A new arena at Belmont Park on the Queens–Nassau line, with Floral Park’s Tulip Avenue and Garden City’s Franklin Avenue to the east and Manhattan a direct train ride west.
Most Islanders home games on the 2026–27 schedule have a 7 or 7:30 p.m. puck drop, many of them on weeknights, and some start in the afternoon, so check your date on the team schedule. UBS Arena publishes no standard doors time. Parking opens two hours before doors and closes 90 minutes after the event.
UBS Arena
Your Elmont weekend
Pick your game, then your hotel, food and things to do, or let a quick start choose them with you.
Which game are you going to?
New York Islanders
Exploring the weekend before choosing a game. Dates stay open.
Find your places.
Find your stay, your local pub, and everything around the game.
Quick start
Each one picks a hotel and food that work together. Change anything below.
Garden City and Floral Park · 4.6 mi from the arena
The closest hotel in this guide to the arena, 6.2 miles away by the hotel’s own count, with King Bar, Red Salt Room by David Burke and The Rose Room in the building.
It’s the closest hotel in this guide to the arena, with King Bar, Red Salt Room and The Rose Room in the building, and the hotel’s facility service fee includes self-parking and valet if you drive.
Keep in mind: The hotel doesn’t publish a dollar figure for its facility service fee or for parking. Breakfast isn’t included in standard rooms.
On game day: Garden City stay: take a rideshare to the drop-off on the arena’s north side, or buy parking ahead through Ticketmaster and drive in.
45 Seventh Street, Garden City, NY 11530
4.6 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Live rates are not quoted here. Confirm the full stay total, fees, and cancellation terms with the provider. Arena directions use a general arena location; follow your assigned lot and gate instructions.
Expedia opens a named-hotel search, not a verified property page. Enter dates there; adults and rooms are prefilled.
Keep in mind: Parking is valet only, at $80 a night for hotel guests, and UBS Arena lists no transit route from JFK.
On game day: JFK stay: take a rideshare to the arena’s north-side drop-off, or stop in Floral Park on the way for a pregame meal and drink.
One Idlewild Drive, New York, NY 11430
5.3 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Live rates are not quoted here. Confirm the full stay total, fees, and cancellation terms with the provider. Arena directions use a general arena location; follow your assigned lot and gate instructions.
Expedia opens a named-hotel search, not a verified property page. Enter dates there; adults and rooms are prefilled.
Keep in mind: A $42 nightly facility fee applies, and it’s a ride or a longer walk to Penn Station for the train. Garage parking has no in-and-out privileges.
On game day: Midtown stay: ride the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station, then walk or take the free shuttle.
228 West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036
14.0 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Live rates are not quoted here. Confirm the full stay total, fees, and cancellation terms with the provider. Arena directions use a general arena location; follow your assigned lot and gate instructions.
Expedia opens a named-hotel search, not a verified property page. Enter dates there; adults and rooms are prefilled.
Keep in mind: A $40 nightly destination fee applies, and hotel parking has no in-and-out privileges.
On game day: Midtown stay: ride the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station, then walk or take the free shuttle.
700 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10036
14.1 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Live rates are not quoted here. Confirm the full stay total, fees, and cancellation terms with the provider. Arena directions use a general arena location; follow your assigned lot and gate instructions.
Expedia opens a named-hotel search, not a verified property page. Enter dates there; adults and rooms are prefilled.
Keep in mind: A $40 nightly facility fee applies, there’s no hotel garage, and the hotel has no transportation service.
On game day: Midtown stay: ride the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station, then walk or take the free shuttle.
481 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10001
14.3 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Live rates are not quoted here. Confirm the full stay total, fees, and cancellation terms with the provider. Arena directions use a general arena location; follow your assigned lot and gate instructions.
Expedia opens a named-hotel search, not a verified property page. Enter dates there; adults and rooms are prefilled.
Keep in mind: A $37 nightly urban fee applies and there’s no on-site parking.
On game day: Midtown stay: ride the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station, then walk or take the free shuttle.
351 West 38th Street, New York, NY 10018
14.3 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Live rates are not quoted here. Confirm the full stay total, fees, and cancellation terms with the provider. Arena directions use a general arena location; follow your assigned lot and gate instructions.
Expedia opens a named-hotel search, not a verified property page. Enter dates there; adults and rooms are prefilled.
Garden City and Floral Park · 4.9 mi from the arena
A Belgian restaurant on Franklin Avenue for mussels and oysters on the night before the game or a weekend lunch.
Menu prices not checked here
Reservations
Details
Keep in mind: The site lists Sun 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Wed–Thu noon–9 p.m. and Fri/Sat noon–10 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. It also says the kitchen is open seven days a week, so check before a Monday or Tuesday visit.
On game day: Garden City stay: take a rideshare to the drop-off on the arena’s north side, or buy parking ahead through Ticketmaster and drive in.
850 Franklin Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530
4.9 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Check opening hours for your date and allow time for this stop separately from arena travel.
A steakhouse near Herald Square, founded in 1885, a few blocks from Penn Station.
Menu prices not checked here
Reservations
Details
Keep in mind: Mon–Fri 11:45 a.m.–10:30 p.m.; Sat 5–10:30 p.m.; Sun 5–9:30 p.m. On a weeknight, lunch fits better than dinner before a 7 p.m. puck drop in Elmont.
On game day: Midtown stay: ride the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station, then walk or take the free shuttle.
72 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018
13.9 mi straight-line from the arena. This is not a walking or driving route.
Check opening hours for your date and allow time for this stop separately from arena travel.
A locally owned American grill on Franklin Avenue in Garden City, listed on the Islanders’ bar network, with lunch, dinner and brunch.
4.9 mi straight-line from the arenaSee menu for prices
Islanders barDinnerFamilies
BK Sweeneys Uptown Grille, 636 Franklin Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530
Kitchen open until 10 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday. Opening times aren’t listed.
Before you go
Islanders barDinnerFamilies
BK Sweeneys Uptown Grille, 636 Franklin Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530
Kitchen open until 10 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday. Opening times aren’t listed.
An early dinner before a 7 or 7:30 p.m. puck drop, or a meal the night before. Kitchen until 10 p.m. Mon–Sat and 9 p.m. Sun.
Priced on the menu; dine-in and takeout.
The kitchen closes at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on Sunday), so plan it for before the game. Being on the Islanders’ bar network isn’t a promise of a watch party.
New York Islanders fans meet here · listed by nhl.com · Listed in the Islanders’ Isles on Tap bar network.
A 1958 Lockheed Constellation airplane turned cocktail lounge on the TWA Hotel tarmac, seating 75, with cocktails and light snacks.
TWA HotelSee menu for prices
Aviation historyCocktailsAirport base
Walk in
Connie Cocktail Lounge, TWA Hotel, One Idlewild Drive, New York, NY 11430
Daily 4–10:30 p.m.
Before you go
Aviation historyCocktailsAirport base
Walk in
Connie Cocktail Lounge, TWA Hotel, One Idlewild Drive, New York, NY 11430
Daily 4–10:30 p.m.
A first-night drink after you land. It closes at 10:30 p.m., so after the game it only suits an afternoon puck drop.
Drinks and snacks are priced on the menu.
Seating is limited to 75, and Connie closes for private events on some dates, including some game nights in October 2026, so check its page for your date. The hotel doesn’t publish an age policy for the lounge.
Pair the Cradle of Aviation Museum with the Long Island Children’s Museum next door for a family day before the game.
Cradle of Aviation MuseumBoth museums charge admission. Cradle of Aviation: $18 adults, $16 children 2–12 and seniors 62+. Children’s museum: $20 general admission, $18 ages 65 and up, free under one.
FamiliesMuseumsRainy day
Start at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530
Cradle of Aviation Tue–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Long Island Children’s Museum Tue–Fri 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cradle of Aviation Museum
Long Island Children’s Museum
Before you go
FamiliesMuseumsRainy day
Start at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530
Cradle of Aviation Tue–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Long Island Children’s Museum Tue–Fri 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cradle of Aviation Museum
Long Island Children’s Museum
A daytime outing on the day before the game. The children’s museum closes at 4 p.m. Tuesday–Friday and 5 p.m. on weekends, and stops selling tickets an hour before closing.
The two museums sit side by side on Museum Row. Use it to get your bearings; it isn’t turn-by-turn navigation.
The children’s museum admits adults only with children and opens only on select Mondays; the Cradle lists no Monday hours. This isn’t turn-by-turn navigation.
Walk the park’s two-mile Fitness Trail, which winds north from near Hempstead Turnpike past the Nassau County Aquatic Center and the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre.
Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower ParkFree walk
Free outingFresh airFamilies
Eisenhower Park, Merrick and Stewart Avenues, East Meadow, NY 11554
Open until dusk, except where the Parks Commissioner designates otherwise.
Fitness Trail start, by the field house and playground at Parking Field No. 2
Nassau County Aquatic Center
Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre
Before you go
Free outingFresh airFamilies
Eisenhower Park, Merrick and Stewart Avenues, East Meadow, NY 11554
Open until dusk, except where the Parks Commissioner designates otherwise.
Fitness Trail start, by the field house and playground at Parking Field No. 2
Nassau County Aquatic Center
Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre
A daytime walk on the day before the game. The park closes at dusk.
The county lists no fee for the Fitness Trail. The Aquatic Center and some other facilities need a Leisure Pass and a fee.
The Fitness Trail runs two miles with 20 exercise stations, then heads south back toward the start. Use it to get your bearings; it isn’t turn-by-turn navigation.
It’s a drive or ride from the arena and the Garden City hotels. Park facilities keep their own hours.
Garden City and Floral ParkStaying closest to the arena, with a pregame on Tulip Avenue
Stay in the Nassau County villages east of the arena, with restaurants and Islanders-listed bars close by.
Floral Park’s Tulip Avenue and Garden City’s Franklin Avenue and Seventh Street, with bars on the Islanders’ own bar network
To the arena
Take a rideshare to the drop-off on the arena’s north side, reached only from Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D and Green Road, or drive to the parking area you booked.
After the game
Meet your rideshare at the same north-side location, or walk back to your car. Parking closes 90 minutes after the event.
The tradeoff
This guide lists one hotel here, The Garden City Hotel. UBS Arena’s own transit directions cover the train from Manhattan, not these villages, so this guide plans each trip by car or rideshare via the Cross Island Parkway.
We may earn a commission. Rates and availability are confirmed with the provider.
Midtown ManhattanA New York City trip with the game as one night, and the most hotel choice
Stay near Penn Station or in the Theater District and ride the LIRR directly to Elmont-UBS Arena Station.
Penn Station, Herald Square, Times Square and Broadway’s theaters
To the arena
Take the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station (Zone 4), about 30 minutes, then walk 10–15 minutes or ride the free shuttle to the arena.
After the game
Walk or take the shuttle back to Elmont-UBS Arena Station and ride the LIRR back to Manhattan. Check the TrainTime app for trains after the game.
The tradeoff
Every trip is about 30 minutes on the train plus a 10–15 minute walk or a shuttle at the arena end. Each Midtown hotel in this guide adds a nightly facility, destination or urban fee.
From Garden City by carGarden City and Floral Parkdrive
Getting there
Buy parking ahead through Ticketmaster, as the arena strongly encourages. All five parking areas are reached from the Cross Island Parkway: Belmont Park Garage (Exit 26A); Diamond, Ruby and Silver (Exit 26B); and Emerald (Exit 26D).
Getting back
Walk back to your parking area. Parking closes 90 minutes after the event unless the arena says otherwise.
Parking opens two hours before doors, and UBS Arena publishes no standard doors time. The arena is cashless, including parking.
Ride the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station (Zone 4), about 30 minutes. It’s a 10–15 minute walk to the arena, or take the free shuttle, about a 5-minute trip.
Getting back
Walk or take the free shuttle back to Elmont-UBS Arena Station and ride the LIRR back to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison.
UBS Arena doesn’t publish a last train after the game or the shuttle’s closing time. Check your return train in the TrainTime app or on MTA.info before you go.
Bags up to 12 × 12 × 6 inches are allowed and are screened by x-ray or visually. Backpacks of any size aren’t allowed. Medical and baby bags are allowed after screening, and bag check is in the Acrisure Great Hall.
UBS Arena is cashless, including food, parking and merchandise; cash-to-card kiosks are inside. Tickets are mobile: add them to your phone’s wallet and forward one to each person in your party.
The arena’s FAQ says it keeps a no re-entry policy, so eat and drink before you go in or pay by card inside. Children 2 and older need a ticket; under-2s sit on a parent’s or guardian’s lap.
The LIRR runs direct from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station in about 30 minutes. From the station it’s a 10–15 minute walk, or take the free shuttle. MTA Q82 and Q2 buses and NICE Bus N6 also serve the arena.
Buy parking ahead through Ticketmaster; all five areas are reached from the Cross Island Parkway (Exits 26A, 26B and 26D). Parking opens two hours before doors and closes 90 minutes after the event. Rideshare drop-off and pickup is on the north side, via Exit 26D and Green Road.
Wheelchair seating is in sections across both levels, and each buyer of a wheelchair seat may buy one companion seat, and interpreter services need 48 hours’ notice. Contact accessibility@ubsarena.com or 516-460-8598.
Yes. Ride the LIRR from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to Elmont-UBS Arena Station in about 30 minutes, then walk 10–15 minutes or take the free shuttle. MTA Q82 and Q2 buses and NICE Bus N6 also stop at the arena. Check your train back before a night game.
Can I bring a bag or a backpack?
Bags up to 12 × 12 × 6 inches, yes, after screening. Backpacks, no, whatever the size. Bag check is in the Acrisure Great Hall.
Can I pay cash or leave and come back in?
No to both. The arena is cashless, with cash-to-card kiosks inside, and its FAQ says it keeps a no re-entry policy.
Where do rideshares drop off and pick up?
On the arena’s north side, reached only from Cross Island Parkway Exit 26D and Green Road. The Rideshare Waiting Area by Section 118 has phone charging.
