Escape to the Quiet Side of NYC: Roosevelt Island

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Once upon a time, all the castaways resided in Roosevelt Island.  The island of many names was home to 26 institutions that housed prisoners, the insane, small pox and typhus patients, and more. Since the 1970’s, however, Roosevelt Island has undergone a makeover and is now the stomping ground for 12,000 residents. It’s limited vehiculer traffic, coupled with a lovely 2.5 mile trail that circumnavigates the island, gives New Yorkers and visitors a place to escape the bustle of the city.

Getting to Roosevelt Island

Anchored between Manhattan and Queens in the middle of the East River, Roosevelt Island can be reached by tram, ferry, the Queensboro bridge and the subway.  The best and most fun way to visit Roosevelt Island is by the tram at 60^th and 2^nd Ave.  It soars through the sky every 7-15 minutes. But if there is a line, grab the F line at 63^rd and 3^rd.

Roosevelt Island Tram

The red cable car is a fun way to view the New York skyline.  Pick your spot for what you want to see as you get packed in like sardines.  To the right is the Queensboro bridge and downtown and to the left is the Upper East Side.  The tram drops you off next to the quaint Visitor Center Kiosk.  The subway drops you off a few blocks north of the visitor center.

From either location you can head north or south along the waterside path which circumnavigates the island.  Being only two miles long and 800 feet wide, Roosevelt Island is easily explored in a few hours.  It is best visited in April when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

Views from the West Side of Roosevelt Island

I was a few weeks early for the cherry blossoms as I strolled north along the waters edge on a crisp, yet sunny, March day while taking in the East River activity and NYC architecture. I particularly enjoyed the stark contrast of the distinctive, modern David H Koch Center for Cancer next to the old East 74^th Street Steam power station made of redbrick with arched windows.

Lighthouse Park

Continuing on, I reached the northern tip of Roosevelt Island, home to a Lighthouse Park.  Lighthouse Park features a 50 foot stone lighthouse rumored to be constructed by prisoners back in the day. 

Additionally, the park is enhanced by five, seven-foot bronze masks and three stainless steel spheres.  The installation honors Nellie Bly, a journalist who went undercover to expose the mistreatment of patients on Roosevelt Island.

Blackwell House

From the park, I turned south, meandering down the east side path until I reached the Blackwell House tucked behind the trees near a playground.  The white cottage was contstructed in 1796 for the one-time owner of the island, James Blackwell.  It wasn’t open when I visited, but visitors will find the history of the island inside.

Cornell Tech

From there I crossed over the hill near Cornell Tech campus whose architectural design won numerous awards.  The 337,500 two-inch circular tabs punched into the aluminum paneling help regulate the building’s temperature.  The nearby grassy knoll provides spectacular views of New York’s downtown skyline.

Smallpox Hospital

Further south, the cherry trees which line the path to the island’s southern tip give way to the remnants of the ivy covered, grey blocked Smallpox Hospital dating back to 1856.  The hospital was designed by James Renwick Jr. who also designed the beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Abandoned since the 1950’s, the ruins are off limitts to the public, but you can get a good view of them from Four Freedoms Park.

Four Freedoms Park

The stately Four Freedoms Park, though designed in the 1970’s, was only completed in 2012.  The park, a memorial to the 32nd President of the USA, Roosevelt, features a shaded triangular lawn and a bronze bust of FDR flanked by granite slabs engraved with his four freedoms speech.

Where to Stay in Roosevelt Island

While I likely wouldn’t stay on Roosevelt Island when visiting NYC, if you need a quiet retreat, the Graduate by Hilton New York is the only hotel. Located on the Cornell Tech Campus, the hotel provides modern rooms with views of Manhattan and Queens.

I really enjoyed going off the beaten path to Roosevelt Island during my long weekend in NYC.  ETB

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