Cross the East River to Long Island City, Queens to find a collection of modern sculptures by famed Japanese American artist and landscape designer Isamu Noguchi. If you don’t know him by name, you may well recognise his delicate paper and bamboo Akari lights, or his bold monoliths. Find calm in the museum’s sculpture garden, filled with native Japanese flora, or head to nearby Rainey Park, where in early spring (March to April) you can enjoy blooming cherry blossoms with a backdrop of city and river views.

Less than 100 metres up Vernon Boulevard from The Noguchi Museum, the free-admission Socrates Sculpture Park is where unique large-scale works meet riverside public parkland. Over the past 35 years, more than 1200 artists have created and exhibited here – with many pieces designed to take advantage of the intersection of the urban skyline, water and greenery.

New York City’s only active backlot, Kaufman Astoria Studios, has set the stage for classics and blockbusters such as Sherlock Holmes, Spider-Man 3 and even Sesame Street. It is also home to the Museum of the Moving Image – an interactive and immersive space in an old studio building dedicated to all things film and television. The permanent exhibition, Behind the Screen, allows you to explore 1400 industry artefacts such as equipment from all eras, costumes, set sketches and merchandise. There’s also a long-running Jim Henson exhibition where you’ll mingle with puppet royalty: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Elmo, Big Bird and more.

Bring your appetite to Astoria – 30th Avenue, named NYC’s coolest street by a Time Out reader survey in 2021, is buzzing with locally revered restaurants and bars serving up an eclectic mix of styles and cuisines. Head to Comfortland for creative spins on your favourite classics (think: egg and burrata breakfast sandwiches or rainbow cookie crumb cake layered with apricot and raspberry jams) or Vesta for a fresh take on Italian staples and a fine selection of wines.

Celebrate hip-hop’s 51st birthday in 2024 on a tour that pays homage to where it all began. Walk the streets of Harlem or Brooklyn or go on a bus ride across Harlem and The Bronx to see landmarks like the Graffiti Hall of Fame, music video and filming locations as well as places where industry legends like DJ Kool Herc and Biggie made their mark.

Known for its outdoor gallery of colourful murals, Troutman is the go-to street in one of the city's hippest neighbourhoods. Every weekend from April till October, the stretch between Irving and St Nicholas avenues will be closed to traffic for the Troutman Open Streets Initiative – a community gathering of local artists and businesses with laid-back activities and open-air performances. Don't stop here – keep the party going while you're in the neighbourhood. Just around the corner on Wyckoff, nightlife doesn’t get any cooler than the mix of live cabaret, circus, theatre and music you’ll find at House of Yes. You could be sipping a beer under a dangling aerialist one night, then judging a drag show the next.

One of the best ways to see Manhattan is in Brooklyn – on the 22nd floor of The William Vale, at the Westlight bar. Postcard-perfect skyline views – especially magic at sunset – can be enjoyed in open air on the rooftop terrace or inside from floor-to-ceiling windows while lounging on a retro-chic sofa. Order a house-special Apricot Daydream cocktail and pinch yourself.

What was once an industrial district is now a vibrant 14-hectare creative ecosystem packed with studios, shops, designers, eateries and public art installations. At The Makers Guild in Building 5, you can both shop and watch artisans in action – get made-to-measure lingerie at Rue du Paradis or custom shoes at Francis Waplinger. The eclectic Food Hall will satisfy any craving with loaded burgers, vegan and Korean comfort foods, and freshly baked cookies and whoopie pies. Head to Building 1 on 2nd Avenue to feast your eyes on Camille Walala’s vivid and playful mural painted on the seven-storey facade.

You really shouldn’t leave Harlem without eating at Sylvia’s – take Barack Obama or Grandmaster Flash’s word for it. Original owner Sylvia Woods, a.k.a. “The Queen of Soul Food”, passed away in 2012 but the restaurant, a neighbourhood staple since 1962, is still owned and operated by the Woods family. The fried chicken (order it with waffles) and barbecued ribs are legendary. 

Balance exploration and culinary indulgence with a dose of rejuvenation at this serene day spa inside 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, known for its natural and organic products, holistic approach and zen, earthy atmosphere. Book in a Bamford Signature Treatment massage for a blissful 80 minutes of shiatsu, Swedish massage, reflexology and a finale of yogic breathing. If you have a little more time, take the afternoon and go for the Haybarn De-Stress package, which includes both massage and facial.

Inside the sprawling, 290-hectare green space of Bronx Park, the New York Botanical Garden is a living museum filled with both local and unique and rare flora. Go inside the glass-domed Conservatory for a mix of aquatic, tropical and desert species that feels like a mini visit to Palm Springs. They’ve even curated a self-guided Forest Bathing tour with accompanying audio that tracks through a magnificent old-growth forest.

Arthur Avenue, referred to by many as “The Real Little Italy”, is a hub of Italian-American immigration, culture and commerce that dates back to the early 20th century. Locals flock to the Arthur Avenue Retail Market for authentic Italian produce, cheeses, pasta, baked goods and meats. Madonia Bakery is revered for its pane di casa (southern Italian crusty loaves) and filled-to-order cannoli, and Zero Otto Nove currently boasts a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its traditional southern Italian-style dishes such as pizzas loaded with fresh mozzarella, creamy clam linguine and fresh seafood.

A perfect day out with the kids starts with a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry as you take in views of the Statue of Liberty and continues at the Staten Island Children’s Museum. Here, little ones can let loose playing with giant-sized board games, look at live creepy-crawlies from around the world, use props and lighting to put on their own skit or puppet show and get their hands dirty in the outdoor Garden Terrace.

Alice Austen, known as a pioneer both in documentary photography and LGBTQ+ rights, was not only one of the first female American photographers to work outside of a studio but also maintained a 56-year relationship with her partner Gertrude Tate during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Alice Austen House Museum, a waterfront Victorian cottage where Austen lived with Tate for 30 years, is now a space where you can view collections of her work that captured intimate and candid moments of life around Staten Island and Manhattan during her time.

The ornate, Baroque style of the historic St George Theatre is a show stopper. Originally built in 1929, this historic theatre was inactive for more than 30 years before it was saved from demolition by an impassioned community group in 2004. Nowadays, you can stop here to watch a show – events include a mix of live music, dance, film and comedy. It’s also conveniently located just a short walk from the ferry terminal.