What's up Members of the Barrio
It's Jon, coming to you from the North Shore of Staten Island
And many of you equate this place with the Staten Island Shuffle
You know what I'm talking about
Taking the Staten Island Ferry
To get the statue of liberty view
And heading right back to Manhattan
Well today I'm going to give you some reasons to stick around
We're going to be sharing, 7 Things To Do in Staten Island
New York's Unexpected Borough
And here's the best part
All of these activities are either walking or biking distance from the Ferry Terminal
Let's go explore
One of the top questions I get on this channel
Is where can you shop cheaply in New York
Come to Empire Outlets
New York City's only outlet destination
Forget taking a bus upstate or to Jersey
Take a few steps off the ferry instead
Yes, you heard it correctly
This outlet mall is just seconds away from the Ferry Terminal
It just launched in May
Only 50% open so far
It's going to have 5 levels of shopping, food, and entertainment
Not only is this mall convenient for shopping as a tourist
But it also has plenty of instagrammable
Locations, if you need a break from shuffling through stores
It's got all the classics.. like Old Navy
Banana Republic and my choice of the day
Brooks Brothers
I managed to snag this sweater at 50% off
And while my modeling moves need work
I thought I didn't look half bad
Team Adriana settled on Nordstrom Rack
And was far more graceful shopping as she picked a few bright sweaters
After buying some clothes
You can easily run around, admiring some of the epic Manhattan Skyline views
And did I mention how many quirky and fun things they have installed here
By this upcoming season there will be some eateries open
This is going to be one of New York City's top shopping destinations
And it's still a bit under the radar
So if you want to start off that perfect day in Staten Island right
Take a few steps off the Ferry
And take advantage of some of the top brands around
What's more New York then pizza?
And Pier 76 located right by the Ferry Terminal
Is a tasty way to get a slice
Of what Staten Island's all about
Less than a 10 minute walk from the Ferry Terminal
You can almost smell that pizza when you get off the boat
And you better work yourself up an appetite
Owned by the same family as the legendary Joe and Pat's Pizzeria in Staten Island
You can keep it casual by ordering a slice
Or pie to go
There chefs are on top of their game believe me
or enjoy your meal in the dining room like we did
There known for their thin crust
And we decided to go with a vodka pie
Which was absolutely incredible
These guys are one of the best pizza joints in Staten Island for a reason
And you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not at least stopping in for a slice
If you're in the mood for a little more food
Go with the Fiocchi Pear Pasta
This absolutely melted in our mouthes
And we left Pier 76 with plenty of energy
To explore Staten Island even more
This has got to be one of New York City's Best Kept Secrets
At 83 acres you could spend an entire day here
And we could spend an entire episode here
But alas..
We've got even more places on Staten Island to showcase
And they call it the Borough of Parks for good reason
As they have over 10 thousand acres of them
On the Island
And Snug Harbor is probably the most famous
Originally purposed as a retirement destination for ex-sailors
It has 26 older buildings
From the 19th century
And is considered by many to be..
The crown jewel of Staten Island
Just 2 miles from the Ferry Terminal
There's an endless array of activities
You could start at one of the 3 museums
To learn more about its sailor history
You've got to enter the Noble Maritime Collection
Which is a pay what you wish admission
And seriously.. one of the best museums I'd never heard of
Step back into the past
And see how the Snugs lived
After their days at sea
Explore John Noble's House boat
Which is now the centerpiece of the collection
This was Team Adriana's dream come true
As a fellow artist
From models of ships
To portraits
The Maritime Theme is everywhere
I felt like a kid exploring
Head outside of course
And you could see any of the 14 botanical gardens
If you're into photography
This is like a playground
The Allee here may be one of the most instagrammable places in New York City
That few know about
My friend Jacob Carlson shot a vlog at the Chinese Scholars Garden a few years back
And you'll feel like you're transformed out of New York City
After only a few steps inside
Snug Harbor is so massive
It even has its own farm
You're best bet may be just to wander around
And get lost in some of these amazing gardens
There's few places in New York City quite like it
And if you want some nature
Sailors Snug Harbor is one of your best bets
On your Staten Island Adventure
Located just a 5 minute walk from the Ferry Terminal
The National Lighthouse Museum
Needs to be on your radar
Admission is 7 dollars
And this little gem will probably take you thirty minutes to an hour
To explore
This is a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about Lighthouses
See models all over the world
Including the St. Augustine Florida Lighthouse
Which is where I proposed to Adriana earlier this year
She said yes
I found this place really cool
As there was so much history and neat facts to learn about
Watch a short movie.. or better yet buy some unique souvenirs for your friends back home
This is another one of those hidden pearls
On Staten Island
Just a hop skip from the Ferry Terminal
Sure, Manhattan has Broadway
But Staten Island has this little gem
And youd' be surprised at the quality of the acts
They draw in
From Huey Lewis
To Jerry Seinfeld
And a whole lot more
If you can catch a show here
At the intimate 2800 capacity theater
That's your best bet
But the next best thing is to take a tour with Eric
This guy knows his stuff
The interior design was done by a man anmed Nestor Castro
Who was a Spaniard
And that is why you'll see these kind of Spanish influences
Peppered throughout the theater
See the e-mail in the description
To arrange your own tour
But celebrating it's 90th anniversary
It's interesting to note that it was originally used
As a movie theater
Talk about seeing films in style
Throughout the years
It had other uses
Like as a Disco Roller Rink
And it even sat vacant for a few decades
Until some local Staten Islanders saved it
And turned it into it's current use today
As a performing arts space
I don't think there's a single bad seat in the house
And as Eric mentioned..
You can see the Spanish influence all around
I felt like I was transported to an opera house in Europe
It would truly be a privilege to take in any type of performance here
See there website for more details
About upcoming shows
This.. is another gem
On the Island
This is a very important place to visit
To pay your respects to the victims of that horrible day
From Staten Island
Just a short stroll from the Ferry Terminal
Lies a beautiful memorial that you should do your best
To come to
The first major memorial of that day in New York City
It's dedicated to the 275 Staten Islanders who lost their lives
In that tragic event
Framed around 2 fiberglass structures
That look like postcards
This is so respectfully done
The name, birthdate, and place of work at the time of attack
Are present, as well as the outline of the victims faces
There's also a touching tribute to the first responders
Who've died as a result of health complications
After the attacks
This is the most somber stop on our day on the island
And with a perfect view of the Manhattan Skyline
Definitley a place for reflection
About lives lost
After all of this exploring
Why not cap off your visit to Staten Island
With a cold beer
And Flagship Brewery is not going to dissapoint
Can you ever go wrong visiting a Brewery?
After a long day of siteseeing
They always have at least 12 beers on tap
All brewed in house of course
I love what they do here
Like the Pizza Rat Pilsner
Which you can buy at Staten Island Yankee
Minor league games
My roggenfest Octoberfest style beer
Went down smooth
Adriana enjoyed her Blood Orange IPA
As well
And we all enjoyed the fun and plenty of games
That will keep you busy here
I'd recommend this highly for a group of friends
Inquire for specific times
But on weekends, they offer tours of the Brewery
Have some of their super knowledgeable staff
Take you through the beer making process
Inside here right now
Is an act of fermentation
And we have an ale going
So.. what's going to happen
Inside here is..
After your tour
Get cozy and enjoy some cold ones
You've got a 15 minute walk back to the Ferry Terminal
Which you most certainly earned
Everything we covered today is written down below in the description
If you want to turn this into an entire day trip
Feel free
And make sure to check out our other New York City Playlists
All linked down below
In the description as well
Guys thank you so much for watching as always
Until next time