What to drink. Beer. Until recently, the Bohemian Hall, built in 1910, was the only beer garden in the city. While others have cropped up around town, it’s hard to beat the bar’s shady, walled-off courtyard and lively atmosphere. We stopped by on a hot afternoon and cooled off with samples of ice-cold BrouCzech and the Bernard Bohemian lagers.

What to eat. Everything. With so much good food in the neighborhood, we turned to Mackenzi Farquer, the owner of the neighborhood blog We Heart Astoria, for recommendations. For a taste of classic Astoria, she suggested the “The Bomb” sandwich at Sal, Kris, and Charlie’s Deli. It’s loaded with just about every deli meat you can imagine and weighs over a pound. To sample the neighborhood’s Middle Eastern fare, head to Mombar, “an Astoria institution,” or Duzan, for the best hummus in the area, Ms. Farquer said. Newcomers worth checking out, she said, include the “millennial go-to” Flattops, where we tried the sweet and tangy Cap’n Crunch popcorn chicken. She raved about the crème brûlée doughnut at Astoria Provision, which recently opened near the ferry terminal. It was yummy, yes, but we preferred their freshly baked rum cake topped with walnuts and a side of homemade mint chip ice cream.

What to see. Waterfront parks. Before you hop back on the ferry, take in the sweeping views of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge and Hell Gate Bridge at Astoria Park. Or meander through the artwork at the Socrates Sculpture Park and watch artists create and install work on the grounds.

How to get there: Take the Astoria ferry route to the last stop. Travel time from Wall Street/Pier 11 is about 50 minutes.