With its stylish cafes, parks, and markets, Brooklyn is a hip borough with heaps to supply. Here is Dee Novak’s information to among the most original issues to do in Brooklyn.
Head to Brooklyn for a slower-paced and artsy style of New York.
From the whimsical carnival at Coney Island to the meals vans at Dumbo, you received’t remorse crossing over that bridge.
Brooklyn has a thriving artwork group and cutting-edge eateries which are effectively value including to your itinerary.
Luscious parks provide unbeatable views of the Manhattan skyline from throughout the East River.
And Brooklyn’s thrift outlets, meals markets, and area of interest boutiques are each tradition lover’s dream.
The borough’s range offers it a vibrant really feel you received’t discover anyplace else. There are Hasidim Jews and Puerto Ricans in South Williamsburg, and Poles and Italians within the North Side.
I really like spending a couple of days in Brooklyn for a extra cosmopolitan and artsy aspect of the large apple.
So right here’s my information to distinctive issues to do in Brooklyn – and hidden gems you shouldn’t miss!
1. Walk (or bike) throughout Brooklyn Bridge
This iconic suspension bridge provides unbeatable views of the Manhattan skyline – and it’s particularly magical at sundown.
Walk throughout the 1.1-mile (1.8-kilometer) bridge and admire the neo-Gothic stone towers and the engineering ingenuity. Completed in 1883, this gorgeous construction was the longest suspension bridge of its time.
It takes about an hour to walk throughout the pedestrian walkway, proper above the rumbling visitors. Or hire a bicycle for a extra breezy journey – there are devoted bike lanes all throughout the bridge.
It will get very packed so go within the early morning or late at night time to keep away from the crowds.
Need to know: To entry the bridge from Brooklyn use the Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Walkway on the intersection of Tillary Street and Boerum Place. Alternatively, take the underpass at Washington Street, which fits up a stairway to a ramp. You can even stroll the bridge within the different course from Manhattan to Brooklyn. But you received’t get these spectacular views.
2. Unwind at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Unwind from town hustle on this 52-acre gem stuffed with specialty gardens, gorgeous cherry timber, a bonsai museum, and three plant pavilions.
Founded in 1910, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a wonderland of greater than 14,000 taxa of vegetation. The tulips and magnolias are marvelous in bloom and make this backyard an ideal springtime vacation spot.
Don’t miss the Cherry Esplanade and its 200 cherry timber in full bloom in spring. There’s additionally the beautiful Magnolia Plaza, Cranford Rose Garden, and the Asian-inspired Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden for admiring nature in full bloom.
During winter, head for the nice and cozy greenhouses and their tropical flora and cacti.
Need to know: Garden hours range with the seasons, so verify the Brooklyn Botanic Garden web site to plan your go to.
3. Explore Dumbo
This little neighborhood on the base of the Brooklyn Bridge is stuffed with flea markets, microbreweries, stylish cafes, and gorgeous views of the bridge.
Short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, DUMBO was as soon as a ferry touchdown stuffed with warehouse and industrial buildings.
But right now it’s recognized for artwork galleries, microbreweries, dwell music, and cutting-edge eateries.
It’s the place you’ll land proper after strolling throughout the Brooklyn Bridge.
And it’s residence to the borough’s most photogenic spot. Head to Washington Street for that iconic shot of the Brooklyn Bridge looming over a residential avenue.
Head to Westville for lunch for cheap consolation meals and unimaginable vegetarian choices. If you’re craving pizza, you’re spoiled for selection. Joints like Front Street Pizza, Juliana’s, and Grimaldi’s are all nice selections. There are sometimes strains proper out the door they usually don’t take reservations.
Treat the children to a journey on Jane’s Carousel, a fantastically renovated carousel at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
For an evening out, head to St. Anne’s Warehouse. This former tobacco warehouse now hosts cutting-edge theater and live shows.
4. Browse The Brooklyn Museum
Photo: Gabriel Fernandes, CC BY-SA 2.0, by way of Wikimedia Commons
The Brooklyn Museum has an enormous assortment of American artwork, antiquities from Ancient Egypt, and daring fashionable artwork that tackles topics like racism and feminism.
Housed in a beautifully-restored Beaux-Arts constructing, the museum is New York’s third largest and much much less crowded than the MET.
It’s a should for any artwork lover. But put aside at the very least a couple of hours to browse their eclectic displays. The museum has some 1.5 million works that span 560,000 sq. ft.
The American Art exhibit is a fascinatingly various assortment of items from Indigenous peoples and Norman Rockwell to blended media works by rock singer Nick Cave. It additionally accommodates Judy Chicago’s well-known feminist work, The Dinner Party.
And don’t miss the European assortment with items by Van Gogh, Degas, Monet, Cezanne, and different Impressionist masters.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is correct subsequent door if you wish to sit back after your go to.
Check Dee Novak’s 2-day Brooklyn itinerary to take advantage of out of your go to.
5. Ride the curler coasters at Coney Island
From carnival rides to well-known scorching canines and sandy seashores, Coney Island is New York’s favourite weekend getaway.
Luna Park is a deal with each for youths and fun-loving adults. Get your thrills on the well-known Cyclone and Thunderbolt curler coasters, play arcade video games, and munch on sugary treats and Coney’s Cones. But take into account costs have gone up: a 4-hour wristband is 62 USD per grownup and 38 USD for kids.
Head to the (free and public) seaside to walk alongside the enduring boardwalk and revel in a cold cheese scorching canine from Nathan’s Famous.
There’s additionally minor league baseball at MCU Park and occasions like film nights, live shows, and a unusual annual Mermaid Parade (in June) that makes Coney Island a century-old summertime favourite.
6. Picnic at Brooklyn Bridge Park
With a sweeping inexperienced garden proper on the East River, Brooklyn Bridge Park is ideal to unwind with breathtaking views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
There’s additionally a fantastically restored carousel from the Nineteen Twenties inside a glass pavilion, playgrounds for the children, and lawns for lunches and picnics. Stroll Pebble Beach, or get sporty on the basketball and seaside volleyball courts.
This 85-acre pet-friendly oasis was as soon as an industrial waterfront that’s been reworked into a neighborhood venue. The park has a energetic calendar of outside films and live shows, waterfront exercises, and music festivals. Check the Brooklyn Bridge Park web site to see what’s on.
7. Williamsburg
Known for its breweries and hipsters, Williamsburg is an eclectic neighborhood stuffed with meals vans, avenue artwork, and classic boutiques.
Head to Bedford Avenue for one of the best indie purchasing. Pick up some vinyl at Earwax Records, make your personal jewellery at Brooklyn Charm, or browse the lux Nineteen Seventies classic at Amarcord.
Don’t miss Williamsburg’s weekly Smorgasburg Food Market on Saturday – an enormous open-air foodie paradise that attracts in 30,000 individuals each weekend. Get a style of Brooklyn’s most interesting artisanal meals at discount costs.
Or simply take a stroll by means of Williamsburg and discover. With quirky artwork galleries, dwell live shows, and dozens of meals distributors, you’ll discover gems round each nook.
8. Brooklyn Heights Promenade
This beautiful historic walkway is lined with flowerbeds and benches for some nice people-watching and gorgeous views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan.
Brooklyn Heights Promenade is a 1/3-mile-long stretch that additionally provides distant views of the Statue of Liberty.
Don’t miss the outdated mansions and townhouses as you go by means of Brooklyn’s Historic Preservation District. There are additionally some nice eating places and area of interest boutiques close by.
The tree-lined walkway is in style with locals for jogging, rollerblading, and biking. And it’s particularly pretty in the summertime with cool breezes coming in from the water.
9. Bushwick Collective
This stretch of murals alongside Troutman Street boasts among the metropolis’s most colourful, quirky, and daring avenue artwork by famend native and worldwide artists.
The open-art museum is stuffed with block after block of wonderful graffiti that fills each brick – and generally spills out onto painted vans and automobiles, too.
Art lovers can simply spend a couple of hours wandering the aspect streets. And there’s a number of nice avenue and Mexican meals within the space, too, for a breather between looking.
You’ll generally spot artists at work on the murals. And for the reason that murals are continuously altering, Bushwick Collective shall be somewhat totally different in your subsequent go to.
The Bushwick Collective surfaced in 2011 to breathe contemporary air into this industrial neighborhood. Today, the realm has reworked right into a high Brooklyn vacationer vacation spot.
You’ll discover many of the noteworthy murals on Troutman Street between Irving and Cypress Avenues. But put aside a while to discover the aspect streets, too.
10. Prospect Park
This huge park boasts an Audubon heart and grassy meadows that make it a primary vacation spot for fowl watching, outside live shows, and ball video games.
Designed by the identical architects behind Central Park, this Brooklyn landmark options every part from the towering timber of the Ravine forest to the sprawling expanses of Long Meadow and Nethermead.
It’s additionally in style for bicyclers, canine walkers, runners, and locals out for household picnics.
Prospect Park boasts 526 acres of nature that begin on the iconic Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch entrance at Grand Army Plaza.
Inside there’s a boathouse, a man-made lake, an ice rink, a carousel, and a slew of various sporting fields.
Prospect Park additionally boasts an Audubon Center with hands-on displays and enjoyable scavenger hunts and fowl bingo video games for youths.
And don’t neglect Smorgasburg on Sundays when the park will get taken over by dozens of meals distributors. You’ll discover something from basic New York bagels to fried hen sandwiches and Jamaican meals.
11. Brooklyn Flea
(images: Scott Lynch and Sam Hollenshead)
This flea market options a whole bunch of distributors providing something from classic clothes and vinyl to quirky jewellery and crafts by native artisans.
Set apart a couple of hours to browse this treasure trove for something from African straw baskets to classic kimonos. And decide up some nice Brooklyn souvenirs like outdated battered avenue indicators and vintage bits of outdated Americana.
Ranked as one of many nation’s greatest markets, Brooklyn Flea is a pleasure to flick thru and people-watch. You’ll uncover some nice native manufacturers and really artistic artists.
There’s additionally an array of distributors with artisanal meals to munch on between looking.
Brooklyn Flea is held Saturdays and Sundays in DUMBO from April to December.
12. Greenwood Cemetery
This leafy, historic cemetery is the ultimate resting place for figures like artist Basquiat and composer Leonard Bernstein.
Start on the dramatic Gothic arched entrance and stroll throughout 478 acres of graves, memorials, rolling hills, and historic curiosities. Wear comfy sneakers for the climbs and savor the cemetery’s hilltop views overlooking Manhattan.
Don’t miss the monuments to the Civil War’s fallen troopers, the Victorian chapel, and dozens of ornate mausoleums.
The cemetery additionally provides birding excursions – it’s recognized amongst birdwatchers for its feral monk parakeets, herons, sandpipers, and geese.
Ask the guards for a map that features architectural factors of curiosity, noteworthy timber, and well-known graves.
13. Brooklyn Heights
Wander by means of this historic neighborhood and discover outdated brownstones and tempting eateries in what’s one among Brooklyn’s prettiest districts.
Just steps away from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, this upscale space is stuffed with nice purchasing and stylish eating places tucked into historic mansions. It additionally boasts among the greatest views within the metropolis.
Brooklyn Heights is the borough’s most sought-after residential space. It’s famous for a whole bunch of historic brownstones – with some 600 homes constructed earlier than the Civil War.
Head to the Brooklyn Historical Society for displays that chronicle some 400 years of Brooklyn historical past. The close by New York Transit Museum is one other fascinating museum with displays of classic trains and trolley automobiles.
For a breather between sightseeing, head to Montero’s – a classic bar open since 1939.
And for a very unforgettable expertise, absorb a classical music live performance with glowing views of Manhattan at Bargemusic.
14. Brooklyn Library
Take a breather from town bustle on the Central Branch of Brooklyn Public Library for a couple of hours of looking books in a beautiful setting.
This quiet and atmospheric library is all the time bustling with a various crowd of locals and guests – and it’s a testomony to the facility of library at a time when so many are shutting down.
There’s additionally a energetic calendar of occasions from guide discussions and cooking lessons to artwork displays.
15. Park Slope
This upscale neighborhood is stuffed with brownstones and tree-lined streets which are a quiet, family-friendly oasis within the metropolis.
Head to fifth Avenue for one of the best area of interest boutiques, thrift shops, and cafes. You’ll discover eatable sculptures at Not Just Chocolate and works by native ladies artists at St. Hrouda.
And don’t miss Sip N Play for a energetic spot to play board video games over drinks.
For an evening of impartial films, head to Nitehawk Cinema to observe a movie over dinner and cocktails.
Where to Eat in Brooklyn
From thin-crust pizza and meals vans to Michelin-starred eating, you’re spoilt for selection in Brooklyn.
Head to Dekalb Market Hall to pattern an array of native distributors from artisanal cheese to cocktails. And don’t miss Smorgasburg on the weekends (Saturdays in Williamsburg and Sundays at Prospect Park) for America’s largest open-air meals market.
Legends like Juliana’s and the Michelin-starred Sottoasa Pizzeria are each wonderful to fulfill your pizza cravings. For a leisurely dinner, you possibly can’t beat Michael’s of Brooklyn for good Italian meals and cheery service.
Where to Stay in Brooklyn
The Williamsburg Hotel boasts hovering home windows with superb cityscapes. There’s additionally a rooftop pool and three modern bars to select from.
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is an eco-luxury resort nestled alongside the Brooklyn Bridge with unimaginable views, native greenery, and an epic rooftop pool.
Brooklyn FAQs
What are one of the best parks value visiting in Brooklyn?
Here are ten of one of the best outside areas to go to in Brooklyn:
- Prospect Park
- Brooklyn Bridge Park
- McCarren Park
- Marine Park
- Highland Park
- Green-Wood Cemetery
- Coney Island Boardwalk
- Owl’s Head Park
- Sunset Park
- Bushwick Inlet Park
Are there any purchasing facilities in Brooklyn?
There are a number of purchasing facilities in Brooklyn, together with:
- Atlantic Terminal Mall
- Kings Plaza Shopping Center
- Gateway Center
- Fulton Mall
- City Point
Is there any public transportation out there in Brooklyn?
Yes, there may be a wide range of public transportation choices out there in Brooklyn, together with subway, bus, ferry, bike, and automotive share.
Are there any actions or points of interest appropriate for households in Brooklyn?
Certainly! Here are some family-friendly actions and points of interest in Brooklyn:
- Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Coney Island Amusement Park
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92
- Brooklyn Bowl
What about enjoyable actions out there for youths in Brooklyn?
There are loads of enjoyable actions out there for youths in Brooklyn, a few of them are:
- Explore the Brooklyn Children’s Museum
- Go ice skating on the LeFrak Center at Lakeside
- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge Park and benefit from the playgrounds, carousel, and splash pad
- Attend a efficiency or workshop on the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
- Play arcade video games and mini golf on the Brooklyn Crab
- Experience the interactive displays on the New York Transit Museum
Keep studying:
Dee Nowak was born in Poland, raised within the US, and at present lives as an expat in Cairo, Egypt. She likes to take street journeys and metropolis breaks each time she’s visiting household again residence within the States. She additionally runs Vanilla Papers.