City Island Neighborhood Guide

I’ve been visiting every NYC neighborhood, trying to explore my own city the way I do when I travel. I’m 213 (!!!) neighborhoods deep now out of approx. 350 and have documented it all on TikTok.

Now I’m on a mission to write it all out. Next up: Orchard Beach & City Island.

Starting at Orchard Beach, the Bronx’s own summer beach spot. Built in the 1930s, it’s often nicknamed the Riviera of the Bronx. The beach is man-made, created by filling in a number of small islands and designed with a massive promenade, bathhouse, and shoreline so it would feel like a resort. This beach gets a lot of hate, but I actually think it’s very clean, beautiful. I would love to spend a full day here.

You could then walk to City Island. It’s a 20-minute walk through a forested area, so definitely bring bug spray, but there is a clear walking path. City Island is a tiny island of the Bronx, often referred to as a New England fishing village. It definitely has a unique character that can’t really be compared to anything else. It’s only about a mile and a half long, and it’s been home to shipbuilders, oyster harvesters, and fishermen since the 1800s. Back in the day, it was one of the centers of America’s yacht-building industry, and it’s still got a deep nautical culture.

Once you cross over the bridge, first stop at Jack’s Bait and Tackle. It’s a City Island staple since 1945, where locals load up on fishing gear before heading out on the water. Obviously, you could pick some up if you want to go fishing. Next is the Harlem Yacht Club, which is stunning. Founded in 1883, it’s one of the oldest yacht clubs in the country. They host sailing races and events that keep the maritime tradition alive, and they also have this beautiful restaurant with a patio looking over the views and the boats. I feel like I could just bring a book and sit at the restaurant with a drink all day. Also, just walking around, you’ll notice the houses. They are so cute, decorated definitely in a nautical vibe with small little accents.

You’ll then finally make it to the main area of shops. First, I recommend checking out Focal Point Gallery. They showcase local and regional artists. There are actually so many galleries on City Island. We popped into another one, and they have a resident cat, which is so cute. Actually, when we got to the door, one of the shop owners was like, “Are you here to see the cat?” And we’re like, “No, we’re definitely here to see the art.” But I guess the cat is famous here on City Island.

And then there’s also Kaleidoscope Gallery, offering a rotating selection of works by local and regional artists as well, with a focus on maritime and community history. She has a dog that was raised by cats, and so the husky now sits like a cat.

There’s also, on the street, a mini aquarium with tons of different fish to take a peek at. I honestly did not come across this in my research. We just passed by it, and obviously it’s very fitting for City Island.

Then head to Clipper Coffee for a coffee break. It’s a local spot, and this is one of my favorite coffee shops that I’ve ever had in New York. I’m not exaggerating. The coffee was absolutely delicious, and my two friends got two other drinks, a strawberry matcha and a Dubai chocolate latte. And I got a brown sugar shaken espresso with cherry cold foam. It is just such a cute little café. They have games so you can sit for a few hours, and I also saw that they had really good breakfast wraps. But you know we’re going to save our food for later.

Then head to the City Island Nautical Museum. It’s a small but rich local museum dedicated to preserving the island’s maritime history. It’s located in the old PS 17 schoolhouse, and it features an impressive collection of ship models, historic photos, and artifacts from City Island’s long tradition of shipbuilding, fishing, and boating. But it also tells about City Island’s heritage in general. They have old menus from years past, old yearbooks to see the locals that have gone to school and lived on the island. So it’s very cool. It’s $8, and it includes a little tour.

Okay, now the food. I know this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for. There were a couple of options on my end: The Lobster House, opened in 1974, Crab Shanty, Sammy’s Fish Box, but I had to go to Johnny’s Reef, and so do you. It’s been serving classic seafood dishes since 1950. No-frills atmosphere, fresh catches, and it’s a go-to spot for fried clams and shrimp, but the scallops were absolutely the winner. The scallops here are amazing. You have to get them. We also tried the fried squid and lobster roll. They were good, but it’s the fried scallops that I would definitely come back for. They also have a Henny Colada, so we had to try that as well. It’s just an old-school seafood shack, honestly, with really great prices, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

After fueling up, head to Dan’s Parents House, probably the coolest store on the island. It’s a vintage and collectible shop with unique finds. Every toy and collectible from your childhood, you will find it here.

And finish your visit with a cone at Lickety Split, known for its creamy, nostalgic ice cream. It was unfortunately closed the day that I went, but it was luckily next to this beautiful nautical-themed park where they were playing live music. So I’m happy we walked in that direction anyway. You can grab a cone and sit in the park and listen to music, and that would end off the perfect day in City Island.

Let me know what spots I missed and what neighborhood you want to see me do next.