Middletown-Pelham Bay Bronx, NY

The Pelham Bay neighborhood sits on land that was purchased by Thomas Pell in 1654, part of an original grant to the Dutch West India Company. Despite the name, the area was not part of the historical Town of Pelham in Westchester, which once also included nearby Pelham Bay Park and City Island.

One of the oldest homes in the Bronx, the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, sits on the manicured 220 acres of the grounds of Pelham Bay Park. Built in 1842, this beautiful Greek revival home affords visitors a glimpse into 19th-century country life. The mansion and carriage house are open for public tours, and both of them are surrounded by gardens and hiking trails that stay open until dusk.

The park has a full calendar of events including summer concerts and the annual Bronx Native American Festival, celebrating the unique native cultures of our nation with performances, exhibits, delicious food, and more.

The historic sea community of City Island, just a five-minute car ride away, is a frequent stop for those seeking seafood restaurants and a bit of nightlife. Still, there are a number of options in the neighborhood, many on busy Westchester, Buhre, and Crosby Avenues.

In New York City, pizza reigns supreme, and Louie & Ernie's serves up some of the best. Not the place for trendy gourmet toppings, Louie & Ernie's focuses on the crusty, saucy, cheesy pizza most New Yorkers crave. The most coveted pizza on the menu may be the sausage pie, made with fresh, fennel-infused sausage from the S&D Italian Deli down the street. For those looking to change it up a bit, the calzones ooze with creamy ricotta cheese, spinach, and prosciutto. Carafes of wine are filled to the very top.

Honey's Thai Pavilion attracts customers from as far away as Manhattan and Connecticut who come to indulge in dishes that include over 100 authentic Thai flavors. Created with the freshest ingredients available, the distinctive flavor palette runs the gamut from hot and spicy to sweet, sour, and salty. Among the most popular dishes are the curry cheese puffs served with cucumber salad, pad Thai topped with crushed peanuts, and Honey's special lamb prepared with mushroom and lemongrass in a spicy Thai basil sauce.

Named for a little town in Tuscany, the menu at Lucca features the cuisine of northern Italy. Known for engaging service and dishes prepared with fresh ingredients, the restaurant has weekly specials and live entertainment on weekends. Locals come back time and again for the fusilli with shrimp in vodka sauce, seafood marinara, and veal Savini topped with asparagus, prosciutto, and cheese.

Some of the most popular bars and pubs in the area include Jimmy Ryan's, which has outdoor seating when the weather warms up, the Shamrock Inn, keeping it old school with a pool table and jukebox, and the Bases Loaded sports bar, with eight craft brews on tap and large screen TVs following all the live sports action.

Getting around the Middletown/Pelham Bay neighborhood on foot can be a breeze, and for most residents it's just a short walk to shops, services, and restaurants. With three subway stations in Pelham Bay, just about every apartment building in the community has walking access to the number 6 train. The ride into Manhattan takes around 45 minutes. The BxM8 Express Bus offers a more comfortable ride to midtown Manhattan with a similar commute time. The MTA also has seven local bus routes that run through the community, including one that travels to Flushing, Queens. Pelham Bay residents can travel by bus to Westchester via the Bee Line 45 route.

Surrounded by major roadways, including Pelham Parkway, the Bruckner Expressway, and the Hutchinson River Parkway, escaping Pelham Bay for other parts of the city, Westchester, and the rest of New York State couldn't be easier. Most area residents own cars, and the majority of apartment buildings have parking garages. As with most of the streets in New York City, parking may require some persistence to find a convenient spot. For those looking to ride-share, a trip to Manhattan using Uber averages $40.

The North Bronx Bikeway, a bike path that runs alongside the Hutchinson River Parkway, ends in Pelham Bay Park.

The Middletown/Pelham Bay neighborhood borders the largest park in New York City. At 2,772 acres, Pelham Bay Park, one of the Bronx's most cherished green spaces, is more than three times the size of Central Park. Filled with natural beauty, visitors flock here to view the impressive Bronx Victory Memorial, which commemorates the 947 soldiers from the Bronx who gave their lives in service during World War I. Pelham South, the section of the park bordering Pelham Bay, has a wide variety of recreational facilities including a running track, baseball field, and courts for tennis, basketball, and bocce. An off-leash dog run can be found near the intersection of Watt Avenue and Middletown Road.

Local residents enjoy cooling off at Orchard Beach, known as "the Riviera of New York." The 1.1-mile-long beach includes a promenade, picnic areas, and prime views of City Island. Just off Shore Road, the Bronx Equestrian Center gives both English and Western style riding lessons and has individual and group trail rides through the park's woods and marshlands. The Thomas Pell Wildlife Sanctuary and the Hunter Island Marine Zoology and Geology Sanctuary span close to 500 acres of the park.

For those who want to hit the links, there are two golf courses on the grounds of the park. Beginners will enjoy the Pelham Bay course while the Split Rock course presents more of a challenge. Local families really enjoy the 18-hole miniature golf course at Turtle Cove Golf Center.

Middletown/Pelham Bay is more reasonably priced than the rest of New York City, with the cost of living roughly 12 percent lower. That's still 25 percent more than the state's average cost, but the proximity to Manhattan makes it worth it. Those looking for apartments in Middletown/Pelham Bay can expect to pay roughly $1,200 a month for a one-bedroom unit.

A one-way ride via subway or city bus costs $2.75 with a multiple-trip Metrocard or $3 for a single ride, and a trip on the express bus costs $6.50. For those with cars, gas prices are 13 percent higher than the rest of the nation. A craft beer at a local bar generally runs about $6 a bottle.

The main thoroughfares in Middletown/Pelham Bay offer a wide variety of stores, many of them locally owned and operated. The Bella Bath and Body Boutique on Burhe Avenue sells the highest quality, 100 percent natural and organic sugar scrubs, body oils, and body creams. The shop also carries name-brand perfumes and colognes.

The Westchester Bicycle Pro Shop, one of the few in the Bronx, is an authorized dealer of major brands, including Cannondale, Diamondback, and Specialized. With bikes that fit almost any rider's needs, the friendly staff is happy to place a special order when required. Every bicycle purchased at the store comes with a lifetime warranty for adjustments. The store also carries a vast array of accessories such as clothing, shoes, helmets, and bike parts.

A luxury floral design company, Simira NY Floral Design specializes in creative arrangements for special events, hotels, restaurants, and corporate clients. Established in 2010, the team at Simira strives to meet the needs of each and every client, no matter how simple or elaborate the event. The showroom at Simira NY also features wedding accessories, gifts, and favors.

The largest supermarkets in the area are the Foodtown on Bruckner Boulevard and the Key Food on Westchester Avenue. An Aldi market on Gun Hill Road brings shoppers store-brand items of high quality at very low prices. Both Pruzzo's Stop One Deli and Vito's Gourmet Deli get high marks from customers who appreciate the high-quality meats, cheeses, and prepared items.

The nearest farmer's market opens every Tuesday and Friday from June through November on the grounds of Jacobi Medical Center in Pelham Gardens. Not only does the hospital host the market, it also provides support in the form of information tables, health screenings, and cooking demonstrations. Products sold at the market include a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.