New York City / Staten Island, New York

There’s lots to love about Staten Island; the Greenbelt, the amazing pizza, the four bridges (especially the Verrazano-Narrows) but the coolest part about the island has to be the ferry. First off, it’s free. Also, there’s beer, wine and cocktails. Perhaps most importantly though are the views. It’s easy to forget the glory of living in NYC but the views from the ferry and the experience of getting places by water is truly one of a kind and a constant reminder of the beauty of the city.

Note from a local on living here: It depends where you live. The north shore is a bit more like Brooklyn just in terms of the concentration of people and their proximity to businesses.If you are living on a residential block in most of the island it's pretty peaceful. Most things are accessible on the Island too. I think being centrally located geographically is ideal due to proximity to Costco, multiple highways, the mall, and multiple hospitals.

In spite of early promises the NYC subway system never made it to Staten Island. This means traffic is stacked first thing in the morning until into your night. The density of housing combined with heavy traffic and a culture that rewards expressions of attitude means you’re going to find some serious vibes out on the roads of Staten Island. Our advice? Keep moving and make decisions quickly.

Here's a local's pov on the car/driving thing: Biggest con I think is going to be the need for car to get around, the commute into the city. I live as far North Shore as you can, I can see the Verrazano from my house, and work around Madison Square Park. Express bus to work is easily 1 hour one way, typically longer. If you live Mid island or god forbid south shore and are a commuter, you are in my prayers.