Things to do nearRoosevelt Island

Visit during the late afternoon when the setting sun catches the Midtown skyline and turns the East River gold, making the southern promenade one of the best free viewpoints in the city.

Ride the Roosevelt Island Tramway for the journey itself, not just the destination. The aerial cable car offers a bird's-eye view of the East River and the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge as you cross.

Bring a picnic to Southpoint Park, where benches and lawns surround the stabilized ruins of the Renwick Smallpox Hospital, a hauntingly beautiful Gothic structure designed by James Renwick Jr.

Visit the FDR Four Freedoms State Park at the southern tip, a contemplative memorial designed by Louis Kahn that frames a powerful view down the river toward lower Manhattan.

Explore the island on foot or by the free red bus that runs the length of Main Street, an easy way to cover the full two-mile stretch without backtracking.