190th Street (A)
This stop brings you right to beautiful Fort Tryon Park (and within it, the Met Cloisters). Walk a little south and you’ll also get to one of NYC’s cutest hidden neighborhoods: Hudson Heights.
Fort Tryon Park is located in the most elevated part of Manhattan, which means 1) the views are nice and 2) the subway is deeeep, and you have to take an elevator to access the tracks. The park itself is fancy and gives off upper-class-people-on-a-promenade vibe. Expect older white people and designer dogs on tightly winding paths.
Within the park is The Bonnefont, a fancy-looking stone cottage with a fancy-looking restaurant inside. If you’re in the area for The Cloisters, The Bonnefont is a vibe-aligned great choice to pair with your visit.
I was a bit bummed to see that the historical references within the park (plaques and statues) were focused on The Rockefellers, instead of the Native Americans who have roots in this natural landscape. For a park experience more honest about its Indigenous roots, I recommend neighboring Inwood Hill Park.
Hudson Heights
If you’ve got a NYC-know-it-all friend, tell them you’ve got a spot you bet they haven’t been to before.
South of the park and isolated by elevation, Hudson Heights is a hidden neighborhood with a one-block main street (187th street between Fort Washington Ave and Pinehurst Ave).
Here you’ll find The Fountain Bookshop, an ice-cream-serving bookstore, and from the same owners, Dutch Baby Bakery, perfect for brunch, coffee, dinner, you name it.
The Fountain Bookshop.
Dutch Baby Bakery.
There’s also the intriguing Kismat Indian Restaurant, which offers live music, an all-you-can-eat buffet, and karaoke.
Kismat Indian Restaurant.
Tinto.
If you want a classic date-night spot in this tucked-away part of Manhattan, try Tinto for tapas and wine.
Bonus: walk south on Pinehurst towards the 181st A Station and you’ll get nice views of Tudor Architecture.
