New York Dearest
The guide, $35
A place · on four of my lists

Roosevelt Island Tramway.

Worth it, says Antonina. The views of NYC from the Roosevelt Island tram are some of the best in the city.

Antonina Pattiz
Antonina PattizI went myself · from my list Best things to do in New York with kids
The Roosevelt Island tram passes under the Queensboro Bridge above a red RI sign and park.
From Best things to do in New York with kids
Address
59th Street and 2nd Avenue Directions
What this page is

Everything I’ve written about Roosevelt Island Tramway on New York Dearest, in one place. It’s on four of my lists, from My favorite hidden gems in New York to Best things to do in New York with kids. Below you’ll find every list it’s on with what I wrote there. At the end, where it is and what’s near.

  1. My favorite hidden gems in New YorkWorth it
  2. Best views in New York that don’t cost $40Worth it
  3. The New York experiences every kid should haveWorth it
  4. Best things to do in New York with kidsWorth it

Where it appears on New York Dearest

Four of my lists
Worth it, says Antonina. Been? Say if you agree.
Worth it
What I wrote thereFold it away

The Roosevelt Island Tramway (59th Street and 2nd Avenue) is a commuter aerial tram that takes you from the Upper East Side to Roosevelt Island for the price of a subway swipe ($2.90). The ride takes about four minutes and the views of the East River, the skyline, and the Queensboro Bridge are genuinely spectacular.

Roosevelt Island itself is worth exploring for an hour. The Four Freedoms Park at the southern tip (designed by Louis Kahn) is a powerful memorial that almost no tourists visit. The smallpox hospital ruins are hauntingly beautiful. And the whole island has a strange, quiet energy that feels nothing like Manhattan, despite being a five-minute tram ride away.

Read it on the list
    Worth it

    When you get to Roosevelt Island, walk to the southern tip to Four Freedoms Park, which has another incredible view back toward Manhattan.

    What I wrote thereFold it away

    The Roosevelt Island Tramway costs the same as a subway ride ($2.90 with OMNY or your MetroCard) and gives you an aerial view of the East Side of Manhattan that rivals any helicopter tour. You float above the Queensboro Bridge, the East River, and the whole Upper East Side skyline from inside a cable car. It takes about four minutes each way and it’s genuinely thrilling.

    Board it at 59th Street and 2nd Avenue. Go at dusk for the best light. When you get to Roosevelt Island, walk to the southern tip to Four Freedoms Park, which has another incredible view back toward Manhattan. This whole excursion costs under $6 round trip and gives you one of the most unique perspectives of the city.

    Read it on the list
    Worth it

    The Roosevelt Island Tram floats over the East River, giving you incredible skyline views and a totally different perspective of Manhattan.

    What I wrote thereFold it away

    Tip: Bring snacks and let your kid run along the riverfront.

    Read it on the list
    Worth it

    The trip to Roosevelt Island is a nice way to escape the bustle of the city and have a few calm moments to regroup.

    What I wrote thereFold it away

    The views of NYC from the Roosevelt Island tram are some of the best in the city. Which is why I consider this one of the best things to do in New York City with kids. The tram takes you from the Upper East Side to Roosevelt Island for the price of a subway ride ($2.95).

    The trip to Roosevelt Island is a nice way to escape the bustle of the city and have a few calm moments to regroup. Make sure to swing by Four Freedoms State Park while on the island. It’s a memorial dedicated to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, celebrating the “Four Freedoms” he articulated in a speech in 1941.

    Read it on the list

    Where it is, and what’s near

    Worth it, within a ten-minute walk
    Open it on my map
    Nearby, from my lists
    On The Best of New York

    I put Roosevelt Island Tramway on two of my best lists.

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