Queens: Where the World Comes to Play

Queens is where the world comes to play. Home to communities representing more than 130 languages and cultures from every corner of the globe, New York City’s largest borough offers visitors an experience that is at once deeply local and unmistakably global.

“In Queens, cultures from around the world come together in ways visitors can see, taste and experience across the borough,” said Julie Coker, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions. “As New York City prepares to welcome fans and visitors for the World Cup and other major events, Queens showcases how global culture is part of everyday life, from neighborhood restaurants and small businesses to sports venues, cultural institutions and waterfront communities that are distinctly Queens.”

GETTING THERE AND GETTING AROUND

Planes, ferries, buses and trains: There are so many ways to get to – and around – Queens.

• As New York City’s primary gateway, the borough is home to both John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, where more than $19 billion in ongoing investments are reshaping the arrival experience. From the moment visitors land, Queens offers seamless connections into the heart of the City and into its neighborhoods.

• One of the best ways to explore is aboard the 7-subway line. Beyond the 7 train, a network of subway lines connects visitors to every corner of the borough—including the N, W, AA, E, J, Z, M, R and F lines. The Long Island Rail Road provides an additional fast connection to key hubs, including Flushing and Jamaica.

• For airport access, the AirTrain JFK links JFK to subway and rail service via Howard Beach and Jamaica Station, while the free Q70 LaGuardia Link bus offers a direct connection between LaGuardia Airport and major transit hubs in Jackson Heights and Woodside.

• NYC Ferry service adds another scenic option, connecting Queens waterfront neighborhoods to Manhattan and Brooklyn, while contactless OMNY payment makes it easy to move across the City’s transit system.

A GLOBAL STAGE FOR SPORTS AND CULTURE

Queens has long been one of the City’s great stages for international sport, and that role continues to grow.

Each summer, the world’s best players return to the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the energy inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, currently undergoing a major renovation ahead of 2027, reflects the global passion for the game. Just next door, New York Mets fans fill Citi Field for baseball, concerts and culinary experiences that make the venue a destination. Looking ahead, Queens will further define New York City’s identity as a global sports capital with the opening of Etihad Park in 2027. The future home of New York City FC, the 25,000-seat venue will be the City’s first soccer-specific stadium and the first fully electric outdoor professional stadium in the United States—bringing the world’s game to a borough that already embodies its diversity.

NEIGHBORHOODS

LONG ISLAND CITY

Once an industrial waterfront, Long Island City is now a cultural district.

• Gantry Plaza State Park offers 12 acres of waterfront space, gardens and views of Manhattan across the river. The park is named for its restored industrial gantries and preserves the beloved red Pepsi-Cola sign, which once adorned a bottling plant.

• MoMA PS1, one of the country’s largest contemporary art institutions, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026 by offering free admission to all visitors.

• Additional cultural organizations such as Dance Entropy and The Chocolate Factory Theater contribute to a local arts scene centered on experimental performance and emerging artists.

• Long Island City’s dining scene reflects the borough’s global influences, with standouts including Michelin-starred Casa Enrique, Fifth Hammer Brewing Company and Rockaway Brewing Company.

ASTORIA

In Astoria, culture and cuisine meet at every corner. The waterfront adds another dimension, with skyline views, parks and open space that draw visitors year-round.

• The neighborhood is home to the Museum of the Moving Image, Kaufman Astoria Studios, Socrates Sculpture Park and the Noguchi Museum.

• Long celebrated for its Greek heritage, Astoria remains one of New York City’s top destinations for Mediterranean cuisine.

• Ditmars Boulevard and 30th Avenue are lined with bakeries, tavernas and cocktail bars, while Steinway Street offers global dining, shopping and late-night activity.

• Comedy venues, music spots and community spaces contribute to the neighborhood’s creative, lived-in feel.

SUNNYSIDE

Sunnyside offers a distinct neighborhood feel, with historic architecture and a growing food and nightlife scene.

• Long known for its Irish roots, Sunnyside today reflects the broader diversity of Queens, with Latin American, Asian and European cultures shaping the neighborhood’s identity.

• Skillman Avenue has emerged as a social corridor, lined with cafes, restaurants, cocktail bars and longtime small businesses.

• Cultural institutions include Thalia Spanish Theatre, which presents Spanish-language and multicultural performances year-round.

• Soccer culture runs deep in Sunnyside, particularly at Bar 43, often called the “home of soccer in Queens.”

CORONA

In Corona, visitors gather in Flushing Meadows Corona Park beneath the iconic Unisphere, a symbol of the borough’s enduring connection to global exchange.

• The Queens Museum is housed in a building that dates to the 1939 World’s Fair and is home to the Panorama of the City of New York, a scale model that debuted at the 1964 fair.

• The New York Hall of Science offers immersive educational experiences for visitors of all ages.

• Flushing Meadows Corona Park hosts year-round events including Queens Night Market and the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival.

• Beyond the park, Corona’s streets reflect its rich Latino heritage, with institutions like the Louis Armstrong House Museum and the Lemon Ice King of Corona adding to the neighborhood’s character.

FLUSHING AND JACKSON HEIGHTS

Further east, the neighborhoods of Flushing and Jackson Heights offer some of the most diverse food experiences anywhere in the world.

• Flushing is home to one of the largest Asian communities in the United States, with street vendors, food halls, bakeries, tea shops and regional Chinese, Korean and Southeast Asian cuisines.

• Centered around Main Street, one of the busiest commercial corridors in New York City, Flushing offers vibrant street life filled with markets, bubble tea shops, specialty grocers and global retail.

• Cultural institutions include Flushing Town Hall, Queens Botanical Garden and nearby Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

• Spa Castle in College Point offers a Korean-style wellness experience with saunas, pools, a gym, massages and scrubs.

• Jackson Heights is known for South Asian, Latin American, Tibetan and Nepali restaurants, markets and bakeries along Roosevelt Avenue and 74th Street.

• The neighborhood is also home to the Queens Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival, the oldest and second-largest Pride celebration in NYC.

ROCKAWAYS

For those seeking a different kind of escape, the Rockaways provide miles of oceanfront beaches, a growing dining scene and a relaxed, coastal atmosphere just a subway or ferry ride from Manhattan.

• The peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean is 5.5 miles long but just a few blocks wide, known for big waves, surfers and a small-town feel.

• The Rockaway Hotel + Spa offers a beachfront retreat with rooftop views, dining and wellness amenities.

• In the summer, the hotel hosts a seasonal concert series and live music events.

FOREST HILLS

Forest Hills combines historic charm with one of Queens’ most vibrant live entertainment scenes.

• Known for its tree-lined streets, Tudor-style architecture and relaxed residential feel, the neighborhood offers a quieter side of New York City just minutes from Midtown Manhattan.

• Forest Hills Stadium, a historic open-air venue, hosts a major summer concert series featuring international artists.

• Austin Street serves as the neighborhood’s commercial corridor, lined with restaurants, cafes, boutiques and specialty shops.

• Forest Hills is famously connected to the Ramones, whose members attended Forest Hills High School.

• Nearby Forest Park offers trails, recreation, and expansive natural areas.

JAMAICA

More than a transportation hub Jamaica is one of Queens’ most dynamic and culturally rich neighborhoods, where Caribbean, African American, South Asian and Bangladeshi communities shape the area’s identity through food, music, commerce and the arts.

• Visitors can explore King Manor Museum, once home to Founding Father Rufus King, or experience performances and exhibitions at Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

• Black Spectrum Theatre Company in nearby Roy Wilkins Park highlights the neighborhood’s legacy of artistic expression and community storytelling.

• Along Liberty Avenue and Hillside Avenue, visitors will find Guyanese bakeries, Trinidadian roti shops, Jamaican restaurants, Bangladeshi sweet shops and global street food.

HOTELS

• New hotel openings in Flushing include the Westin Flushing LaGuardia Airport and Hilton Garden Inn Flushing LaGuardia, both expanding accommodations near LaGuardia Airport and Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

• The Rhyland Hotel opens summer 2026 and is the only green development of its kind in Flushing.

• Queens continues to evolve as a global gateway and cultural hub, with major investments across transportation, hospitality, arts and entertainment shaping the visitor experience in 2026 and beyond.

For further information on exploring Queens, visit: https://www.nyctourism.com/new-york/queens/.

About New York City Tourism + Conventions: 
New York City Tourism + Conventions is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) and convention and visitors bureau (CVB) for the five boroughs of New York City. Our mission is to invite the world and energize the City, building equitable, sustainable economic prosperity and community through tourism for the mutual benefit of residents, businesses and visitors. For all there is to do and see in NYC, visit nyctourism.com.