Don’t bypass the Bronx on your visit to the Big Apple – the eye-watering 50 million visitors a year that head for the bright lights of Manhattan are missing a trick by not exploring some of New York City’s other boroughs.
Lying north of Carrie and Co’s stomping ground, the Bronx has much to offer today’s visitor, who should think twice before writing the area off thanks to its history as an icon of America’s urban crisis of unemployment and poverty. Described by NYC & Company as “a one-stop destination for entertainment, culture, history, flavour and outdoor activities,” the Bronx is untapped tourist heaven.
In honour of this year’s 40th birthday of the annual Bronx Week – a celebration of the borough’s culture and community with parades, festivals and concerts which is taking place until 22 May – tourist bodies are focusing their energies on highlighting the attractions of the often overlooked Bronx.
Chief executive of NYC & Company George Fertitta, said: “The borough features hundreds of acres of parks, gardens and beaches, and contributes greatly to the diversity of our international city.
“We want to remind everyone of all that the Bronx has to offer and encourage them to take advantage of its seasonal events,” he added.
If you think the Bronx is nothing more than a concrete jungle, think again – around a quarter of the entire area is given over to open space, including Pelham Bay Park, Van Cortlandt Park, the impressive New York Botanical Garden and the famous Bronx Zoo.
The latter – located between Fordham Road and the Bronx River Parkway – is home to more than 4,000 animals, including African baboons, lemurs, crocodiles, a seabird colony and a butterfly garden and boasts some of the best viewing spots and wildlife interaction of any zoo in the US within its 256 acres of grounds.
Check out some of the highlights – including the Children’s Zoo, The Bug Carousel, the Butterfly Garden, camel rides, the zoo shuttle and the Congo Gorilla Forest – with a “total experience” ticket, which can be picked up on the zoo’s website – www.bronxzoo.com – for around $30 (£18). Good news if you’re planning a trip to the Bronx before 6 November this year, as the zoo is offering a 20 per cent discount on the price of all tickets purchased online.
As if that wasn’t enough greenery, Wave Hill is a spectacular 28-acre public garden and cultural centre overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades. The beautiful garden contains native flora and fauna and historical homes, including Wave Hill House – built in 1843 and used as a summer home for Theodore Roosevelt’s family in 1870 and 1871 – and Glyndor House, a stunning building built in Georgian Revival style overlooking the Palisades.
Of course, no visit to the Bronx would be complete without a visit to the Yankee Stadium – home of the famous New York Yankees baseball team.
If you need more convincing that the Bronx is the where it’s at, read all about why it’s well worth a visit at www.ilovethebronx.com – and check out the handy Zagat rated “where to eat in the Bronx” and the “best Bronx visitor attractions, arts and entertainment” tabs.
For some of the best Italian grub in the area, make a beeline for the family-owned Ann & Tony’s at 2407 Arthur Avenue in the Little Italy district. Serving up mama’s secret recipes since 1927, the eatery is best known for its Shrimp Ann & Tony and the Veal Columbo. Yum.
The Bronx Museum of the Arts at 1040 Grand Concourse, 165 Street, (www.bronxmuseum.org) is home to some world-class exhibitions – head over there at the mo to see Orange Tree, a 20-foot high steel sculpture created by Cuban-born artist Alexandre Arrechea, which is described as “shifting familiar structures to engage viewers’ perceptions of form and function, while raising questions about the role of street sports in urban culture”. There’s also the Stargazer exhibition, featuring sculptures, prints and drawings by more than 20 contemporary artists including Sanford Biggers, Patty Chang and Roberto Visani.
