Spend a seaside afternoon on City Island, the Bronx
A fishing-village island with seafood and a tiny museum. City Island, The Bronx.
The short answer
City Island is a small island in the northeastern Bronx, in Long Island Sound, about 1.5 miles long and half a mile wide, connected to the mainland by a bridge (the new causeway bridge opened to traffic on October 29, 2017). It sits south of Pelham Bay Park, and it feels like a small seaside town that happens to have a subway connection nearby.
What it is like
City Island Avenue is the main street, lined with seafood restaurants and antique stores. The island became known for boat building; many of the boats that competed in the America's Cup were built at the Nevins Boat Yard here. I have not checked individual restaurant menus, so check hours and kids' options before you commit to a particular place.
The City Island Nautical Museum at 190 Fordham Street is small and open only on weekends: Saturdays and Sundays 1pm to 4pm, from the last Saturday of April through the last weekend of October. Adults pay $10, and children under 12 and members are free. It displays maritime artifacts, with exhibits on boat building, sail making and the island's oyster-farming past. Plan the day around those hours.
Getting here without a car means the 6 train to Pelham Bay Park and then the Bx29 bus onto the island. That is a bit of effort, which is exactly why it feels like a trip away without leaving the city.
Best time to go
Weekend afternoons from spring to fall, when the museum and the restaurants are open.
Tips before you go
- Time your visit for a weekend afternoon in season to catch the Nautical Museum.
- Take the Bx29 bus from Pelham Bay Park; plan the connection with the MTA.
- Check restaurant hours and menus individually before you go.
- Walk the length of City Island Avenue; the island is short and flat.
Where it is
City Island Ave, City Island, Bronx, NY 10464. OpenStreetMap ↗ · Directions ↗
What's on here
From The New York Almanac, the next 60 days.
- Nothing listed here in The New York Almanac for the next two months. It is refreshed every week.
Questions people ask
How do you get to City Island by subway?
Take the 6 to Pelham Bay Park, then the Bx29 bus onto City Island.
What is there to do on City Island with kids?
Walk City Island Avenue, find a seafood lunch and, on weekends in season, visit the small City Island Nautical Museum.
When is the City Island Nautical Museum open?
Saturdays and Sundays 1pm to 4pm from the last Saturday of April through the last weekend of October, with children under 12 free.
How much does it cost?
Free to walk around. Nautical Museum: adults $10, children under 12 free, members free.
Can you take a stroller?
The island is flat and walkable; I did not verify sidewalk conditions, and the museum is a small house museum.
How long do you need?
Half a day.
The whole list
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