Welcome to the Neighborhood: Yonkers, NY

In the name of small scale adventure, I’m spending one day each month exploring an area in or around New York City that I’ve never been to before. Welcome to the neighborhood. 

I flew back from my grandma’s funeral the evening of Saturday, June 6 and somewhere between security and the M60 bus, I realized that the next day would be the only weekend day I’d have in New York all month. If I wanted small scale adventure, I needed to have fast paced planning. 

When I came up with this monthly series, one of the first neighborhoods I researched was Yonkers. As I read about Untermyer Park and Gardens (more on that later), I filed it under “a warm month tour.” That’s how, at 11:00 PM on very little sleep, I began to plan my spontaneous, solo Welcome to the Neighborhood. 

Yonkers is the third largest city in New York State—behind New York City and Buffalo and slightly above Rochester—and the largest city in Westchester County. Per the official Yonkers website, “Ten Metro North Railroad stations serve Yonkers; five major highways connect Yonkers with the rest of Westchester County, New York City, and beyond; and Yonkers has 4.5 miles of beautiful Hudson River waterfront.” 

Yonkers first came onto my radar the same way it does many transplants. In 2016, when I was filling out a tax form, I was hit with the classic New York question—”do you live in Yonkers?” For a decade, I’ve wondered why Yonkers gets this shoutout on the first page of the NYC tax form and in writing this blog, I finally found the answer. Courtesy of New York 1, “Like New York City, Yonkers imposes a separate income tax, a local income tax, on top of your federal income tax, on top of your state income tax. And Yonkers and New York City are the only two cities that do that.” I still don’t know that I really understand, but because I don’t live in Yonkers and because my dad does my taxes, let’s move on.

I started my day back on that M60 bus headed to the Harlem Metro North station. I caught a 9:36 train that dropped me off, not at Yonkers, but at Greystone (2 stops north) at 10:04. It’s the kind of quick train ride where I’ve barely gotten settled or dug into my book before I realize I need to start paying attention to the passing stations. In reality, I spent most of the time staring out the window, watching myself woosh past the Hudson.

At Greystone, I began my 10 minute walk that turned into a 15 minute ascent up to Untermyer Gardens—the belle of the ball. From the informational brochure I picked up at the garden—”Once called America’s most spectacular garden, Untermyer Gardens was created in 1917 by Samuel Untermyer on the grounds of his Greystone estate overlooking the Hudson River. Today’s garden comprises 43 cultivated and woodland acres and combines exceptional horticulture, monumental architecture, and multicultural design in a majestic natural setting.” 

The brochure continues with some history about our friend Samuel, “Born in Lynchburg, Virginia to a German-Jewish family, [Samuel] moved in 1868 with his siblings and widowed mother to New York City… A progressive who campaigned for women’s suffrage and economic reform, fought antisemitism, and led the American resistance to Adolf Hitler as early as 1933, he became one of the most successful lawyers in America.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I finally reached the gates of this stunning park. I found a pair of volunteers (who gave me the aforementioned brochure) and gave me their suggestion for a self-guided tour. Start at the Walled Garden (“the finest Indo-Persian garden in the Western Hemisphere”) and then the Persian Pool (“restoration completed in 2023…its coping is topped with a series of bronze plaques engraved with Persian poems”) and then the Meadow, the Vista, the Vegetable Garden and Orchard. There’s a Rhododendron Walk and a Ruin Garden and a (mercifully shaded) Woodland Trail.

The Stumpery is “approximately 150 upended tree stumps… gathered to form the basis of a whimsical woodland garden.” The pièce de résistance, though is the Temple of Love. “This stunning cantilevered aerie provides a glorious view of the Hudson River and Palisades and is the centerpiece of an extensive series of rock gardens. Waterfalls cascade through the rocks to the pool below and the whole structure is elaborately planted. A narrow staircase of rock and various stone bridges lead to the top of the Temple.” 

Sincerely, I could write about Untermyer all day. A friend had texted me that morning and when I told her where I was going, she said to report back on if it was worth the trip. Within five minutes of being on the grounds, I texted, “already worth it.” As I trekked deeper into the park, it became more magical at every turn. 

This was my first solo Welcome to the Neighborhood and having the quiet time to sit, reflect, and just be in nature felt really special. I also never really felt alone. I met a young woman in the Walled Garden who offered to take a picture for me and every couple or family I crossed paths with met me with gentle smiles and head nods. 

And then there was the couple I kept bumping into. At one point, they were taking a photo which I offered to take for them. I saw them much later from a different path and wondered where they’d been. They must have stopped for a bit, I decided. The woman was on the phone. Something about still being at the park. When we arrived together to the Temple of Love, I saw her take a photo with her left hand outstretched in front of the waterfall. That’s when it all clicked. 

She approached, “Would you mind taking a photo for us? We just got engaged!!” The man chimed in, “Yeah; we weren’t engaged last time we saw you!!” The joy I felt for these two strangers as I snapped photos for them was palpable. I was ready to pop champagne. It was truly the perfect start to a perfect day and I left the garden holding their love and joy with me as I walked south about a mile and a half to my next destination—the Hudson River Museum. (I did randomly stop and tour a house that was for sale, not because I’m looking to buy but simply because I was there and they were there with balloons and an open house sign. Shoutout to those realtors; I had a blast!)  

Back to business. The Hudson River Museum’s mission is to engage, inspire, and connect diverse communities through the power of arts, sciences, and history. The museum had a collection on the Hudson River School, a group of American artists who explored Romantic themes of the wild beauty of nature from the 1830s to 1880s. The Hudson River School has been on my radar for a few years now ever since my dad planned a trip to Hudson, New York to see Olana State Historic Site. (My dad loves Frederic Church.) 

My favorite piece, though, was “The Bookstore” by Red Grooms. “With its amusing details and exploding perspectives, it has been a beloved highlight of the museum for more than 40 years.” You can actually walk inside this art piece. “This brightly colored sculpto-pictorama combines the energy and wonder of Mendoza’s Book Company, the oldest secondhand bookshop in New York City before it closed in 1990, with the elegant decor of the stately and scholarly Pierpont Morgan Library.” I was completely tickled. 

There are a couple things you can add on to your museum experience, one of which is a 45-minute guided tour of Glenview Historic Home, an 1877 Gilded Age home on the National Register of Historic Places. I was intrigued but the timing worked out better for me to indulge in a different add on—the planetarium. 

My senior year of high school I took astronomy class which meant every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I started my day leaning back into the night sky. Surely, I’ve been to a planetarium since, but I was hard pressed to remember when. With a half hour before the show began and a sudden realization that I had not planned my nutrients well for this trip, I headed to the bookstore for a snack. To my complete delight, I realized the brownie was from Greyston Bakery, a Yonkers bakery that has the internet raving with their vegan options. Greyston is closed on Sundays—when I was visiting—so I was extra thrilled to still be able to partake in this Yonkers tradition. Fudge brownie? 10/10.

The planetarium show was fantastic. Don’t get me wrong, getting off my feet and into an air conditioned space was much needed. But moreso, seeing the sky zoom in and out helped me put back into perspective my own worries and fears. In a video note I left myself upon leaving the museum, “I just know I am one of those people who, if I went to space, I would just absolutely lose my mind. I mean, I just watched a couple stars and now I’m like [fake crying] ‘Oh, everything is so beautiful. So significant!’ … I’m going to go get some food.” 

It was just under a mile and a half to downtown Yonkers. The closer I got to the city, the more Puerto Rican flags and apparel I saw. I figured there must be something going on, but I was hot, tired, and hungry. I could see the restaurant I’d picked for my meal, but, like any solo traveler beholden to nobody, I saw one last detour—Philipse Manor Hall, a state historic site. 

Even though my stomach was grumbling, I found myself walking through the door. From the brochure—”Philipse Manor Hall was used by four generations of the Philipse family from the 1680s until the American Revolution. Profiting from the fur trade, the slave trade, tenant farming, and international shipping, the Philipses were once the wealthiest family in New York. Worked by enslaved African captives and European tenant farmers, Philipse Manor lands grew to more than 200,000 acres before the Philipses lost it all as Loyalists in the Revolution. Learn about the people of Philipse Manor and the complex relationships between European, Indigenous Munsee Lunaape, and African residents of colonial New York.” 

I chatted with the lovely woman working the museum and as they were within an hour of closing, she told me to just go explore, no charge. I did, however, come back and purchase a few birthday gifts at the museum store. While I definitely didn’t give the museum the time it deserves (it’s so much bigger than it looks), it was fun to at least briefly pop around the oldest building in Yonkers. 

Finally, I crossed the street to Khangri Japanese restaurant. I ordered sweet potato sushi (my favorite) and probably the best tofu teriyaki I’ve ever had in my life. I would hop on a train to Yonkers again if for no other reason than to come back to Khangri. At Khangri, with my phone battery and personal energy running low, I did a quick search on Yonkers + Puerto Rico. It was the Puerto Rican Parade and Festival. 

I’d missed the parade, but I hadn’t missed the party. 

Just outside the train station were vendors and dancing and laughter and music. I stopped near the library and was treated to Christian Alicea, a Grammy-nominated Puerto Rican artist who, per Billboard, primarily creates “Latin tropical music with a strong focus on modern salsa.” Y’all, the horns! I could have listened to him all day. (And, in fact, I did listen to him the entire train and bus ride home.)

Eventually, I pulled myself away from the music for one last stop—Sheza Coffee House. This is a second location for Sheza (the original being in the Bronx) and it is a stunning environment. A few other folks had mingled over from the Festival and everyone was in high spirits as we laughed and joked like old friends, perusing the extensive tea menu and drooling over baked goods. With one eye on the train times, I ordered a tropical garden herbal tea and bounced up the stairs to head home.

It wasn’t until I was standing on the train platform, 3 minutes to spare, sweating iced tea in my hand, that the fullness of the day came swirling back into view. I woke up, admittedly exhausted, and got dressed anyway. I grabbed a bottled smoothie from the bodega and took the train to a station I’d never heard of before. I probably got sunburnt walking all over Yonkers.

I met a newly engaged couple. I let my mind wander at the planetarium. I ate an entire fudge brownie and a small bag of cashews for lunch. I toured an open house because it was there. I speed ran a museum I’d never heard of and I journaled my way through a delicious dinner. I was blown away by music and completely tickled by coffee shop community. 

What a day it was. How lucky I was.

It seemed a little crazy to dive into a neighborhood on a whim but what a beautiful whim it became. For days after, I kept repeating to everyone I’d see how much fun I’d had in Yonkers. 

While part of the fun of my neighborhood tours have been the opportunities they’ve given me to catch up with friends, there was something that felt almost sacred about doing this one solo. 

About halfway through the day, I left myself a voice memo—”Turns out I’m a great hang!” And I meant it! How cool to be 32 and coming into your own and realizing that you enjoy spending time with yourself. That you know what brings you joy (sweet treats and stars and walking farther than necessary). That you know what makes you feel alive (learning and exploring and living). 

I know I have six more neighborhoods to explore this year, but if anyone’s craving tofu teriyaki or a beautiful park, I know just the place.

Welcome to the Neighborhood:

• January: Ossining, New York [Blog & Video]

• February: Ridgewood, Queens [Blog & Video]

• March: North Shore of Staten Island [Blog & Video]

• April: Jackson Heights, Queens [Blog & Video]

• May: Manhattan Perimeter [Blog & Video]