Kew Gardens

To me, Kew Gardens seems to be "the city away from the city," due to its quiet atmosphere and lack of hustle and bustle. Comprised mostly of residential homes and clusters of apartments, Kew Gardens resembles a neighborhood more like that of Westchester County or Hoboken, NJ than New York City. Despite the fact that it is located in New York City, you shouldn't expect too much of the city- much of the nightlife and shopping outlets live outside of its borders, especially in neighboring Brooklyn or Manhattan. If you're looking for more of a laid-back neighborhood that still offers the city at your finger tips, then Kew Gardens may be just the place for you.

A New York City-operated park, Forest Park is 538-acre park with small hills, groves of trees, a carousel that's open during the summer months, walking paths, tennis courts and playgrounds. A spattering of elementary schools makes Kew Garden more kid-friendly than other neighborhoods, and Forest Park only adds to numerous outlets the community has to get away from city life.

One thing I've also appreciated about Kew Gardens is its diversity, which is reflective in its culture and food. A bunch of local eateries and shops resemble African American, Hispanic, Asian and eastern European influences. Though you have to go far for fancy nightclubs, bars and box stores, you really don't have to go all that far for the feel of a local community.

Adjacent to Forest Park, Kew Gardens is an interesting neighborhood with lots of hills and curves, on which there are lovely Tudor and colonial homes, as well as pre-war co-op buildings. Despite the fact that it is part of New York City, it feels like a small town with lots of small mom-and-pop stores in its tiny downtown area. While the majority of the residents are either white or Hispanic, the population is becoming increasingly diverse as more Asians and African Americans are moving here. This ethnic diversity is reflected in the food: the restaurants and shops feature just about any kind of ethnic food. One of the best parts of living in Kew Gardens is that you can enjoy easy access to Forest Park, where you can enjoy swimming, tennis, golf, outdoor concerts, and a myriad of other fun activities. The housing in Kew Gardens comes in a wide variety of prices; co-ops start at around $150,000 while private homes run into the millions. The school district is very good for elementary schools, but the closest high school has not received very good reviews. Public transportation links are diverse and convenient during the day. However, you should note that few trains to Kew Gardens run late at night.

Kew Gardens is a neighborhood in central Queens that is densely populated with residents. It is surrounded by other areas such as Forest Park, Richmond Hill, Briarwood, and Kew Garden Hills. The Queens Borough Hall, the county’s civic center, is located in the neighborhood on Queens Boulevard.

The commerical center for the neighborhood is Lefferts Boulevard between Austin Street and Metropolitan Avenue. The area is very close to New York’s two largest airports, and as a result is home to many of the airport personnel.

Kew Gardens is one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the country. The area is also economically diverse and is predominately lower-middle to upper-middle class, but there are populations from just about every demographic. The local cuisine in the area even portrays the diversity. There are Russian, Italian, Pakistani, Indian, Mexican, and Peruvian dining options available to residents and tourists alike. Whatever type of food you are looking for, it can be found in Kew Gardens.

My best friend from college lived on Queens Blvd right up the road from the E/F station at Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike entrance (nice quick hop to Manhattan on those lines). Being from Northern NJ, I was a bit skeptical about moving into this area with her after school- because everything in NY to me is the "city;" however, I learned quickly. This place is pretty cool- great authentic cultural cuisine (AMAZING roast chicken on the Blvd.) People are friendly; traffic is a bit bustling (located right next to the Grand Central Pkwy for easy access to NYC and Long Island); we live in one of the nice apartments located right on the Blvd, but the side streets across from the tube station are beautiful- it's like you walk out of a bustling central part of town right into a quaint little suburban housing district. The homes are actually quite beautiful, which makes the area a nice work in/live in (as well as take a nice walk in) environment. It is definitely a go go go area that is typical of NY living, so don't expect quiet Pleasantville attitude, but it's a multicultural and joyful experience living here. I'd recommend it for singles and young couples, but I probably wouldn't want to raise my kids here.