Forest Hills
Located only 20 minutes from Manhattan, Forest Hills is a town that was home to the U.S. Open for over 70 years. The West Side Tennis Club, an exclusive and very historic club, is still there, as is Forest Hills Tennis Stadium where the U.S. Open was played until 1978. Forest Hills can be reached via subway, bus, and Long Island Railroad, as well as several main highways. Within Forest Hills, there are several sections that once belonged to single individuals and were subsequently sold off with covenants and restrictions, allowing the area to retain the charm and attraction that were originally intended. One of these sections is known as Forest Hills Gardens, a classic privately-owned community featuring a number of beautiful and unique homes, many in the Tudor style, as well as Colonial. The streets are privately maintained, and the general public may not park there unless visiting a resident.
Here is a view of the Community House and The Church-in-The-Gardens. Cord Meyer, another section that is named after the company that developed the homes, features many Colonial as well as other styles. There is also the Van-Court community which was formed in 1923 by the Vandeveers, and the Forest Hills Court Co. Here again there are restrictions on modifications to exteriors.
Forest Hills has several major stores including The Gap, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor Loft and Shake Shack to name a few. Most of these stores are located on Continental Avenue and Austin Street, which are the main streets. If you are interested, you can find some area statistics at the Public Library-FH branch. Forest Hills borders on Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, site of the 1939-40 and 1964-65 World's Fairs. Today it is home to the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, and Citi Field, where the world famous NY Mets play.
In addition, there is a great selection of restaurants, including Agora, Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen, Cabana, 5 Burro Cafe, and Norita--and an equally great selection of nightlife.