Roosevelt Island sits in the middle of the East River, which means both shores get the river’s cooling effect all day. The eastern promenade (facing Queens) is shaded by the Manhattan high-rises across the river from late afternoon; the western promenade (facing Manhattan) gets canopy from the planted plane row and breeze from the river all day.
These picks pair the promenades with the FDR Memorial’s shade. The interior (Main Street) is hotter — wider, less canopy — so we route you onto the perimeter whenever possible.