Fresh Meadows, NY

Fresh Meadows played a small part in the American Revolution and housed British soldiers during the war. Since then, the neighborhood proves to be diversifying with residents migrating from other parts of the city.

No museums call Fresh Meadows home, so residents and visitors can explore museums like the Godwin-Ternbach Museum and the Louis Armstrong House and Archives Museum, both located a short distance west of Fresh Meadows in the Flushing neighborhood. The Godwin-Ternbach museum features art collections and exhibitions depicting art and sculpture from around the world. The Louis Armstrong House and museum features pieces of his life on display highlighting the greatest jazz musician in the world who called Queens, New York his home. Open Tuesday through Sunday until 5 p.m., the museum provides a great experience for visitors. Adult tickets cost $10 and children under 4 get in for free.

Ali Baba provides the neighborhood with authentic and homemade Afghan and Turkish cuisine. Located on the north side of Fresh Meadows, the restaurant serves both meat and vegetarian dishes like classic lamb kabobs and Turkish meatballs or grape leaves stuffed with rice and seasoned vegetables. Residents and families enjoy eating here because of the reasonable prices and well-prepared authentic fare.

Tokyo Steak and Sushi also finds itself near the north end of the Fresh Meadows neighborhood near the Long Island Expressway. Patrons come here for the authentic Japanese experience and atmosphere. Friendly staff prepare traditional dishes like Yaki Udon and both classic and signature hand-rolled sushi, and the restaurant also has a children's menu. Visitors to the neighborhood of Fresh Meadows enjoy the live hibachi experience the restaurant provides by cooking meals in front of the customers.

There are no bars in the central part of Fresh Meadows neighborhood, so residents frequent the closest bar called Fillmore's Tavern in the Utopia subsection of West Fresh Meadows. The bar provides the main option for a night out for drinks and entertainment. The bar features drink specials every day as well as happy hour until 7 p.m. Admittance costs nothing for special events and live music. The bar also has a menu for those wishing to grab a bite to eat while they hang out with friends and drink and listen to live music.

Transportation in Fresh Meadows can be quite easy to find. Many buses run through the neighborhood because there are no metro lines accessible here. The neighborhood finds itself surrounded by several major highways such as the Long Island Expressway to the north and the Grand Central Parkway to the south. Along the east side of the neighborhood runs Interstate 295, which takes travelers north and south through New York and provides easy access to surrounding states like New Jersey.

Hailing a cab anywhere in the city is a breeze. Fresh Meadows has several cab and car service companies available for local residents and visitors. A cab can easily be hailed from inside Fresh Meadows, with fares starting at $3.50 to go one block. Rides from the center of the neighborhood to the airport start at $50.00 one way.

While Fresh Meadows isn't transportation hub in the city, there are plenty of buses that come through the neighborhood. The QM1, QM5 and QM8 buses all operate in Fresh Meadows among others, and a one-way fare costs $6 payable by cash or MetroCard.

Public parking can be found along the streets in Fresh Meadows quite easily. Fares to park on the street start at $1 per hour paid to a parking meter. Many people choose to take the bus if traveling outside the neighborhood or walk and bike if traveling in and around the area. Biking can be safe even though few designated bike lanes mark the streets.The neighborhood provides a safe environment for walking too.

Uber is available in several parts of New York City, including the neighborhoods of Queens. The lowest fare for the car service costs $20 and goes up to $64 for Uber SUV service.

The neighborhood of Fresh Meadows finds itself surrounded on the east and south ends by Cunningham Park, the largest park in the area. The park features cricket and baseball fields as well as basketball, tennis, volleyball and even bocce ball courts. Football and soccer fields provide even more fun for visitors and residents.

Fitness equipment and hiking provide ample exercise for patrons and children. Enjoy the clean and modern playground equipment throughout the park, and biking paths and running paths wind through the park. Designated dog areas can also be found throughout.

The park provides places to eat and Wi-Fi spots to enjoy. Public bathrooms and spray showers add convenience for those wishing to spend the day at the park. Admittance costs nothing at this dog- and kid-friendly family park.

The cost of living in Fresh Meadows runs lower than neighborhoods in other boroughs of New York City. An average one-bedroom apartment costs on average $1,200. Families enjoy living in the neighborhood because of the affordable housing market and suburban setting.

There are no bars or pubs specifically in Fresh Meadows, so residents venture just outside into neighboring communities to have a beer specifically at a pub, but local restaurants do serve beer and liquor. Local restaurants are the best bet when grabbing a beer since the average beer at a local restaurant costs between $4 to $7, depending on the location and the type of beer. Specialty craft or imported brews runs a little higher, starting at $8 or $9 for a pint. Some bars in surrounding neighborhoods have domestic beer specials starting at $3 a can.

The multitude of bus lines and services in Fresh Meadows provide the most convenient method of transportation in and out of the neighborhood, with a one-way ticket cost of $6. Cab rides also provide a quick means of travel, and one-block cab rides start at $3.50. Uber tends to run much higher, starting at $20 per trip.

Gas prices in Fresh Meadows average at just 5 percent above the New York State average. Gas prices in Fresh Meadows run about 8 percent higher than the national average.

This mostly residential community holds limited choices in the specialty boutique area and only contains a handful of shops, with a majority of stores - mostly chains - clustering along Union Turnpike. Tech Electronics, where the security-conscious have access to a full line of affordable CCTV products including any and all types of cameras, sits on Union Turnpike. The store sells body, dome, infrared, mini and hidden cameras, and other related products and accessories such as DVRs, lenses and power suppliers.

Sophie's Creations proves to be a wonderful specialty jewelry boutique that caters to the more discerning crowd. Patrons enjoy exquisite custom-made jewelry pieces made on-site by the store's friendly designers and jewelry makers. Situated in a convenient location on Union Turnpike, the shop is open until 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday, and is closed on Sunday and Monday.

The main grocery store in the neighborhood, Fresh Meadows Natural Inc., can be found on the corner of 73rd Avenue and 188th Street. Many smaller family-owned-and-operated grocery and deli stores cater to differing crowds, which makes it convenient for residents to take a quick trip to the nearest corner for whatever they need. The many small delis and groceries provide nearly everything residents and visitors desire, but for fresh locally sourced produce, nearby farmers markets include Farmer's Fresh Depot to the north and the Down to Earth Farmers Market in Jamaica.