Sip coffee and talk politics at this landmark cafe in Astoria's Little Egypt, a contender for the title of America's first hookah bar.

Head past the aisles of tropical fruit and imported candy at this bodega to discover a hidden, weekends-only taco stand.

Enter the deli, walk until you hit the taxidermy, then order some hot, homey guisado.

This secluded ruin was once a home for exotic plants.

Long the exclusive domain of birds and vagabonds, this little-known Central Park peninsula is open to the public once more.

A living archive of urban activism and space reclaimed.

A bit of retro transportation flair preserved in the world's largest department store.

This abandoned subway station can still be seen on regular commuter trips.

Wine bottle sculpture with a ship's stateroom inside.

A band of aerialists and circus performers putting on incredible shows in East Williamsburg.

Abandoned power station once home to a squatter community, now being developed into an arts center.

The loneliest island in New York.

One of the last few places in Manhattan that employed a pneumatic systemic keeps it on display.

This mosaic dedicated to John Lennon was tended for years by a Beatles super-fan.

Leaf through over 30,000 artists' sketchbooks in what may be the world's largest collection of doodles

Nondescript elevator doors open to reveal a stunning, surreal world.

This former Norwegian sailor's church is slowly being taken over by ramshackle robot musicians.

One of the last Jazz Age "Wonder Theaters" in New York City.

For over 30 years the walls of this Harlem schoolyard have been a gallery of street art by "Kings and better."

The haunting, dilapidated remains of a former poorhouse on Staten Island's Greenbelt.

The original toys that inspired the beloved children's stories are on display at the New York Public Library.

The oldest surviving synagogue in New York City is now a soaring art space.

Home to the infamous "Typhoid Mary" and the worst loss of life in New York's history prior to September 11, 2001.

An unassuming secret door once led to a legendary watering hole.