When people think of visiting New York City, they typically picture Manhattan, where they’ll wander through Times Square, Central Park, and visit the Statue of Liberty. Yet, there is a side of the city that is absent from most tourist guides. The borough of Queens is the biggest one in New York and is also a melting pot of cultures, which creates a unique experience that is different from the touristy attractions in Manhattan. The whole experience proves that moving beyond Manhattan may help appreciate New York in a completely different way.
The journey to New York starts with a domestic flight from Chicago. Travelling first class on the American Airlines flight may sound attractive, but it is, in fact, a completely different story when one is already on board. While the seating in the first class is more comfortable than that in the economy class, there are still some benefits that one would get on an international flight but not on the domestic one. Travelers will not be able to access the executive lounge or go through the special line for the speedy check-in of passengers. To add to that, they will not be getting any rich
Upon arrival at LaGuardia Airport, we continued our trip to Flushing, a neighborhood in Queens that astonishes visitors right away. Instead of looking like an American city, the streets appear to be a busy district somewhere in East Asia. There are Chinese signs everywhere, restaurants serve traditional food, and shops work with payments through WeChat Pay and Alipay.
Food is among the top attractions here. There are street vendors who sell fresh Chinese snacks, local bakeries that bake traditional food, and supermarkets full of products imported from Asia. Unlike in other places, this neighborhood serves the locals instead of tourists, thus making it possible to have an authentic experience.
With the onset of the tour, we meet a local guide who will offer us his insight into Queens. This part of New York is special because within a few subway stops you can change completely a few neighborhoods. Jackson Heights is an area where the culture of Latin America is demonstrated in full. You can see Colombian, Mexican, Ecuadorian, and Venezuelan restaurants. After a few minutes’ walk you will have one more “home” of authentic Thai cuisine. This is not just a setup for tourists. This is how people from different countries live and maintain their culture.
In contrast to Manhattan’s tall skyscrapers and crowds, Queens is mostly residential. In many parts of this borough, you can see street, family houses and small parks and shops. People say that Queens is a place where people live instead of just visiting it. Despite Manhattan’s leading role as the main area of New York; Queens is much more affordable and allows people to live a balanced life.
During the journey, what serves as a complete shock is that daily life feels multicultural. A traveler can dine on Chinese street food for lunch, drink horchata in the afternoon, taste Filipino sweets in the evening, and go to bed surrounded by Thai restaurants, yet without leaving the same borough. Culture is difficult to find in other parts of the globe in such concentration.
Also, public transport is vital for the experience since the New York subway, which is more than one hundred years old, is one of the most convenient ways of transport in the city. Traveling through Queens is much more relaxing than using some of the busiest subway stations in Manhattan; thus, one can explore places unknown to the average tourists.
Finally reaching Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, the traveler encounters the renowned Unisphere, which has appeared in various films and series including Men in Black and The King of Queens. The huge stainless steel globe presents a serene atmosphere in stark contrast to the previously visited busy streets. Families gather in the park and play soccer nearby, creating an atmosphere of tranquility in one of the most populous cities of the world.
The main conclusion that travelers tend to draw by the end of the trip comes more than obvious. Although Manhattan is famous for its iconic monuments and picturesque cityscapes, it is actually in Queens where the real soul of New York can be found. It is the borough with cultural melting pots, neighborhoods preserving their original character, and the opportunity to see the other side of New York behind the postcards.
Those who plan a trip to New York should definitely spend a couple of days in Queens. The borough provides visitors with genuine cuisine, respect for different cultures, and a unique experience.
