Yonkers, New York

It’s hard to believe that you can find anywhere close to NYC that doesn’t feel like the crowded streets of Manhattan, but then again, a lot of people forget about the city’s sixth unofficial borough. Driving or walking through Yonkers is like stepping back into a mini-time machine. It may feel like 20 or so odd years behind Manhattan’s trend curve, but there’s a lot to love about the city! Most notably, Yonkers is great for weekend warriors and those who love cities with a splash of nature thrown in. You can run in Tibbets Park, take in nature in Untermeyer, enjoy a peaceful moment in Lenoir Preserve, or just go downtown and take in the view from the Hudson. All this comes with just a 30-40 minute train ride into the city if you choose to commute.

We know it’s not in the mountains or anything, but the seven hills on which Yonkers is built are no joke. And in the winter? You’re in for a snowy surprise. Yonkers is known by residents for not having the most attentive snow removal services. Yes, there are bad drivers in any weather, but the hills combined with the snow and ice make Yonkers a winter driving nightmare. To make the winter a little less miserable, grab some snow tires and leave a little extra room when driving around town.
Ute ride to Grand Central Terminal. The ability to access the Hudson Valley is great as well.

Yonkers is a commuter city. There is the 20 bus that can get you almost everywhere you want to go. While locals commute by bus and train for work, it would be difficult to live in the city without a car. Most of the people who live here commute into Manhattan for work, and they love being able to leave the craziness of the city behind and find respite in cozy Yonkers. The variety of neighborhoods and homes reflects the diversity of the city. You can find large mansions in Northeast Yonkers and then find an apartment close to everything you need in Dunwoodie.

To see what locals get up to for fun in Yonkers, check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Yonkers and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

Yonkers is in an interesting place, work-wise, because of its reputation as a commuter city. Many of the residents choose to live in Yonkers instead of Manhattan for peace and quiet, but it means that there aren’t many large corporations or headquarters in the city. If you ask locals, that’s the best part about it! The largest employer is Yonkers Raceway, a city landmark originally famous for horse racing that eventually became the Yonkers Raceway and Empire City Casino.