20 Best Things to Do in Flushing, New York

By VacationIdea Staff on September 8, 2022 - Updated

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The area of Flushing, New York has long been a thriving community full of diversity, even from its early days in 1643 as a settlement to modern day. Located within the bustling neighborhood of Queens, around two-thirds of Flushing’s residents are foreign born, with many coming from asia. This has resulted in some delicious Asian cuisine being served in the area. Other than the great food, Flushing is also home to several of New York City’s notable attractions, particularly for any fans of tennis and baseball, as well as those who like visiting botanical gardens, zoos, and more.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1.Queens Museum

The Queens Museum in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park area of Queens, New York showcases a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout the year, as well as an excellent collection of beautiful Tiffany glass. Also featured at the museum is the Panorama, which is a three-dimensional map of the city, constructed for the 1964 World’s Fair and updated regularly. The museum itself was built for the World’s Fair of 1939, housed the United Nations General Assembly for a time, and was used for the 1964 and 1965 World’s Fair.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY 11368, Phone: 718-592-9700

2.Citi Field

For baseball enthusiasts in general, and Mets fans in particular, Citi Field is perhaps one of Flushing’s most iconic attractions. Since 2009, the stadium has been the home field of the New York Mets and formerly the site of New York’s famed Shea Stadium, built back in 1964. In addition to providing a wide variety of seating and amenities for a top-of-the-line baseball viewing experience, Citi Field is also home to the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum. It’s also possible for visitors to take a non-game day guided tour of the stadium, or a choice of more VIP tours on game days.

41 Seaver Way, Queens, NY 11368, Phone: 866-800-1275

3.Things to Do in Flushing, NY: US Open

Each year during the week before Labor Day and the week after, every eye in the world of tennis is on the US Open tournament. This world-famous, prestigious tennis tournament is the last of the professional tennis world’s four major international events. The stakes at the US Open are especially high for any teams or players looking to achieve a “Grand Slam,” gaining a win at each of the four major tournaments. While tickets can get quite expensive for a seat to watch the US Open, it may be worth it for die-hard tennis fans to see the event in person.

Flushing Meadow - Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368, Phone: 718-760-6200

4.Things to Do in Flushing, NY: USTA National Tennis Center

Established in 1881, the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York is the home of both the Louis Armstrong Stadium and the Arthur Ashe Stadium, as well as the site that hosts the prestigious US Open tournament every summer. The iconic stadium also consists of public tennis courts that can be used throughout the remainder of the year and offers several programs for adult and youth players alike. A visit to the USTA National Tennis Center, designated the national tennis court of the United States, is one of the top things to do for die-hard fans and players in Flushing.

Flushing Meadow - Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368, Phone: 718-760-6200

5.Things to Do in Flushing, NY: Queens Zoo

The Queens Zoo is a destination in Flushing for people to watch Andean bears, playful pumas, and the smallest deer in the world among many other animal residents. Pathways wind through the grounds of the zoological park, guiding guests to a wide variety of wildlife, such as South American Andean bears, American bison native to the Great Plains, and the Southern Pudu of Argentina and Chile. In addition to numerous animal habitats, visitors can also view daily sea lion feedings three times a day. The Farmyard also offers a chance for kids to get up close with farm animals.

53-51 111th St, Corona, NY 11368, Phone: 718-271-1500

6.New York Hall of Science, Flushing, NY

The New York Hall of Science is the only “hands-on science center” in New York City, featuring over 450 interactive exhibits in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. The many hands-on exhibits include the award-winning Science Playground that encompasses sixty thousand square feet, the Rocket Park Miniature Golf, and the innovative Design Lab, which provides visitors with a better understanding of the engineering and design process. Housed within one of the city’s few remaining buildings from the 1964 World’s Fair, the New York Hall of Science provides on-site parking and is easily reached from the 7 train.

47-01 111th St, Queens, NY 11368, Phone: 718-699-0005

7.New World Mall, Flushing, New York

The New World Mall is a popular shopping and food destination situated in the middle of downtown Flushing, New York. The cross-hatched, three-story window wall of the mall provides an enhanced appearance on the busiest block in the area. Home to more than one hundred retail shops, as well as a two-story Asian supermarket, there is plenty to browse, explore, and eat in the New World Mall. The building also includes an underground valet parking garage, a karaoke lounge, a food court, and one of the Tri-State area’s largest dim sum restaurants, able to host up to 1,500 guests.

136-20 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11354, Phone: 718-353-0551

8.Things to Do Near Me: Hindu Temple Society of North America

The Hindu Temple Society of North America is an intricately-carved temple to the deity Ganesha, one of the Hindu religion’s most worshipped deities. This beautifully sculpted structure would look at home in Southern India, however, it’s a unique attraction in the suburban area of Flushing in the Queens borough. Popularly referred to as the “Ganesh Temple,” the Hindu Temple Society of North America was built as the country’s first traditional Hindu temple. The temple was constructed in the South Indian temple style, built by temple builders from India and skilled craftsmen, and is to the public seven days a week.

45-57 Bowne St, Flushing, NY 11355, Phone: 718-460-8484

9.Queens Botanical Garden, Flushing, New York

The Queens Botanical Garden is located within the heart of Queens’ Flushing Meadows Park, spanning across almost forty pristine acres of greenery. This sprawling landscape is full of a wide variety of gorgeous plants and is a destination in Flushing, New York for those seeking a place to relax or a family-friendly excursion for all ages. The Queens Botanical Garden consists of an array of themed gardens to explore, including the Rose Garden, the Herb Garden, the Children’s Garden, the Bee Garden, the Unity Garden, the Perennial Garden, the Annual Garden, and the Fragrance Walk, as well as seasonal exhibits.

43-50 Main St, Flushing, NY 11355, Phone: 718-886-3800

10.What to Do Near Me: Flushing Town Hall, Flushing, New York

An 1862 landmark building, the Flushing Town Hall is operated by the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts. Once an abandoned building, the hall is now a thriving community center for the performing and visual arts. The facility is made up of offices, a classroom, a gift shop, an art gallery, a theater/concert hall that seats slightly more than three hundred people, and a garden able to accommodate up to 250 guests for outdoor special events. Flushing Town Hall hosts numerous performances year-round, including dance, theatre, classical music, jazz, and more, as well as interactive art workshops.

137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY 11354, Phone: 718-463-7700

11.Things to Do Near Me: Free Synagogue of Flushing

The Free Synagogue of Flushing was established back in the year 1917 and is the oldest liberal Reform Jewish synagogue located in the New York City borough of Queens. Services at the synagogue are open to anyone who wishes to attend and occur every Friday evening at 7:30pm. In addition to the services, the Free Synagogue of Flushing also offers a beautiful and peaceful garden in the heart of the Flushing neighborhood and the historic landmark boasts gorgeous stained glass windows that attract visitors alone. The synagogue also hosts exciting and fun events and programs year-round.

136-23 Sanford Ave, Flushing, NY 11355, Phone: 718-961-0030

12.Things to Do in Flushing, New York: Voelker Orth Museum

The Voelker Orth Museum is a historic residence once occupied by several generations of the Voelker and Orth families that has now been transformed into a local history museum. The home is maintained as it looked during the time period of Conrad Voelker, the original owner of the house, during the late 1800’s. The grounds of the Voelker Orth Museum also include a bird sanctuary and a Victorian-style garden, which is maintained through authentic gardening techniques used during the eighteenth century. In 2007, the historic Voelker Orth property was designated as a New York City Landmark.

14919 38th Ave, Flushing, NY 11354, Phone: 718-359-6227

13.Things to Do in Flushing, New York: Bowne House Historical Society

The Bowne House Historical Society is housed inside of the historic Bowne House. Constructed by John Bowne back in 1661, it’s the oldest house in the neighborhood of Queens, as well as one of the oldest houses in New York City, built on land purchased from the area’s Matincock Indians. Visitors today can visit the historical home and learn about the Bowne family’s contributions to America, including John Bowne’s courageous life, pushing back against Governor Stuyvesant about religious freedom, as well as paving the way for the right in 1664 for the New York colony and more.

37-01 Bowne St, Flushing, NY 11354, Phone: 718-359-0528

14.Things to Do in Flushing, New York: Bowne Park

Bowne Park in Flushing, New York is a renovated park offering recreational opportunities for people of all ages, consisting of basketball courts, a spray shower, swings, slides, modern playground equipment, and a bocce court with surrounding tables and benches. The parkhouse at Bowne Park houses a community room that also serves as a nursery and there are bench-lined walkways throughout the grounds that offer visitors a place to relax for a while. There is also the chance to see a family of turtles in the park’s pond with a cement turtle statue atop a hill overlooking it.

29th Ave. & 157th St, Flushing, NY 11354, Phone: 212-639-9675

15.Things to Do in Flushing, New York: Queens Historical Society

The Queens Historical Society has been a part of the Flushing area since 1968 and has long been a leader in the community when it comes to researching and documenting information and the history of the Queens borough. The historical society is the largest of its kind in Queens and calls the Kingsland Homestead landmark, one of the borough’s last remaining houses from the eighteenth century, its home. In addition to offering tours of the Kingsland Homestead, the Queens Historical Society also puts on an array of programs open to the public, such as traveling art exhibitions, lectures, and concerts.

14335 37th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354, Phone: 718-939-0647

16.Things to Do in Flushing, New York: Kingsland Homestead

The Kingsland Homestead in the Flushing area of Queens is a historic home that dates back to the eighteenth century. The home of the Queens Historical Society and operating a museum for the public, the homestead also contains what’s left of The Weeping Beach, which is a landmark weeping beech tree thought to have been planted back in the year 1847. While the historic Kingsland Homestead is interpreted as Victorian era, it has also showcases a wide variety of other era exhibits since it was transformed into a museum, such as a World War II exhibit about Queens during the war.

143-35 37th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354, Phone: 718-939-0647

17.Things to Do Near Me: Xian Famous Food, Flushing, New York

Xian Famous Foods in the borough of Queens, New York started out as just a small, 200-square-foot basement food stall inside Flushing’s Golden Shopping Mall. Established in 2005, the restaurant’s original location was the first eatery to bring the little known Xi’an cuisine to the country with its Xi’an “burgers made with housemade flatbread, secret spice mixes, lamb pao mo soup, liangpi “cold skin” noodles, and hand-pulled “biang biang” noodles. This family owned and operated restaurant now offers a unique and authentic dining experience in Flushing and several other locations throughout the city, including Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

41-10 Main St, Queens, NY 11355, Phone: 212-786-2068

18.Things to Do Near Me: Ganesh Temple Canteen, Flushing, New York

The Ganesh Temple Canteen can be found in the basement of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, or Ganesh Temple, in Flushing, New York. Tourists and locals alike visiting one of the nation’s oldest Hindu temples should be sure to stop at the canteen to dine on authentic South Indian cuisine, featuring traditional flavors of chutney, sambar, upma, pongal, dosa, and more. The Ganesh Temple Canteen is responsible for providing devotees with pure vegetarian, delicious food with all-natural spices and flavors. Throughout the year, over one hundred Indian snacks and vegetarian food options can be found at the canteen.

143-09 Holly Ave, Flushing, NY 11355, Phone: 718-460-8493

19.Things to Do Near Me: Piccolo Sogno, Flushing, New York

A destination in Flushing for authentic Italian cuisine, Piccolo Sogno serves a variety of tasty Italian dishes prepared by owner and chef Maurizio within a comfortable and homey atmosphere. The owner of Piccolo Sogno hails from Italy with many years of experience working in some of Lombardia’s best Italian restaurants, which has resulted in the restaurant becoming one of Queens’ most famous restaurants. Blending an attention to detail, hard work, and passion, Piccolo Sogno offers a taste of true Italian flavors.

195-14 47th Ave, Flushing, NY 11358, Phone: 718-224-1717