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Yonkers
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Yonkers, New York pairs Hudson River views with industrial history, Untermyer gardens, museums, diverse dining and easy access to New York City.

A River City with Industrial Roots

Yonkers stretches along the eastern bank of the Hudson River just north of New York City, combining metropolitan connections with a more local, varied character. Its waterfront, steep hills and inland valleys reflect a city shaped by geography and industry: the Saw Mill River once powered mills and factories, while the Hudson carried people and goods past the growing settlement. Today, traces of that past remain in historic districts, former industrial sites and the grand Philipse Manor Hall, while newer development has brought restaurants, apartments and public spaces to the riverfront.
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Gardens, Museums and Neighbourhood Life

The city’s most distinctive cultural experiences range from the Hudson River Museum, with its regional art, history and planetarium, to Untermyer Park and Gardens, whose formal terraces and views towards the Hudson reveal the ambition of the former Greystone estate. Getty Square is Yonkers’ traditional civic and commercial centre, with a multilingual, multicultural atmosphere and frequent local activity. Downtown waterfront streets, the revitalised Saw Mill River corridor and the small-business districts along Nepperhan Avenue offer a different perspective from the suburban shopping environment of Cross County and Ridge Hill.

A Northern Gateway to the Hudson Valley

Yonkers rewards visitors who explore it as a collection of distinct landscapes rather than a single compact centre. River views, wooded parks and historic properties sit within reach of Metro-North trains, making the city practical to combine with New York City while retaining its own identity. Its cultural life is grounded in Westchester County’s diversity, its industrial inheritance and its position at the meeting point of urban neighbourhoods and the wider Hudson Valley.

When is the best time to visit Yonkers?

Best: May–June, September · 21–27°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January390
February480
March9102
April16102
May (best)21107
June (best)27107
July29114
August29109
September (best)24112
October1897
November1197
December499

Getting to and around Yonkers

How to get there

Yonkers is most conveniently reached by Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line from Grand Central Terminal, with the Yonkers station close to the Hudson waterfront and Getty Square. Amtrak’s Empire Service also stops at Yonkers on selected routes along the Hudson corridor. By road, Interstate 87, the New York State Thruway, and the Saw Mill River Parkway connect the city with New York City, Westchester and the wider Hudson Valley, although traffic can be heavy. Westchester County Airport is the nearest commercial airport, while John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports provide broader international connections. Bee-Line buses link Yonkers with other parts of Westchester and nearby communities.

Transportation

Yonkers is spread across riverfront, hillside and inland neighbourhoods, so local journeys can take longer than the city’s proximity to Manhattan suggests. The waterfront and Getty Square can be explored on foot, but Untermyer Park and some residential districts involve steep streets. Bee-Line buses provide the main public transport within the city and across Westchester, while taxis and app-based services are useful for cross-town trips. Driving is practical for reaching dispersed attractions and shopping areas, though parking and congestion require planning, particularly around major retail sites. Metro-North is primarily a regional rail service rather than an all-purpose local network.

Best attractions in Yonkers

Yonkers offers a varied set of attractions across its riverfront, historic centre and hillside neighbourhoods. The Hudson River Museum combines regional art, Hudson Valley history and a planetarium, making it a useful introduction to the landscape beyond the city. At Untermyer Park and Gardens, formal terraces, classical architectural features and sweeping river views occupy the former grounds of Greystone, a Gilded Age estate. Philipse Manor Hall adds colonial history in the centre of Getty Square, while the nearby Saw Mill River corridor reveals how a once-buried waterway shaped industry and urban renewal. Families and curious adults can explore hands-on science at the Science Barge, a floating environmental education centre on the Hudson, when programmes are operating. Yonkers Raceway and Empire City Casino provide a large-scale entertainment option, while Cross County and Ridge Hill offer shopping, dining and open-air public spaces rather than traditional heritage sightseeing.

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Best landmarks in Yonkers

Philipse Manor Hall is Yonkers’ defining colonial landmark, an eighteenth-century mansion connected to the powerful Philipse family, Loyalism during the American Revolution and the history of enslaved labour in the region. Untermyer Park’s Grecian Garden, dramatic stairways and classical details belong to the former Greystone estate and demonstrate the scale of Gilded Age ambition along the Hudson. Yonkers City Hall, built during the city’s period of late nineteenth-century growth, represents the civic confidence of an industrial municipality, while the Hudson River Museum gives the waterfront a modern cultural landmark rooted in regional art and history. The Saw Mill River itself is also a significant urban feature: sections once confined underground have been restored to visibility, recalling the waterpower that supported Yonkers’ mills and factories. Together these sites chart the city’s transition from colonial estate country to industrial city and contemporary riverfront community.

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Explore Yonkers on the map

Plan your Yonkers trip on one map. See where the top attractions, landmarks, restaurants, bars and hotels are, find what's near where you're staying, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Best restaurants in Yonkers

Yonkers’ dining scene reflects the city’s long history of immigration and its position within the New York metropolitan area. Getty Square and Nepperhan Avenue are strong areas for Latin American, Caribbean, West African and South Asian flavours, alongside bakeries, cafés and casual restaurants serving local communities. Italian-American traditions remain visible in family-run establishments and pizzerias, while newer dining rooms and food businesses have added further variety around the waterfront and Ridge Hill. The city is well suited to informal eating, from takeaway dishes and bakery counters to sit-down meals, rather than a narrowly defined regional cuisine. Farmers’ markets and seasonal local food events can provide Hudson Valley produce, although their timing changes. Menus and payment practices vary widely between small businesses, so expectations should be based on the individual establishment rather than on a uniform citywide dining pattern.

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Best bars in Yonkers

Yonkers’ evening life is more varied and neighbourhood-based than club-centred. Waterfront and downtown restaurants provide places for a relaxed drink or dinner, while bars around Getty Square and Nepperhan Avenue tend to reflect the city’s diverse local communities and often offer music, televised sport or late informal gatherings. Larger entertainment is associated with Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, which has gaming, live events and dining alongside its primary attractions, subject to applicable age and venue rules. Cultural evenings can include programmes at the Hudson River Museum and performances in Westchester venues, though schedules are event-specific. The city has fewer concentrated nightclub streets than Manhattan, and some areas become quiet outside business and event hours, making local transport planning useful after dark.

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Best nightclubs in Yonkers

Yonkers’ evening life is more varied and neighbourhood-based than club-centred. Waterfront and downtown restaurants provide places for a relaxed drink or dinner, while bars around Getty Square and Nepperhan Avenue tend to reflect the city’s diverse local communities and often offer music, televised sport or late informal gatherings. Larger entertainment is associated with Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, which has gaming, live events and dining alongside its primary attractions, subject to applicable age and venue rules. Cultural evenings can include programmes at the Hudson River Museum and performances in Westchester venues, though schedules are event-specific. The city has fewer concentrated nightclub streets than Manhattan, and some areas become quiet outside business and event hours, making local transport planning useful after dark.

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Best shops in Yonkers

Shopping in Yonkers ranges from multicultural local commerce to large suburban retail complexes. Getty Square is the traditional commercial heart, with independent shops, food businesses, salons and services reflecting the city’s diverse population. Nepperhan Avenue provides further everyday shopping and dining, while Cross County Shopping Center is a major regional destination with mainstream retailers, restaurants and open-air areas. Ridge Hill offers a more recent mixed-use environment combining shops, food outlets, entertainment and public space. Visitors seeking distinctive purchases are more likely to find them in specialist food shops, bakeries and locally owned businesses than in a single signature craft market. Hudson Valley produce and regional food products may appear at seasonal farmers’ markets, but dates and vendors vary. Shopping districts are spread out, so public transport or a car can be useful when combining them.

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Yonkers essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the United States dollar (USD). Credit and debit cards are widely used in shops, restaurants, museums and transport-related businesses, and contactless payment is increasingly common, though smaller independent businesses may still prefer or require a physical card or cash. ATMs are available in commercial districts, shopping centres and bank branches; international visitors should check whether their card issuer applies foreign-exchange or withdrawal fees. Sales tax is added at the till rather than included in displayed prices. In restaurants and bars, tipping is customary for table service, with the amount generally based on the quality of service and the pre-tax bill.
Safety
Normal urban precautions are appropriate in Yonkers. Keep valuables secure on trains and buses, remain aware in crowded commercial areas and avoid displaying large amounts of cash. The waterfront, Getty Square and established shopping districts have regular activity, while quieter hillside streets and park areas can feel isolated after dark; use well-lit routes and arrange transport when returning late. Take care on steep pavements and at road crossings, especially near busy arterial roads. Visitors should follow posted guidance in parks and cultural sites, keep personal belongings within sight and seek current local advice if attending a large public event.
Emergency Situations
Call 911 for police, fire or urgent medical assistance anywhere in Yonkers and throughout the United States. Give the dispatcher the exact street address or a clear landmark, explain the nature of the emergency and remain on the line until told to disconnect. For non-urgent police matters, use the Yonkers Police Department’s non-emergency channels rather than 911. Emergency departments and urgent-care services operate in the surrounding Westchester area, but visitors should check their travel insurance and understand that medical treatment in the United States can be expensive. Pharmacies can advise on minor ailments, but severe symptoms require emergency assistance.
Do's and Don'ts
Queue politely for trains, buses and counters, and allow passengers to leave public transport before boarding. In restaurants, table service normally carries an expectation of a tip, while counter-service arrangements differ; check the bill for any automatically added gratuity before paying. Ask permission before photographing people, homes or private events, and respect signs and barriers at historic properties and gardens. Yonkers is culturally diverse, so avoid assuming that one neighbourhood or community represents the whole city. Do not trespass on private waterfront or industrial land, and take particular care around roads, railway tracks and steep park paths.
Local Tips
Plan by district: the Metro-North station, Getty Square, the Hudson River Museum and Untermyer Park are not arranged along one simple level walking circuit. The daylighted Saw Mill River corridor offers an urban alternative to the waterfront, while Getty Square and Nepperhan Avenue provide a stronger sense of everyday commercial life than the large shopping complexes. Museum and historic-property schedules can vary, so verify details before travelling. For broad Hudson views, combine a riverside visit with one of the city’s elevated parks, but allow extra time for hills and local bus connections.
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From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHey[Hey]
GoodbyeLater[Lay-ter]
YesYeah[Yeah]
NoNah[Nah]
Please/You're welcomePlease/No problem[Please/No prob-lem]
Thank youThanks[Thanks]
Excuse me/Sorry‘Scuse me/Sorry['Skews me/Sor-ry]
How are you?How you doin'?[How you doin'?]
Fine. And you?Good. You?[Good. You?]
Do you speak English?You speak English?[You speak En-glish?]
I don't understandI don't get it[I don't get it]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu, please[Can I see the menu, please]
I don't eat meatI don't eat meat[I don't eat meat]
Cheers!Salut![Sa-lut!]
I would like to pay, pleaseCheck please[Check please]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![Help!]
Go away!Get lost![Get lost!]
Call the Police!Call the cops![Call the cops!]
Call a doctor!Get a doctor![Get a doctor!]
I'm lostI'm lost[I'm lost]
I'm illI'm sick[I'm sick]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[I wanna buy...]
I'm just lookingJust looking[Just looking]
How much is it?How much?[How much?]
That's too expensiveToo much[Too much]
Can you lower the price?Can you do better?[Can you do bet-ter?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time is it?[What time is it?]
It's one o'clockIt's one[It's one]
Half past (10)Ten thirty[Ten thir-ty]
MorningMorning[Morning]
AfternoonAfternoon[Afternoon]
EveningEvening[Evening]
YesterdayYesterday[Yesterday]
TodayToday[Today]
TomorrowTomorrow[Tomorrow]
1One[One]
2Two[Two]
3Three[Three]
4Four[Four]
5Five[Five]
6Six[Six]
7Seven[Seven]
8Eight[Eight]
9Nine[Nine]
10Ten[Ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's the...?[Where's the...?]
What's the address?What's the address?[What's the address?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Show me on the map[Show me on the map]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next (bus)?[When's the next (bus)?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket to ...[A ticket to ...]

History of Yonkers

Lenape Homeland and Hudson Shore

Before European settlement, the lower Hudson Valley was home to Lenape communities whose economies and seasonal movements were closely connected to the river, forests and waterways. The Saw Mill River, known historically as the Nepperhan, ran eastwards through the area before reaching the Hudson. Dutch colonisation altered these established patterns during the seventeenth century, bringing new land claims, farming and trade while creating long-lasting changes in population and land ownership. Yonkers’ later urban form developed on this coastal and riverine geography, although much of the earlier Indigenous landscape was transformed or obscured by private estates, roads and industry.

The Van der Donck Settlement

Adriaen van der Donck, a Dutch lawyer and landowner, acquired a large patroonship in the area in the 1640s. His estate, known as De Jonkheer, is generally associated with the name Yonkers, derived from the Dutch title for a young nobleman. Van der Donck’s settlement and agricultural enterprise formed part of the Dutch colonial network along the Hudson, though his ambitions were disrupted by political tensions and conflict between Dutch authorities and Indigenous peoples. The Dutch presence was absorbed into English rule after the transfer of New Netherland in 1664, beginning a new phase of colonial administration and landholding.

Philipse Manor and Colonial Power

The Philipse family built a powerful estate in the eighteenth century after acquiring extensive lands in the lower Hudson Valley. Philipse Manor Hall in Yonkers, whose surviving structure dates largely from the 1740s, served as the family’s seat and a centre of local authority. The estate depended on agriculture, commerce and enslaved labour, an important part of Yonkers’ colonial history that should not be separated from the building’s architectural significance. During the American Revolution, the Philipse family’s Loyalist position led to the confiscation of its property. Manor Hall later became a civic and governmental building and remains one of the clearest physical links to the city’s colonial past.

Mills, Canals and Early Industry

The Saw Mill River gave Yonkers an early industrial advantage, providing waterpower for mills and workshops before steam and electricity transformed production. In the nineteenth century, the river corridor supported factories connected to textiles, carpets, metalwork and other manufacturing. The Hudson River added a vital transport route, while roads and railways strengthened links with New York City and communities farther north. Industrial expansion brought workers, immigrants and denser neighbourhoods, changing Yonkers from a largely rural and estate-based settlement into a manufacturing town. The buried and daylighted sections of the Saw Mill River still trace this relationship between natural watercourses and urban development.

The City and the Carpet Industry

Yonkers was incorporated as a city in 1872 during a period of rapid population growth and industrial investment. The Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company became one of its best-known employers, producing carpets on a large scale and attracting workers from many backgrounds. Otis Elevator also established major manufacturing operations in Yonkers, linking the city to the development of modern vertical transport and urban architecture. These industries helped create working-class districts, civic institutions and a more complex social life, while industrial wealth supported substantial public and private buildings. Their decline in the twentieth century left a legacy of factories, neighbourhood traditions and redevelopment challenges.

Suburban Change and Urban Renewal

During the twentieth century, Yonkers experienced the pressures affecting many older industrial cities near New York City: manufacturing employment contracted, automobile-oriented development expanded and neighbourhoods changed through migration. The Cross County Shopping Center, opened in 1954, represented the post-war shift towards regional retail and car access, while the Hudson waterfront and former industrial areas became subjects of later redevelopment. Public institutions such as the Hudson River Museum and restored historic properties broadened the city’s cultural profile. Contemporary Yonkers remains socially diverse and economically varied, with its identity shaped by both industrial memory and its continuing links to the New York metropolitan region.

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Yonkers

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  • History of Yonkers and travel essentials
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Welcome to Yonkers, New York! With Evendo, your trip to this vibrant city will be nothing short of extraordinary. Imagine exploring the rich history of Yonkers at the Hudson River Museum, capturing breathtaking views at Untermyer Park and Gardens, or indulging in local cuisine at X20 Xaviars on the Hudson. Evendo offers detailed information on all the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities, ensuring you don't miss a thing.

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