Jackson Heights, NY

Jackson Heights was laid out in 1916. It’s believed to be the first garden community built in the United States, with small private parks (called gardens by residents) interspersed with buildings. Eventually, the 7 train connected Jackson Heights with Manhattan, helping the area to grow.

Jackson Heights is home to Bosan Art & Design, an art gallery exhibiting local artwork. Neighboring Elmhurst also has Metal Park, a gallery with cool metal sculptures, and Woodside has Apollonia Gallery NY and Bliss on Bliss Studio, among others.

Most of Jackson Heights’ restaurants are located along Northern Boulevard, though others can be found scattered along neighborhood side streets. The diverse population gives rise to an amazing array of cuisines, from Peruvian, Chinese, Thai, and Indian to vegetarian, Nepalese, and Argentine.

One of the neighborhood’s most popular spots is Pio Pio, an authentic Peruvian place with down-home flavors served in a family atmosphere. Locals love the ceviche, causa de pollo and matador combo. But make sure to save room for some creamy flan for dessert.

Black Thai serves excellent Thai food with a few clever twists. Locals love the Black Thai shrimp rolls, drunken noodles, crispy duck rolls, and curry puffs. Most agree that it’s the restaurant’s attention to detail that makes this place stand out. The beautiful dark décor also makes this a special place to take a date, or get together for a drink with friends.

If you’ve never tried Nepalese food before, Lali Guras gives you a good excuse to check it out. Hearty momos and dumplings are available with a variety of fillings, or try one of their signature curries. Rather than being a drawback, the hole-in-the-wall vibe keeps things down to earth and the focus on the food, where locals agree it belongs.

Since Jackson Heights sits so close to Manhattan, it has many public transportation options, and most locals prefer them to driving. The IRT Flushing Line (also known as the 7 train) operates here as well as Q32, Q33, Q47, Q49, Q53 and Q70 buses.

If you prefer to drive, Interstate 278 (the Brooklyn Queens Expressway) and the Grand Central Parkway are accessible from Jackson Heights. LaGuardia Airport is also nearby. Parking can be tough here; be prepared to drive around a bit or pay for a spot in a parking lot or garage.

Cabs are easy to hail in Jackson Heights, especially near the train station. Uber pickups are also easy to arrange from your phone.

Jackson Heights is very walkable, and it provides several bike lanes, which makes it safe for bikers. Just make sure to be mindful, since traffic can be erratic.

Jackson Heights has four parks for residents to exercise and hang out. Travers Park is popular with families with kids for its large playground, basketball courts, tennis, game tables and numerous picnic tables.

Landing Lights Park makes local doggies happy, with a big area for running and playing and plenty of comfy grass for rolling around. Jackson Heights Canine Wonderland also draws in the pooches for its separate dog runs (in case some dogs are shy or overly aggressive) and plenty of dog waste bags provided. It has no water source, though, so make sure to bring your own water for your dog.

84 Street Park also has a playground for kids, pull-up bars and other exercise equipment, as well as handball, basketball and volleyball courts for fitness buffs and fans of team sports.

All parks are kid- and dog-friendly and free to the public, though there is a suggested donation to be granted the PIN code to enter Jackson Heights Canine Wonderland. Almost all Jackson Heights parks encourage exercising and fitness activities.

Jackson Heights’ cost of living sits higher than the national average, but just slightly lower than New York’s average. A typical one-bedroom apartment goes for around $1,280 per month.

It costs $2.50 to get into Manhattan via subway from Jackson Heights. A beer at a local pub runs around $5, and gas prices sit around 17% higher than the national average here.

Jackson Heights’ shopping districts sit toward its edges, along Astoria Boulevard, and close to 37th Avenue. Though there are some larger chain stores here, like Bed Bath & Beyond and CVS, there are also lots of small boutiques that give a true flavor to the neighborhood. Jackson Heights doesn’t support any high-end or luxury shopping.

India Sari Palace may not seem like it fits into everyone’s life, but the sumptuous fabrics, accessories and jewelry may have you picking up a few gifts for that hard-to-buy-for someone on your list. Inner Peace NYC has flowers and cool gifts for everyone, from adults to children, and Aura Fashions provides Jackson Heights with fashionable men’s and women’s clothing in a friendly, low-cost atmosphere.

Jackson Heights has large grocery chains like Waldbaum’s in some areas, but most of the neighborhood is served by smaller grocers and ethnic stores. Patel Brothers serves Bangladeshi food and grocery items, including incense, rice, flour and chutneys, while Downtown Natural Market provides healthy eaters with fresh produce and natural groceries.

The Jackson Heights Greenmarket happens on Sundays on 34th Avenue and 78th Street, bringing fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods and ethnic treats from around the globe.