40°44′2″N 73°38′21″W

Map of the Garden City area

The Garden City area is known as the "Nassau Hub" due to its central location and concentration of shopping, athletic, and cultural activities. Much of the development is in the hamlet of East Garden City (just outside of the Village of Garden City, within the Uniondale CDP), formerly the site of historic airfields, such as Mitchel Field (also known as Mitchel Air Force Base) and Roosevelt Field. The Village of Garden City holds the main government buildings for Nassau County – although due to a historical anomaly, neighboring Mineola is the county seat.

The development of the Village of Garden City and much of the surrounding area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was largely thanks to the innovative and creative thinking of a wealthy businessman named Alexander Turney Stewart, who built the railway line serving the area (the Hempstead Branch, then the Central Railroad of Long Island) and creating the massive, gorgeous planned community of Garden City.

Considered such a prime, important area, the name of the old hamlet of Plattsdale was changed to Garden City Park around same time as the latter's development – despite also being closely associated with New Hyde Park. Former Nassau County Historian, Richard Winsche, said so.

• 40.7202-73.65171 Adelphi University, 1 South Ave, Garden City. A private university in the Village of Garden City. (updated Apr 2023)

• 40.7286-73.59762 Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Blvd, East Garden City, ☏ +1 516-572-4111. Tu-Su 9:30AM-5PM, and Mondays that fall on holidays and school breaks. Museum devoted to the history of aviation on Long Island. Adult $14, child/senior $12; planetarium shows & dome theater shows: adult $8, child/senior $7; museum and show combo: adult $19, child/senior $17. (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.714606-73.6004583 Hofstra University, Charles Lindbergh Blvd, East Garden City & Hempstead. A private university known for holding several presidential general election debates. The campus, formerly the estate of entrepreneur William S. Hofstra, is maintained as an arboretum (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.724-73.5972224 Mitchel Athletic Complex, 1 Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, East Garden City, ☏ +1 516 742-8000. 49-acre athletic complex used for local sports. (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.722778-73.5905565 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, East Garden City. Former home of the New York Islanders, which was reopened in 2017 after renovations. (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.737778-73.646 Old Nassau County Courthouse, 1550 Franklin Avenue, Garden City. Completed in 1901, now the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building.  
• 40.738056-73.61257 Roosevelt Field Mall, 630 Old Country Road, East Garden City, ☏ +1 516 742-8000. Ask any Long Islander and they will tell you that one of the best shopping areas in Nassau County is Roosevelt Field Mall and the numerous outlets surrounding it. The areas of Garden City, East Meadow, and Carle Place all have numerous shopping centers and two smaller malls: Samanea New York and the Gallery at Westbury Plaza. (updated Apr 2023)

• 40.737673-73.6130761 Roosevelt Field Mall, 630 Old Country Road, East Garden City, ☏ +1 516 742-8000. One of the largest shopping malls in the entire region. Contains many big-name stores, such as Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom's, J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus, etc. (updated Apr 2023)

• Asian Moon. 825 Franklin Avenue. Asian cuisine.
• B.K. Sweeney's Uptown Grille. 636 Franklin Avenue. Pub food and bar.
• Grimaldi's Garden City. 980 Franklin Avenue. Coal-brick oven pizzeria.
• Leo's Restaurant and Bar. 190 7th Street. Pub food and bar.
• Novitá. 860 Franklin Avenue. Italian trattoria and wine bar.
• Orchid. 730 Franklin Avenue. Upscale Chinese cuisine.
• Plancha. 931 Franklin Avenue. Tapas and wine bar.
• Polo Steakhouse^{[dead link]}. 126 7th Street. Upscale steakhouse located inside the Garden City Hotel.
• Revel Restaurant & Bar. 835 Franklin Avenue. American bistro.
• Rustica Brick Oven Cafe. 1 Nassau Boulevard. Italian restaurant.
• Seventh Street Cafe. 126 7th Street. Italian-American cafe.
• Sushi Ya. 949 Franklin Avenue. Japanese cuisine.
• The Burger Spot^{[dead link]}. 150 7th Street. Casual burger restaurant with outdoor seating.
• Walk Street Restaurant. 176 7th Street. American bistro.
• Waterzooi Belgian Bistro & Oyster Bar ^{[formerly dead link]} . 850 Franklin Avenue. Belgian bistro featuring oysters, mussel pots, and beers.

There are many great hotels available in the area. Some of those hotels include:

• 40.724282-73.6406671 The Garden City Hotel, 45 7th St, Garden City, ☏ +1 877 549-0400. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. A luxurious, famous hotel in the heart of the Village of Garden City. Charles Lindbergh even stayed here before his historic transatlantic flight! (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.746324-73.5899262 Hilton Garden Inn Westbury, 1575 Privado Rd, East Garden City, ☏ +1 516 683-8200. A great hotel down the block from the Samanea New York Mall (formerly known as the Mall at the Source). (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.741792-73.6081973 Hyatt Place Garden City, 5 North Ave, East Garden City, ☏ +1 516 222-6277. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.738553-73.6022374 Red Roof Plus Long Island - Garden City, 699 Dibblee Dr, East Garden City, ☏ +1 516 794-2555. An economy hotel down the road from Roosevelt Field. (updated Apr 2023)
• 40.734608-73.6156855 Residence Inn by Marriott Long Island Garden City, 700 Garden City Plaza, Garden City, ☏ +1 516 742-2500. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Across the street from Roosevelt Field. (updated Apr 2023)

The Village of Garden City is a very safe community to visit – both during the day and at night. The same can be said about the hamlet of Garden City South.

A little more caution, however, should be exercised in East Garden City, especially at night. While by not a dangerous place, much of the area is very industrial and commercial, and they may seem sketchy to someone unfamiliar with the area. Pockets of East Garden City see a little more crime than the rest of the area. Follow your instinct. The "Museum Row" area, Roosevelt Field, the Mitchel Athletic Complex, the Nassau Coliseum, Nassau Community College, and Hofstra University are very safe; the colleges are patrolled 24/7 by on-site public safety departments, and Roosevelt Field is constantly patrolled by mall security.

You may encounter homeless people in East Garden City. They are mostly harmless, middle-aged people and they should not cause you any issues. Most of the time, you will encounter them along the median or the sidewalks of roads like Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Early Ovington Boulevard, and Hempstead Turnpike; should you encounter any homeless people in East Garden City, you will likely see them holding signs which explain their situation and respectfully ask for food or some spare change.

• Hempstead
• North Hempstead
• Mineola

Merges with Main Line ← Floral Park ←	W  E	→ Hempstead → END
Manhattan ← Floral Park ←	W  E	→ Mineola → Hicksville