Staten Island
As I mentioned yesterday, I took my first trip to Staten Island on Sunday. To get there, I took the Staten Island Ferry, which is as far as I know, the only way to get to the island from Manhattan. From Brooklyn you can take the Verrazano-Narrows bridge, which has the tenth longest main span in the world and is the longest bridge span in the Americas. You can see the bridge clearly from the ferry, and I've already added it to my list of bridges I'd like to walk across.
One of the best things about the Staten Island Ferry is that it is free, roundtrip. The other amazing thing about it is, of course, the views. The ferry I took was full of tourists who had zero interest in the island itself, and boarded the return, Manhattan-bound ferry as soon as we arrived. The views are pretty spectacular, and I recommend boarding on the right side of the ferry (for the Manhattan -> Staten Island trip) for the best views of the Statue of Liberty.
On my return trip I also boarded on the right for the opposite experience, which is a wonderful view of lower Manhattan. I think my skyline interest is bordering on obsession at this point, but I just can't get over how impressive and magical it all looks from different vantage points.
Once you arrive on Staten Island you pass through St. George terminal, which has restrooms and the usual food-court type food. You can catch a SI Railroad train or bus from the terminal, and I took the S-40 to Snug Harbor for the day. After I had explored the cultural center and gardens, I returned to the terminal on the same bus line.
I had done a little research beforehand on restaurants in the area, and I decided to check out Pier 76. It's only a short walk down Bay street from the terminal, and I had read good things about their pizza. I was ready to break my gluten-free streak for a slice when I noticed that they actually had a lot of GF options on their menu.
They had GF pizza, but not by the slice, so I decided to try their pasta in vodka sauce. Even if you couldn't care less about GF options, I highly recommend the vodka sauce. The whole dish was incredible and I barely even had leftovers (and what I did have I ate a few hours later). The worst part about it was that the restaurant is in Staten Island, so it won't exactly be in my regular rotation.
After dinner I headed back to the terminal and took a short walk along the waterfront. The views are, of course, amazing, as is the 9/11 memorial to the Staten Islanders who lost their lives in the attacks. The two, swooping white, wing-like columns are really incredible, and frame the spot where the towers stood (and now, One World Trade Center).
On the interior walls are the names and occupations of the people who lost their lives, with jutting profiles carved from stone. It's a really well-designed space, and a nice spot to stop and sit for a minute.
I was so pleasantly surprised with my day in Staten Island that I'll definitely be making return trips. I'd love to see the Staten Island museum or even take in a "Yankees" game in the stadium over-looking the water (again with those views!). I'm surprised it took me nearly 14 years from the first time I came to Manhattan to finally visit the last of the five boroughs, but it definitely won't be that long again before I return.