We’re going to let you in on a secret – Long Island City (LIC), Queens is actually the best neighborhood to stay in while you’re visiting NYC. It’s counterintuitive but LIC’s location just outside of Manhattan makes it extremely accessible.
We opened The Local in LIC in 2013, and one of the things that still surprises first-time guests is just how close we are to Manhattan. Depending on the train, you can be in Midtown in one or two stops.
So no, staying in Queens does not mean staying “far away.”
Long Island City sits directly across the East River from Midtown, and multiple subway lines connect the neighborhood to Manhattan. The UN is a pretty iconic location in Manhattan – we’re just across the river.
From The Local, you can get to places like Grand Central, Times Square, Central Park, the Lower East Side and Brooklyn without spending half your day in transit. Our nearest subway hub is Court Square, just a few blocks away.
One of the best things about staying in LIC is that Manhattan becomes the view.
Head down to Gantry Plaza State Park or Hunter’s Point South and you’ll be looking straight across the river at Midtown, including the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings.
Sunset is especially good. Unlike some of the city’s observation decks, it does not cost $40+ to stand there and look at it.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with visiting Times Square once. There is also a reason most New Yorkers avoid that area like New Jersey.
Long Island City is still a neighborhood where people live, work, walk their dogs, go to bars and complain about construction. You have diners, coffee shops, restaurants, parks, art spaces and little businesses mixed in with new residential towers and old industrial buildings.
For more of the places we actually send people, check out our guide to eating, drinking and hanging out in Long Island City.
LIC isn’t just convenient for Manhattan. It also puts you in a very useful spot for getting to Greenpoint, Williamsburg and other parts of Brooklyn.
We LOVE the G Train. Fun fact: it is the only train that does not connect to Manhattan. It’s all about the boroughs, baby! The G Train starts and ends at our nearest stop, Court Square, and takes you deep into Brooklyn.
If your New York trip includes restaurants in Williamsburg, bars in Greenpoint, a visit to Prospect Park, or friends who live somewhere that is not Midtown, LIC makes a lot of sense as a home base.
LIC is also conveniently located for New York’s airports.
LaGuardia is relatively close, like door to gate in 20 minutes or less on a good day. JFK is accessible by public transit or car, and you have multiple options depending on your timing and budget.
We already put together a full guide to getting to The Local from JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, because, yes, airport transportation in New York deserves its own explanation.
Hotel prices in New York can get wild, especially in Manhattan.
Staying in Long Island City can give you significantly better value while still keeping you very close to everything you came to see.
That’s especially true if you’re open to staying in a hostel.
At The Local, you can choose between shared dorm rooms and private rooms. You can see our rooms here, so there’s a pretty wide range of ways to stay depending on your budget and how much you value having a bathroom entirely to yourself.
LIC is a particularly good fit if you:
If your dream New York trip is waking up to views of New Jersey, fending off droves of lookyloos coming in and out of your hotel, or lining up with other tourists at Starbucks for your morning coffee, LIC may not be what you’re looking for.
TBH, that sounds like our living nightmare.
The Local NYC is a hostel in Long Island City, Queens, a few minutes from Manhattan by subway.
We’ve been here since 2013 and have spent more than a decade sending guests to our favorite restaurants, bars, parks, museums and strange little corners of New York.
If you stay with us, ask the front desk where to go. We have opinions.