Road Trip Close To Home: City Island
Visitors can drive to the island or use public transportation for a scenic route that takes you right by Orchard Beach.
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Sitting on the Long Island Sound is a waterfront Bronx community that transports you right out of the big city. City Island boasts picture-perfect and family-friendly date spots, dinner with a view and a tight-knit community.
Visitors can drive to the island or use public transportation for a scenic route that takes you right by Orchard Beach.
Once on the island, we recommend your first stop be Dan’s Parents House, a vintage collectibles store. A nostalgia lover can easily spend hours sifting through records, trying out film cameras or discovering old toys like Etch-A-Sketch and View Finder. Think of any movie franchise, cartoon character or superhero from the 1980, 90s and earlier—you’ll probably see it at Dan’s Parents House! Eponymously and aptly named, the store started as a pop-up at the Brooklyn Flea Market before owners Dan Treiber and Reina Brill brought it to the home Dan’s parents once owned on the island.
The couple says their store attracts New Yorkers from all over, especially young people in search of something tangible in our ever-digital world.
Next, get your sweat on at one of the only Pilates studios in The Bronx. At The Pearl, you can work out on state-of-the-start reformer machines in a safe space that’s beginner friendly. The team says it’s more than just a fitness studio, it’s a community that focuses on whole body wellness.
Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, there’s plenty of food options. City Island is nearly synonymous with seafood. Longtime local favorite Tony’s Pier boasts a waterfront view where Bronx residents have been coming for generations to see Tony himself behind the counter. Summer is one of their busiest times of year, thanks to their full bar and beloved piña coladas.
Or if you’re in the mood for something different, there’s Sammy’s Smokehouse. Sound familiar? The barbecue venue is a new expansion of the family-run seafood spot. The founder’s daughter was inspired after realizing that BBQ is a rare find in The Bronx. With an enormous menu and in-house smoked cuts of meat, you’ll leave full to the stitches.
Wrap up your day with a boat ride at City Island Yacht Club and a glass of wine at City Island Pizza Company. Rene Matos is the steward for the Yacht Club and says many are surprised by how accessible and affordable it can be, with educational programs for kids and events for the whole family. If you’re not ready to commit, you can call to make a reservation to visit. Pro-tip: Book at sunset! Matos also runs City Island Pizza where the fried pizza, rice balls, and red-hot chili pepper pizza are menu favorites.
How to describe City Island?
“There's no other community like it," says one local.
