Aston, The

108-20 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, Queens, NY 11375

Forest Hills takes its name from its own Forest Park, a sprawling green space surveyed and partially developed in 1895 by Frederick Law Olmsted, the co-mastermind behind Central Park and Prospect Park. This lineage continued with Olmsted’s son, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., who helped develop the planned community and sub-neighborhood of Forest Hills Gardens in 1909. Inspired by the so-called “garden city movement” in England at the time, strict guidelines were placed — ones that continue to help this area maintain its original look and charm. With primarily residential streets and plenty of Tudor-style homes, Forest Hills feels like a kingdom hidden in central Queens. Unlike Hogwarts or Narnia, however, Forest Hills is easily accessible by multiple forms of public transportation — subway, bus, and even Long Island Rail Road. All the perks of city living with all the trappings of the suburbs.