Staten Island, New York

To get a good look at the Statue of Liberty without actually visiting it, some tourists take a round trip on the Staten Island Ferry, which is a mistake.  Staten Island has some wonderful places to see and people to meet.

For example, Historic Richmond Town is fascinating and you meet people in ‘olde worlde’ costumes, visit their homes, the general store and America’s oldest Elementary School.

The Snug Harbor Cultural Center is a collection of Greek Revival Buildings.  At one time it was a refuge for retired merchant seamen and now houses art galleries and museums surrounded by woods and gardens.

A favourite corner of Staten Island is the Botanical Garden, which is beautiful and peaceful.  It is a must for fans of the children’s book, “The Secret Garden” (by Frances Hodgson Bennett) because in here is a Secret Garden based on that story.  It is a maze made up of intricate pathways lined with evergreens, which leads to a walled secret garden.  Overlooking the one-acre site is a 38ft castle – complete with drawbridge and a moat.  Although designed for children, everyone enjoys strolling through the maze to find the secret garden.

The Alice Austen House Museum is a must for photographers.  Alice was a photographer who lived in a Victorian Cottage at the turn of the 20^th century and the rooms are filled with samples of her work.

The Sandy Ground Historical Society celebrates the first community established by freed slaves in North America.  The museum and library document the life and history of the people who settled here before the Civil War.

Film fans may recognise parts of Staten Island.  Films in which it has been featured include “Working Girl” and “The Godfather”.  “Casa Corleone” was, in fact, a pair of Tudoresque homes in the Hamilton Park neighbourhood – look for Longfellow Street, but don’t expect to meet members of the Corleone Family!