The World in One Borough
Nearly half of the people who live in Queens were born outside the United States, and linguists estimate that hundreds of languages are spoken in its neighborhoods. No other place in New York shows so clearly how the city was built by people who arrived from somewhere else. To understand Queens, you first need to know its story.
In this guide we tell you where the name Queens comes from, how two World’s Fairs shaped it, what to see and how to visit it with a local guide.
Last updated: October 22, 2026.
A Queen’s Name and a Rural Past
Queens became a county in 1683 and was named in honor of Catherine of Braganza, the Portuguese-born wife of King Charles II of England. For two centuries it was a land of farms, small villages and marshes. In 1898 it joined Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island to form the City of Greater New York, and the arrival of bridges and the subway in the early 20th century turned it into one of the fastest-growing areas of the city.
Two World’s Fairs and the Unisphere
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the largest park in Queens, was built over an old ash dump to host the 1939 to 1940 World’s Fair. The site hosted a second World’s Fair in 1964 to 1965, which left behind the Unisphere, a stainless steel globe about 140 feet tall that has appeared in films like Men in Black. Between those two fairs, from 1946 to 1950, the United Nations General Assembly met in a building in the park that today houses the Queens Museum.
The International Express
The 7 train crosses Queens on an elevated track from Long Island City to Flushing. In 1999 the White House named it a National Millennium Trail with the nickname “International Express,” because in a single ride it passes through neighborhoods shaped by immigrants from Latin America, South Asia, East Asia and Europe.
The Flavors of Queens
Food is the best way to travel through Queens. Jackson Heights and Corona are known for Latin American and South Asian cooking, from Colombian empanadas to Tibetan momos. Astoria keeps a long Greek tradition of tavernas and bakeries, and Flushing has one of the largest Chinese communities in the city, famous for its dumplings and noodles.
What to See in Queens
In Flushing Meadows Corona Park you will find the Unisphere, the Queens Museum, Citi Field, home of the Mets, and the tennis center where the US Open is played. In Long Island City, Gantry Plaza State Park offers one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline, especially at sunset, and in Astoria the Museum of the Moving Image is a favorite for film lovers.
Queens on the Contrasts Tour
On our New York Contrasts Tour you enter Queens across the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and see the exclusive residential enclave of Malba. You pass the New York Times printing plant and Flushing Meadows Corona Park, with Citi Field and the US Open tennis center, and stop at the Unisphere, one of the most photographed points of the tour. If you prefer a smaller group, choose the VIP Contrasts Tour, and to add Manhattan the same day, the Contrasts Tour + Upper and Lower Manhattan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Queens?
It was named in 1683 in honor of Catherine of Braganza, queen consort of King Charles II of England.
Why is the 7 train called the International Express?
Because it crosses neighborhoods shaped by immigrants from all over the world. It received that name as a National Millennium Trail in 1999.
What is the Unisphere?
A stainless steel globe about 140 feet tall, built for the 1964 to 1965 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Where is the best view of Manhattan from Queens?
Gantry Plaza State Park, in Long Island City, especially at sunset.
Is Queens part of the Contrasts Tour?
Yes. The tour visits Malba, Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the Unisphere.
Related Articles
When the UN Met in Queens: The Forgotten History Behind the NYC Contrasts Tour
The 5 Boroughs of New York: History, What to See and How to Explore Them
New York Contrasts Tour 2026: Complete Guide to the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn
Sources
Sources: Wikipedia, Queens, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Unisphere and 1964 New York World’s Fair; The White House Millennium Council, National Millennium Trails (1999); The Christian Science Monitor, “Why Queens is the Noah’s Ark of languages” (2019); Real’s Tours NYC, New York Contrasts Tour itinerary (realstoursnyc.com). Schedules and itineraries may change.
Real’s Tours NYC is not affiliated with the New York Mets, the Queens Museum or any organization mentioned in this article. Schedules and itineraries may change, so please confirm current details when you book.
