Welcome sign on City Island.

© CHOONGKY/Shutterstock


Although City Island is technically part of the Bronx, it has more in common with the small fishing villages that dot the north Atlantic seaboard. The approximately 1.5-mile-long island is home to a collection of alluring homes, teeming bars, some of the best seafood in the five boroughs, and, of course, spectacular views of the Long Island Sound. This little slice of nautical heaven is for those interested in a truly unique New York City experience.

City Island is easily reached by car, or via the Bx29 bus that picks up at various locations in the Bronx and goes right to the island.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Bronx attractions

1. Fort Totten

4.36 MILES

The remnants of a decommissioned Civil War–era fortress give this park its name, but that is hardly all Fort Totten has to offer. The grounds are full of…

2. Bronx Zoo

4.63 MILES

This 265-acre zoo is the country’s biggest and oldest, with over 6000 animals and re-created habitats from around the world, from African plains to Asian…

3. New York Botanical Garden

4.79 MILES

Founded back in 1891, this welcome expanse of green takes in 50 acres of old-growth forest, alongside lush gardens, ornate greenhouses and water features …

4. Sands Point Preserve Conservancy

4.82 MILES

Formerly the Guggenheim estate, this preserve covers forest and a beautiful bayfront beach (that is closed to all visitation except nature tours); the…

5. Woodlawn Cemetery

4.92 MILES

As elegant as Brooklyn’s Green-Wood is this 400-acre cemetery, the most prestigious resting place in the Bronx. Dating from the Civil War (1863), it…

6. Belmont

5.14 MILES

This Bronx neighborhood is where you’ll find the real Little Italy, with Italian delis and eateries dotting bustling stretches of Arthur and E 187th Aves…

7. Arthur Avenue Retail Market

5.18 MILES

For an authentic slice of Italian-American vita (life), dive into this earthy indoor market, where banter-loving vendors flog everything from olives and…

8. Edgar Allan Poe Cottage

5.53 MILES

The renovated Poe Cottage is where author Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49) lived for three years at the end of his life. It’s here that he penned his famous…