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Staten Island, New York City — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Ferries cross New York Harbor to Staten Island, the southernmost and greenest of New York City's boroughs, known for Historic Richmond Town.
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Where to stay in Staten Island
Where visitors usually base themselves, and why.
Staten Island rewards visitors who want a calmer base within reach of New York City, and its quarters differ sharply. The north shore around the ferry terminal puts you closest to New York Harbor and the free boat across to Manhattan, the most practical base for day trips into the rest of the city. Transit thins farther out.
The center of the borough gathers around Historic Richmond Town and St. Andrew's Church, where colonial lanes and the LaTourette House give a village feel far from the harbor bustle. The hills hold their own draws. Above the greenbelt, the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art sits near quiet residential streets that suit travelers after woodland walks over harbor views.
Stay near the ferry for the city. If you prefer the half-rural side, the streets around Historic Richmond Town suit you, while walkers gravitate toward the hillside near the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art.
Find hotels in Staten Island
Direct booking searches for these neighbourhoods.
North shore ferry terminal
Closest to the free boat across New York Harbor to Manhattan and the borough's transitFind hotels in North shore ferry terminalThe half-rural, colonial-village side of the boroughHistoric Richmond Town area
Colonial lanes around Historic Richmond Town, St. Andrew's Church, and the LaTourette HouseFind hotels in Historic Richmond Town areaWalkers after woodland trails above the harborGreenbelt hills
Quiet residential streets by the hillside Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art and the greenbeltFind hotels in Greenbelt hillsHotel links are affiliate links: booking through them may earn us a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never affects how places are ranked. How this works
Things to do in and around New York City
Ranked by global recognition; descriptions from Wikidata (CC0).
Museums & Galleries
1- Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art Heritage
Churches & Religious Sites
3- St. Andrew's Church Heritage
- St. Patrick's Church Heritage
- St. Alban's Episcopal Church Heritage
Castles & Historic Sites
1- Rose and Crown Monument
Stadiums & Sports
1- College of Staten Island Baseball Complex
Landmarks & Notable Places
8- Voorlezer's House Heritage
- The Crimson Beech Heritage
- Treasure House Heritage
- Britton Cottage Heritage
- Christopher House Heritage
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- LaTourette House Heritage
- Poillon-Seguine-Britton House Heritage
- Boehm House Heritage
worth knowingacross 5 categories in and around New York City
About Staten Island
What are the main landmarks in Staten Island?
Staten Island keeps its landmarks in colonial villages and hillside museums, set across New York Harbor from Manhattan. Historic Richmond Town preserves a whole cluster of early buildings, among them the Voorlezer's House, the Lake-Tysen House, and the Stephens-Black House. The ferry is the classic arrival.
Old parishes left their mark as well. St. Andrew's Church and St. Patrick's Church served the old parishes, while the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art holds a rare Himalayan collection above the greenbelt. This quieter, half-rural borough of New York City is bounded by the tidal straits of Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull.
What is the history of Staten Island?
Staten Island entered the colonial record in 1683 as Richmond County, one of New York's original divisions across New York Harbor. Farming shaped it early. Dutch and English settlers cleared the land, raised the parish of St. Andrew's Church, and built the timber houses that survive at Historic Richmond Town, including the Voorlezer's House and the Lake-Tysen House.
For centuries the island stayed rural while the city grew across the water. Consolidation folded Richmond County into New York City at the close of the nineteenth century. Even so, the borough kept its half-rural cast.
The greenbelt spared much of its interior, the colonial village at Historic Richmond Town became a living museum, and the ferry across New York Harbor remained the island's lasting link to Manhattan and the rest of the city.
Where is Staten Island?
Staten Island lies at the southernmost point of New York State and is coextensive with Richmond County. It is the southernmost of New York City's five boroughs. Straits set it apart.
The tidal Arthur Kill and Kill Van Kull separate it from New Jersey, while New York Bay divides it from the rest of the city across New York Harbor.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Staten Island?
North shore ferry terminal: Day trips into the city on the free ferry across New York Harbor. Historic Richmond Town area: The half-rural, colonial-village side of the borough. Greenbelt hills: Walkers after woodland trails above the harbor.
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Updated October 2026