoffer wrote. “There has to be an eagerness to follow and obey, and an intense dissatisfaction with things as they are, before the movement and leader can make their appearance.”

Rather than focusing on movement leaders, Hoffer’s inquiry concerned the followers — how ordinary people became fanatics. Successful, well‐adjusted people did not become zealots. Sometimes they glommed onto mass movements to serve their own ambitions, but that came later. The true believers were seeking not self‐advancement but rather “self‐renunciation” — swapping out their individual identities, with all their personal disappointments, for “a chance to acquire new elements of pride, confidence, hope, a sense of purpose and worth by an identification with a holy cause.” The kinds of people who were most susceptible to becoming true believers were, in Hoffer’s idiom, poor, struggling artists, misfits, unusually selfish, or just plain bored. “When our individual interests and prospects do not seem worth living for, we are in desperate need of something apart from us to live for,” Hoffer wrote. “All forms of dedication, devotion, loyalty and self‐surrender are in essence a desperate clinging to something which might give worth and meaning to our futile, spoiled lives.”

For Bannon, as he was building Breitbart’s audience, the ready supply of true believers came from disaffected young men. Bannon had first discovered this untapped resource in, of all places, Hong Kong, while working with a company that paid Chinese workers to play the video game World of Warcraft, earning virtual commodities that the company could flip to Western gamers for real money. The business collapsed, but not before introducing Bannon to an online subculture of young gamers and meme creators, whose energies he learned to draw out and redirect toward politics.

Breitbart’s traffic figures confirmed Bannon’s hunch that candidate Trump was catching fire in 2015, and Bannon positioned the site as the Trump campaign’s unofficial media partner in thrashing the Republican primary field. By the time Bannon officially took over Trump’s ragtag campaign, in the wake of a chaotic convention and spiraling Russia scandal, he supplied a closing message that, if not exactly lucid, did have a kind of coherence. The message was that Trump, the “blue‐collar billionaire,” was here to blow up the established political order that was plainly failing to serve the needs and interests of the common public, and would be a champion for the forgotten and left‐behind Americans. Bannon was not alone in seeing Hoffer’s influence on what he was doing: Trump’s opponent, Hillary Clinton, dusted off “The True Believer” and shared it with her campaign staff, recognizing in those pages the description of a destructive energy that she concluded she was powerless to subdue.

In the White House, as Trump’s chief strategist, Bannon heralded the dawn of a “new political order,” but he lasted only seven months. Trump threw him out after white supremacists and neo‐Nazis marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, against removing a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee, and one of them drove a car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing a young woman. Trump was the one who defended the torch‐carrying mob as including “very fine people,” but Bannon, as the face of right‐wing nationalism inside the White House (and what a face it was), made a fitting scapegoat. Though the dismissal set Bannon, temporarily, at odds with Trump, it did not shake his commitment to their shared political project. Bannon moved back into the Breitbart Embassy to plot his comeback.

Bannon was constantly testing things out. With so many bombastic schemes in motion, it could be hard to tell when Bannon was onto something or when he was just blowing smoke. He looked overseas, finding common cause with rising right‐wing authoritarians around the world, from Hungary to Brazil. He went to court against the Italian government over a medieval monastery near Rome where he unsuccessfully tried to start a training academy for European nationalists. He found a new patron, the fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, who cast himself as the shadow‐boxing action hero in music videos about taking down the Chinese Communist Party. Together, Bannon and Guo landed in the SEC’s crosshairs for a cryptocurrency offering, called G‐Coins or G‐Dollars. (Guo was arrested in 2023 and charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering amounting to more than $1 billion.) Bannon started a podcast, calling it “War Room,” and playing Guo’s music video as the interlude for commercial breaks. And he reunited with some old friends in a bid to crowdsource money for Trump’s border wall. More than 250,000 people donated, many saying they could only afford a few bucks but desperately wanted to help fulfill the president’s signature campaign promise (never mind that Mexico was originally supposed to foot the bill). Bannon and his buddies dutifully assured the donors, publicly and privately, that they were all volunteers and all the money was for the wall.

By the summer of 2020, it might have been easy to laugh Bannon off as a has‐been and a sideshow. There he was, reading a book, having a coffee, relaxing on the deck of Guo’s 150‐foot superyacht in Long Island Sound, when who showed up but the Coast Guard with federal agents to arrest him. Prosecutors accused Bannon and his friends of misusing the millions they’d raised from Trump supporters, spending the money on their own salary, travel, hotels and credit‐card debts. Trump shrugged to reporters in the Oval Office, “I haven’t been dealing with him for a very long period of time.”

In truth, they had started talking again. Trump was by then running for reelection, and though he’d entered 2020 in a formidable position, the COVID‐19 pandemic had paralyzed the economy and showcased a president in ineffectual denial, refusing to wear a mask, demanding to suppress case counts by slowing down testing and musing about injecting bleach. By June, Joe Biden had put up a double‐digit lead in national surveys, and Trump was longing to replace his campaign manager (digital strategist Brad Parscale, who was about to have a mental‐health crisis) and recapture his 2016 magic. But Bannon turned down the job. Based on how badly the White House was squandering the covid emergency, leaving the response to Jared Kushner, Mike Pence and Dr. Fauci, Bannon thought the race was already over. The Trump campaign was beyond saving. Undermining a Biden presidency, however, was something Bannon said he knew how to do, and he could start laying the groundwork in advance.

On his “War Room” podcast and in speeches to Republican groups around the country, Bannon addressed audiences who were feeling sure that Trump would win, because they’d seen massive boat parades of Trump supporters, and they didn’t personally know anyone who was voting for Biden. Bannon warned them to stay focused, pay attention. Trump had been saying since the summer that the Democrats would use mail ballots to steal the election, using covid as an excuse to change the rules. Bannon explained how it would all play out. The Election Day votes would show Trump ahead, and he would declare victory that night. But the Democrats and the media would cry, No, you have to wait for the mail ballots. The electoral college results would be disputed, and it would be up to Congress to settle the outcome when it met to formally certify the results on Jan. 6 , 2021 . At that point, Bannon promised, Congress would either return the election to Republican‐ controlled state legislatures or decide it in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans controlled a majority of state delegations.

Could they really pull it off? Didn’t matter. “I had no downside,” Bannon would later say. His aim was to use the occasion to stage such a spectacle that it would undermine Biden’s legitimacy with millions of Americans — “shred that f---er on national TV,” permanently hobble his ability to govern, “kill the Biden presidency in the crib.” All that mattered was for Trump supporters to believe it was possible for Congress to block the election results that day.

So while Trump was busy calling Republican officials in Georgia, Arizona and Michigan to pressure them to declare him the winner; and while Trump’s lawyers were filing far‐fetched lawsuits seeking to invalidate Biden’s victory, and rounding up Republicans to put themselves forward to the electoral college, and lobbying Vice President Pence to accept them as the rightful electors; and while Republican activists around the country organized Stop the Steal rallies to protest the results; and while militia groups bought weapons and drew up attack plans for the biggest rally of all, Bannon kept hyping Jan. 6 to his hundreds of thousands of podcast listeners. “This is more important than November 3, this is more important than even Trump’s presidency,” he’d say on the show. “This is more important than this fight between the nationalists and the globalists. This is more important than the fight between progressives and conservatives. It’s more important than this fight between Republicans and Democrats. This gets to the heart — you go read Roman history, this is like toward how the republic fell, right, and became a totalitarian or authoritarian empire. We’re at that moment.”

He didn’t say exactly what everyone was supposed to do once they got to Washington on Jan. 6. His point was that his listeners, the “War Room posse,” needed to show up, they didn’t want to miss this. They had to be there. Their success depended on it. “I know people have work, family, kids, school, everything like that — however, these types of days happen very rarely in the history of our country. This is something you can participate in. This is something they’re gonna be able to tell their kids and their grandkids about, ’cause this is gonna be history. Living history.”

When the day finally dawned, as the crowd he’d conjured took shape, Bannon marveled at how his plan was materializing, like the invisible sound waves of his podcast finding physical, human form. “This is a massive turnout, I think it overwhelms everybody’s — every anticipation of what was going to happen,” he said on the show that cold morning. “Because of this audience. You have brought this to the cusp. We are right on the cusp of victory.”

Behind him in the studio, on a white fireplace mantel lined with MAGA hats, a TV was streaming CNN. The chyron read, SOON: TRUMP TO SPEAK TO SUPPORTERS IN DESPERATE COUP ATTEMPT. Bannon was saying, “This is not a day for fantasy. This is the day for maniacal focus. Focus, focus, focus. We’re coming in right over the target, OK? Exactly. This is the point of attack we always wanted. OK? … I said from day one, for months and months and months and months — because they’re trying to steal it, they’re gonna be caught trying to steal it — President Trump’s massive victory is going to be affirmed in a contingent election in the House of Representatives … Today, the trigger can get pulled on that. We are on, and when everybody out there, people getting fired up — we are on the cusp of victory because of you. Don’t ever forget that.”

Soon the lawmakers in the Capitol could hear the crowd roaring outside. The mob broke in and the lawmakers fled. For hours the counting and certification of the electoral votes was stopped. Once police and National Guardsmen secured the Capitol and the lawmakers reconvened, Pence refused to do what Trump demanded, and not enough Republicans objected to the votes to force a contingent election in the House. The massive victory Bannon had promised did not come to pass.

Whose fault was that? Not Bannon’s. Not the “War Room” posse’s. Bannon knew his listeners were angry, he knew they were disappointed. He wanted them to understand: “These were not Democrats that were thwarting us,” he said on the next day’s show. “These were Republicans.”

In the weeks that followed, Bannon’s show got booted from YouTube, Trump was banned from Twitter, rioters started getting arrested, Trump got impeached, Biden got inaugurated, and at the last possible minute before Trump left office, he pardoned Bannon. The pardon did more than rescue Bannon from criminal jeopardy (his co-defendants in the fraud case, by the way, were still on the hook); it also restored Trump’s imprimatur. Whatever their disagreements over the years (“Stephen K. Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency,” Trump said in 2018, “he lost his mind”), Bannon must have done something worth rewarding or retained some value to Trump. As Trump skulked off to Mar‐a‐Lago, Bannon kept rising as the essential voice of the MAGA universe.

The pro‐Trump media ecosystem splintered into alternative platforms and fringe websites such as Rumble, Telegram and BitChute. MyPillow sponsorships for all. But Bannon stood out from the pack by any measure: he reached more listeners, had the most in‐demand guests, churned out more content, set the agenda. He kept distributing through Apple’s podcast app, repeatedly topping the charts. He also streamed his episodes as videos, and his “War Room” became like a far‐right “Meet the Press,” the go‐to interview for Trumpworld celebrities and aspiring candidates.

For three hours every weekday, and two on Saturdays, Bannon and his guests developed a canon of the Stolen Election myth. The fraud was just the first part. The Democrats always tried that; it was a given. The second part, the crucial step, was the stab in the back — the Republican election officials and state legislators who knew the election was stolen and let the Democrats get away with it. All the tumult of 2020 had, as Hoffer foretold, done the preliminary work of undermining institutions and creating a receptivity to a new faith. Now it was up to Bannon to transform the defeat of January 6 into the galvanizing moment for the next phase of the MAGA movement.

“OK, live from the nation’s capital, you’re in the War Room,” your host began today’s show. “It’s still an occupied capital. The question still needs to be asked, why are seven thousand National Guard, up‐armored National Guard, still in the nation’s capital?” The answer, according to Bannon, was that the show of force was a “psyop” — a form of psychological warfare meant to cow the MAGA movement, to break Trump supporters’ will to resist. That was also the purpose, he would say, of the Democrats’ vote to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection, and the Senate trial that was about to begin.

Bannon announced the date, as he usually did at the top of the show, in a grandiose way: “Saturday, the sixth of February, the year of our Lord 2021. The podcast,” he went on, assuring his listeners that they were not alone and that he was not speaking into a void, was “closing in on 34 million downloads.”

Bannon wasn’t messing around with basement kids anymore. The MAGA movement had matured. His audience now was grayer — people in their 50s, 60s and beyond, a lot of empty nesters and retirees — but with a similar need for connection, and perhaps even memories of a gentler time. He was speaking to people who didn’t look like radicals, and certainly didn’t think of themselves as extremists; it was the world around them that had lost its mind. The social critic Christopher Lasch, another Bannon influence, had written about this beginning in the 60s: how liberalism was a failure because people looked at the world that “freedom” got them and decided they didn’t want it. It sucked. Modern life was so fragmented, so disembodied, so alienating. Dealing with that alienation was what War Room was all about. “Action, action, action,” Bannon would say. “This is all about your agency.” He was offering his listeners a path to self‐empowerment, and in the dark days that followed Jan. 6, Trump supporters were starving for a sense of direction, a suggestion of where to go next, an idea of what to do with their feelings of shock and disaffection.

One idea that was now generating buzz with Trump supporters was starting a third party, a Patriot Party, to fight for Trump in all the ways the Republican Party had so clearly failed. The source of this proposal was Trump himself, who meant it as a threat to the Republican senators about to try his impeachment. But Trump’s rank‐and‐file supporters were getting carried away with the third‐party idea, and Bannon needed to put a stop to it. He knew a third party would be a fool’s errand, a waste of everyone’s time and money. Even Teddy Roosevelt couldn’t win back the White House on a third‐party ticket. All third parties did was help elect someone from the two major parties. George Wallace helped give you Richard M. Nixon. Ross Perot got you Bill Clinton. Bannon had a better idea.

The way Bannon saw it, there already was a third party: that was the establishment he hungered to destroy. The neocons, neoliberals, big donors, globalists, Wall Street, corporatists, elites. He sometimes called them “the uniparty,” because they were the only ones who ever got power, no matter whether Democrats or Republicans won elections. This formulation was not entirely wrong‐headed, to the extent that the structure of having two pluralistic, big‐tent parties pushed them both toward the center, producing a measure of stability and continuity. Nor was Bannon baseless in believing that this stasis could produce bad outcomes, particularly in foreign affairs, the domain of the so‐called Washington Blob. Outside the uniparty, as Bannon saw it, there was the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, which he considered a relatively small slice of the electorate. And the rest, the vast majority of the country, was MAGA. Bannon believed the MAGA movement, if it could break out of being suppressed and marginalized by the establishment, represented a dominant coalition that could rule for a hundred years.

In his confidence that there were secretly millions of Democrats who were yearning to be MAGA followers and just didn’t know it yet, Bannon was again taking inspiration from Hoffer, who observed that true believers were prone to conversion from one cause to another since they were driven more by their need to identify with a mass movement than by any particular ideology. Bannon was not, like a typical political strategist, trying to tinker around the edges of the existing party coalitions in the hope of eking out 50 percent plus one. Bannon already told you: he wanted to bring everything crashing down. He wanted to completely dismantle and redefine the parties. He wanted a showdown between a globalist, elite party, called the Democrats, and a populist, MAGA party, called the Republicans. In that matchup, he was sure, the Republicans would win every time.

How to put the Patriot Party idea in its place, and harness the MAGA movement through the Republican Party where it belonged? Bannon had just the man for the job, someone he’d known for years, someone who used to blog for him back at Breitbart. His name was Dan Schultz, and his time had come.

During a break, before bringing Dan Schultz on the air, Bannon asked him, “How should I introduce you?” This was a standard question for any of his guests; usually everyone had a website or a podcast or a book or a PAC or a 501(c)(4) — some hustle to promote. “What organization are you representing?”

But this guest had a different sort of answer. “The Republican Party,” Dan Schultz said.

There was a long pause. Then Bannon chuckled. “The Republican Party.”

Election 2024

Get the latest news on the 2024 election from our reporters on the campaign trail and in Washington.

Who is running? President Biden and Donald Trump both secured their parties’ nominations for the presidency , formalizing a general-election rematch.

Key issues: Compare where the candidates stand on such issues as abortion, climate and the economy.

Key dates and events: From January to June, voters in all states and U.S. territories will pick their party’s nominee for president ahead of the summer conventions. Here are key dates and events on the 2024 election calendar .