Most visitors to the Bronx go straight to Yankee Stadium or the Zoo, and that’s a shame — because the borough’s real character lives in its quieter corners. This Saturday, we’re taking you off the tourist circuit to five spots that locals know and visitors almost never find. Bring comfortable shoes and a camera.
City Island: NYC’s Secret New England Fishing Village
Accessible by the BX29 bus from the 6 train at Pelham Bay Park station, City Island is a 1.5-mile sliver of land in Long Island Sound that operates entirely on its own frequency. There are yacht clubs, antique shops, weathered seafood shacks, and the kind of front-porch culture that makes you forget you’re still inside New York City limits. Walk City Island Avenue from the bridge end to the north tip and back — the whole thing takes about 40 minutes each way, with plenty of stops for fresh clam chowder or a look inside the City Island Nautical Museum (190 Fordham St). It’s genuinely one of the strangest and most pleasant places in the five boroughs.
Wave Hill (W 249th St & Independence Ave, Riverdale)
This 28-acre Hudson River estate in the Riverdale neighborhood is one of the Bronx’s great undersung pleasures. Former residents of the estate’s 19th-century mansion include Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt, and the property’s curated gardens, woodland trails, and river overlooks are among the most beautiful in any New York City park. Thursday mornings offer free admission; otherwise, admission is $10 for adults and free for children under 6. Hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Take the Metro-North Hudson Line to Riverdale station, then walk about 10 minutes uphill, or connect via the BX7 or BX10 bus.
Woodlawn Cemetery (Webster Ave & E 233rd St)
Woodlawn Cemetery is a 400-acre National Historic Landmark that functions simultaneously as an arboretum, a sculpture garden, and a piece of American cultural history. The grounds hold the graves of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Herman Melville, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, among many others — and the Victorian mausoleums designed by architects including McKim, Mead & White are genuinely extraordinary. Self-guided walking tour maps are available at the main gate. The cemetery is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and admission is free. Take the 4 train to Woodlawn or the Metro-North Harlem Line to Woodlawn station.
High Bridge: NYC’s Oldest Standing Bridge
Built in 1848 as an aqueduct carrying Croton water to Manhattan, the High Bridge was restored and reopened to pedestrians in 2015 after a decades-long closure. The 140-foot-tall span crosses the Harlem River at 174th Street, connecting the Bronx to Washington Heights in Manhattan. The herringbone brick paving, the cast-iron water tower on the Manhattan side, and the views of the Harlem River make this one of the most photogenic walks in the city. Access the Bronx side via Macombs Dam Park (W 167th St–W 175th St), or cross from the Manhattan side via the High Bridge Park entrance at Edgecombe Avenue.
Valentine-Varian House & the Museum of Bronx History (3266 Bainbridge Ave, Norwood)
Built in 1758, the Valentine-Varian House is one of the oldest surviving structures in the Bronx — a fieldstone farmhouse that witnessed the Revolutionary War and still has its original pine and oak floorboards. It now houses the Museum of Bronx History, run by the Bronx County Historical Society, with rotating exhibitions on Bronx history from the colonial era through the 20th century. Open Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Admission is a small fee. Take the D train to Norwood–205th Street.
What You Need to Know
- City Island: Take the 6 train to Pelham Bay Park, then BX29 bus. Walk City Island Avenue end to end. City Island Nautical Museum at 190 Fordham St.
- Wave Hill: W 249th St & Independence Ave, Riverdale. Tue–Sun, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Free on Thursday mornings; otherwise $10 adults. Metro-North Riverdale station or BX7/BX10 bus.
- Woodlawn Cemetery: Webster Ave & E 233rd St. Free. Open daily 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Subway: 4 train to Woodlawn.
- High Bridge: Access from Macombs Dam Park (W 167th–175th St) on the Bronx side, or High Bridge Park on the Manhattan side. Free and open to pedestrians daily.
- Valentine-Varian House: 3266 Bainbridge Ave, Norwood. Open Sat–Sun, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Subway: D to Norwood–205th Street.
- The Woodlawn and Valentine-Varian House are within easy walking distance of each other in the north Bronx — combine them for a half-day history walk.
We wrote a deeper dive on one of these spots you shouldn’t miss: City Island: NYC’s Secret New England Fishing Village in the Bronx. Go read it before you hop on the BX29.
The Bronx rewards exploration in a way that few New York City boroughs can match. All five of today’s stops are free or nearly free — proof that some of the best things in this city still don’t cost much at all.
