The Bronx — Birthplace of Hip-Hop
The Bronx is New York's northernmost borough and has an undeserved bad reputation. Yes, parts of the South Bronx were devastated in the 1970s and 80s — but today the Bronx is more vibrant, culturally richer, and safer than it has been in decades. And: This is where hip-hop was born.
Hip-Hop History
On August 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc hosted a party in the community room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx — and invented what we now call hip-hop: He isolated the breakbeats from funk records and extended them. Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and the Sugarhill Gang followed. The Bronx is the birthplace of a global cultural movement. The Universal Hip Hop Museum (since 2023, at Bronx Point on the Harlem River) tells this story.
Yankee Stadium
The home of the New York Yankees — the most legendary baseball team in the world (27 World Series titles). A baseball game at Yankee Stadium is a quintessential American experience: hot dogs, beer, the seventh-inning stretch, and 50,000 fans singing "New York, New York." Tickets start at $15 for upper deck seats. The season runs from April to October.
Bronx Zoo
One of the largest zoos in the world (107 hectares, over 6,000 animals). The Congo Gorilla Forest, Tiger Mountain, and the World of Reptiles are highlights. Admission: $33.95 (Wednesdays Pay-What-You-Wish!). New York Botanical Garden (next door, $28): 100 hectares with the famous main greenhouse (Enid A. Haupt Conservatory) — especially spectacular in spring during the orchid show.
Arthur Avenue — The Real Little Italy
Forget Little Italy in Manhattan (touristy and expensive). The Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is the real Italian neighborhood of New York: handmade pasta, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto from the hook, espresso from the coffee bar, and grandmas filling cannoli next door. The Arthur Avenue Retail Market (indoor market since 1940) is a food lover's paradise. Everything is cheaper than in Manhattan and a hundred times more authentic.
