St. George / Snug Harbor (Tompkinsville)
Staten Island’s cultural North Shore where a free harbor cruise meets botanical sanctuaries and Colombo-style feasts.
Anchored by the St. George Ferry Terminal overlooking Upper New York Bay and Lower Manhattan, Staten Island’s North Shore packs three distinct worlds within a ten-minute bus or train hop. Directly up the hill sit the ornate 1929 St. George Theatre and Victorian hillside homes; ten minutes west along the Kill Van Kull lies the 83-acre Snug Harbor Cultural Center and its breathtaking Chinese Scholar’s Garden; and one stop south in Tompkinsville thrives "Little Sri Lanka," one of North America’s premier South Asian dining corridors.
Must-Visit Spots
New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden
Assembled inside Snug Harbor by 40 master artisans from Suzhou without nails or glue, featuring koi ponds, bamboo paths, and Lake Taihu rockery.
1000 Richmond Terrace
St. George Terminal + S40 Bus
Lakruwana & New Asha
Feast on banana-leaf baked Lamprais, bowl-shaped coconut egg hoppers, deviled chicken, and weekend clay-pot curry buffets.
668 Bay St & 322 Victory Blvd
Tompkinsville (SIR) or St. George Terminal
Historic St. George Theatre
A meticulously restored 1,900-seat Spanish and Italian Baroque theater hosting concerts, comedy, and classic film nights steps from the ferry.
35 Hyatt St
St. George Terminal (SIR / Ferry)
Fort Wadsworth Overlook
Walk 19th-century granite batteries and coastal bluff trails directly beneath the soaring towers of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
210 New York Ave
St. George Terminal + S51 Bus
North Shore Esplanade & Lighthouse Point
Stroll the waterfront boardwalk west from the ferry terminal for uninterrupted sunset views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline.
Richmond Terrace & Bank St
St. George Terminal (SIR / Ferry)
Beso & Flagship Brewing Co.
Share sizzling garlic shrimp and sangria at Beso near the theater, then walk down to Flagship Brewing in Tompkinsville for Staten Island-brewed pints.
11 Schuyler St & 40 Minthorne St
St. George / Tompkinsville (SIR)
Stories from St. George / Snug Harbor (Tompkinsville)
The Hidden Ming Dynasty Oasis Across the Harbor That Feels a World Away
One free ferry ride across Upper New York Bay leads to one of only two authentic classical outdoor Chinese scholar gardens in the United States, complete with bamboo courtyards, koi ponds, and Taihu rockery.
Little Sri Lanka on the Bay: Why Tompkinsville & St. George Are Worth the Ferry Ride Alone
Hop off the free Staten Island Ferry and head up Victory Boulevard and Bay Street for banana-leaf lamprais, bowl-shaped coconut hoppers, and fiery black pork curries.
The $4 Waterfront Commute: How Locals Turn the NYC Ferry & Staten Island Railway Into an Island Hop
For the price of a single subway swipe (or completely free), you can trade fluorescent tunnel platforms for open-air upper decks, 17th-century harbor forts, and Staten Island’s cliffside parks.
Deals in St. George / Snug Harbor (Tompkinsville)
All deals →Free Staten Island Ferry: Skyline & Statue of Liberty Panoramas
The most iconic free harbor boat ride in the world: a 5-mile, 25-minute voyage across Upper New York Bay past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island with breezy open-air promenade decks.