Queens can satisfy nearly every taste. It is the fourth largest of NYC’s five boroughs and is the most ethnically diverse urban area worldwide, it also features the most diversified economy among the five boroughs. 

Queens is the birthplace of celebrated artists, the stage for loved and loathed TV shows, and is home to two major airports in New York. 

There are many reasons to admire Queens, the innovative art at Socrates Sculpture Park, the Queens Botanical Garden is home to breathtaking flora and at the borough’s southern end, the Rockaway Beach calls out to the surf enthusiasts.

AmericanOtels.com can be of assistance if you’re in Queens for the first time and if you need to find a place to stay close to the borough’s attractions or need to hire a vehicle to explore the sights. 

Check out some of the best sites and attractions in Queens, from historical museums to sprawling parks. 

1. Museum of the Moving Image

For anyone who is a cinephile and has a deep interest in pop culture, television, filmmaking, or other forms of video, one can virtually take a deep dive into the process and see how films were developed and videos are created. You will learn about film and television history as well. 

It is an interactive and educational experience in that the exhibit features artifacts from the processes used in early filmmaking to films made on computers and viral internet videos. There are booths that let you test your film and editing skills as well. 

Other aspects such as an in-house theatre featuring exclusive screenings from the classics to modern cinema and classic arcade games in working condition do not limit it to a one-time visit. The best part of it all, it has free admission!

2. Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Commonly referred to as Flushing Meadows Park, or Flushing Meadows is the city’s second-biggest park. It is picturesque and an enormous green space housing museums, monuments, sports facilities, boating, a beautiful view of the lake, good space for parking, and no entrance fees! You can enjoy a bike ride, picnic, a calming stroll, and eat some street food. 

It is beautiful all year round but it is especially magnificent in April until the end of the summer when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. It is definitely a hidden gem!

3. Socrates Sculpture Park and the Noguchi Museum 

Overlooking the East River, nature and art lovers will surely relish this open, vast space. Not so fun fact, the park was once a landfill as recently as 1986! 

An American sculptor named Mark di Suvero transformed and repurposed the land into an outdoor museum and it is one of a kind in NY.  Since then, the museum showcases a rotating collection of incredibly large-scale artworks and sculptures from well-known artists. Many were created specifically with the Socrates Sculpture Park in mind where people can enjoy them for free. 

Not too far away is the Noguchi Museum that exhibits a wide range of artwork from Isamu Noguchi, a Japanese-American artist. 

4. Queen’s Botanical Garden

This scenic space is a 39-acre space consisting of 25 gardens located in the middle of Queens

It is lovely to take a pleasant walk and look at the herb garden, the bee garden, the ornamental grass garden, and the arboretum, among many others. 

The Fragrance Garden’s essence awakens the olfactory receptors, as the essential oils emanating from the flowers and shrubs are quite potent, this is enjoyed by adults and kids. 

5. Rockaway Beach

Rockaway beach is one of NY’s most fun beaches located in Queens. It is a 5.5mile, sandy beach where people enjoy sunbathing, swimming, sports like skateboarding, surfing, and volleyball. Vendors sell pizza, arepas, Italian ice, tacos, and the bars have lively patios. 

Jacob Riis Park is a 10-minute ride from Rockaway Beach if you want a less crowded beach experience. At this stretch known as the lovingly nicknamed the “People’s Beach,” there’s a Bazaar. There are diverse food stalls, many art deco structures, live shows, film events, games, a golf center, ball courts, vendors, and concession stands. 

There are some of the 5 best attractions in Queens that are definitely worth seeing. These places have the power to create unforgettable memories with your family or friends or even during a solo trip.