The Staten Island Ferry passes the Statue of Liberty
The fifth borough, both alphabetically and otherwise, Staten Island is a place that’s often overlooked by visitors—and fellow New Yorkers. On a two-day excursion led by arts journalist Richard Selden, discover an array of cultural and historic treasures that prove this island, roughly the size of Bermuda, deserves to shed its underdog reputation.
Begin at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, the borough’s 19th-century architectural crown jewel turned vibrant cultural center and botanical garden. Amid its stately Greek Revival buildings and landscaped grounds lies one of New York’s hidden gems: the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden, a tranquil haven of pavilions, waterfalls, and winding paths inspired by Ming Dynasty design. A visit to the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, a hilltop retreat modeled after a Himalayan monastery, includes a private reception. At Clear Comfort, the waterfront home of pioneering photographer Alice Austen, step inside a National Historic Landmark that captures both the artist’s spirit and sweeping views of New York Bay.
Tour the lively St. George Historic District, stroll along the South Beach boardwalk with its panoramic vista of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and take in classic harbor views aboard the Staten Island Ferry. As with any New York borough, no visit is complete without sampling beloved local fare, from neighborhood favorites to seaside snacks.
Hotel accommodations are at the Hampton Inn Staten Island.
Know Before You Go
- Cost includes bus transportation, lodging, all activities, and the following meals: 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, and 1 dinner.
- Overnight accommodations are at the Hampton Inn Staten Island.
- Tour departs by bus from the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW, with a pickup stop at DoubleTree by Hilton Laurel, 15101 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, Maryland, at about 8:10 a.m.
- Single-room supplement $100 (factored into the Single Room Member and Single Room Nonmember pricing).
- Singles registering at the double-room rate are paired (on a nonsmoking basis) if possible, but must pay the single-room supplement otherwise.
- Detailed information is emailed to registrants about four weeks prior to departure.
- Participants are advised to purchase travel insurance for overnight and multi-day tours from a provider of your choice. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations.
General Information
- The tour departs by motorcoach from downtown Washington, DC with a designated secondary pick-up outside the city. Content delivered by the study leader on the way to the destination, after the secondary pick-up, is an integral part of the study tour experience. Meeting the group once the tour is en route is discouraged.
- Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
- As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
- For additional tour information:
