Chelsea & John
Best Things To Do
Gantry Plaza State Park
part of the waterfront park along the East River in Long Island City
COFFEED
A fun outdoor food stand along the East River with benches serving beer, wine, and other treats
Brooklyn Bridge
A fun first time tourist activity is to cross the bridge from Manhattan into Brooklyn. The bridge ends in the Brooklyn Bridge Park which is also fun to walk around.
Juliana's
Favorite pizza in NYC. Classic & specialty pies from a coal-fired oven pizza legend Patsy Grimaldi. Can get crowded. If you're looking for other pizza recommendations we are happy to help.
Upstate
Our favorite for oysters happy hour. There are many more oyster bars in this neighborhood!
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Favorite NYC ice cream chain
The Gutter Bar LIC
Our local bowling alley. There is another location that is more gritty in Williamsburg as well.
Smorgasburg
Outdoor foodie market on Saturdays, offering 75+ vendors & city skyline views. Fun for tourists
The High Line
a 1.45-mile-long elevated park created on a former New York Central Railroad spur on the west side of Manhattan. Can get very crowded.
Whitney Museum of American Art
Our favorite modern art museum in NYC. Can get very crowded.
New-York Historical Society
Chelsea's personal favorite museum in NYC. The oldest museum in New York City, four centuries of history, heroes, legends, artifacts and art tell America's story from a local perspective. Admission is pay-as-you-wish from 6-8 pm on Fridays.
The Brooklyn Barge
Floating, seasonal bar & grill on a barge
Bierocracy
LIC Brewery Walking Tour Stop: Not actually a brewery, but a big old German beer hall with a ton of non-German beer options as well. German food available, and Chelsea's favorite local pretzel.
Alewife - The Brewpub
LIC Brewery Walking Tour Stop: They used to be a pub and only recently started brewing their own beer and they are fantastic at it. Food is delicious here. Upstairs patio open in the summer.
Fifth Hammer Brewing Company
LIC Brewery Walking Tour Stop: Best brewery in the neighborhood in a big warehouse. They don't serve food but you can bring/order your own. Lots of board games to play, and in the summer they open the huge front door so it feels almost outdoors.
Big aLICe Brewing
LIC Brewery Walking Tour Stop: Small and quiet brewery, close to the Wyndham Gardens. They have a very wide range of beers available, but no food.
Transmitter Brewing
LIC Brewery Walking Tour Stop: This place is sort of out of the way, and you are basically seated on crates among their brewing equipment, but it might just be worth it. They have the most eclectic collection of all the breweries around here and they are delicious.
Rockaway Brewing Company
LIC Brewery Walking Tour Stop: This one is definitely just ok. No food available, but it is conveniently located. I would only recommend it to someone who feels the need to complete this tour.
Vamos!
This place is permanently closed, but if you want to check out the place where we first met, this is it. John doesn't really remember, but it did happen.
Hometown Bar-B-Que
Rustic counter-service choice featuring slow smoked meats, craft beer & live music on weekends. MUST ORDER THE BEEF RIB! line can get long at peak hours
Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies
A spot by the water in Red Hook that specializes in - you guessed it - key lime pie.
Comedy Cellar
Famous comics are often in the lineup at this brick-walled comedy club with several shows nightly
Prince Street Pizza
Square pepperoni is the one you want at this NYC pizza classic
Tenement Museum
1863 preserved tenement building brings Lower East Side immigrant stories to life with guided tours. I have been on at least 4 of the tours offered and I loved them all! - Chelsea
The Donut Pub
Charming, old-fashioned donut stand
Karczma
Waitresses in traditional dress serve Polish standards at this eatery with a rustic farmhouse feel. One of our favorite dates!
Oxomoco
Airy Mexican eatery offering wood-fired dishes plus ample tequila & mezcal cocktails & a patio.