Williamsburg
Waterfront skyline views, Bedford Avenue bars and vintage shops, and Domino Park. Best for brunch and sunset photos.
Borough 02 · Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Waterfront parks, brownstone streets, the best restaurants in the city and a bridge that is still the most impressive piece of infrastructure you will walk across. Cross the river once and you will understand why people move here.
The borough
A city with its own centre of gravity
If Brooklyn were its own city it would be the fourth largest in the United States. It has its own downtown, its own skyline, its own food culture and a stubborn identity that has survived every wave of gentrification.
For visitors, the mistake is treating Brooklyn as one place. DUMBO, Williamsburg, Park Slope and Coney Island are 30–45 minutes apart and feel like different towns. Pick one or two per visit.
The Brooklyn Bridge walk is the best introduction: start early on the Brooklyn side, end in Manhattan for breakfast, or reverse it at sunset.
2.6Mresidents
71square miles
5must-see areas
1iconic bridge
Neighbourhoods
Six Brooklyns in one borough
Pick two. Three if you have a full day and comfortable shoes.
DUMBO
Cobblestones between the two bridges, converted warehouses and the Washington Street bridge view. Small, scenic, best on foot.
Brooklyn Heights
America's first historic district: brownstones, quiet streets and the Promenade with the best skyline panorama in the city.
Park Slope
Victorian brownstones, Prospect Park, the Botanic Garden and restaurant-lined Fifth and Seventh Avenues. A local weekend.
Bushwick
Warehouses, the Bushwick Collective murals and DIY venues along the L. Go by day and go hungry.
Coney Island
Boardwalk, beach, the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel. A summer half-day; bleak but atmospheric in winter.
What to do
The essentials
01
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
1.3 miles, 30–45 minutes, free. Start on the Brooklyn side at High Street before 9am to beat the crowds.
02
Brooklyn Bridge Park
The best Manhattan skyline view from the water — Pebble Beach, Jane's Carousel and the DUMBO waterfront.
03
Prospect Park
526 acres designed by Olmsted and Vaux, with the Long Meadow, the Botanic Garden and the Brooklyn Museum at its edge.
04
Brooklyn Museum
World-class collections, suggested admission, and free First Saturday evenings.
05
Smorgasburg
Saturday food market at Marsha P. Johnson State Park (summer). Arrive hungry and early.
06
A Brooklyn pizza pilgrimage
Juliana's for coal-fired classics, L&B Spumoni Gardens for Sicilian squares, Roberta's for the Bushwick version.
Where to eat
The best restaurant borough
Brooklyn has more good kitchens per square mile than Manhattan — and fewer tourist menus.
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Juliana's Pizza
DUMBO. Coal-fired pizza worth the queue on Old Fulton Street.
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L&B Spumoni Gardens
Bensonhurst. Sicilian squares with the sauce on top, since 1939.
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Roberta's
Bushwick. The pizza that helped define Brooklyn's food reputation.
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Peter Luger
Williamsburg. Dry-aged steak for two, cash or debit only, since 1887.
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Smorgasburg
Williamsburg waterfront, Saturdays. The fastest way to eat across a dozen kitchens.
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Bakeries in Park Slope
Fifth Avenue has the city's best concentration of bakeries and coffee.
One day here
One day in Brooklyn
A north-to-south line that ends with the skyline at sunset.
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8:30 · Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Skyline walk, then down to DUMBO through the quiet brownstone streets.
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10:00 · DUMBO & Brooklyn Bridge Park
Washington Street view, Pebble Beach, Jane's Carousel.
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12:00 · Williamsburg
Lunch, Domino Park and a walk along the waterfront.
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15:00 · Prospect Park & Brooklyn Museum
Pick one; both are worth the afternoon.
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18:30 · Dinner in Park Slope
Fifth Avenue, then a slow walk back to the subway.
Getting there
Getting there
A/C/F to DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights; L to Williamsburg; B/Q/2/3 to Park Slope and Prospect Park; D/F/N/Q to Coney Island. The NYC Ferry also connects DUMBO, Williamsburg and Brooklyn Bridge Park to Manhattan — often the nicest way over.
Questions
Brooklyn questions
Is Brooklyn safe?
Yes. The areas in this guide are busy, well-lit and heavily used by locals. As anywhere, use city sense at night and avoid empty streets.
How long does the Brooklyn Bridge walk take?
About 30–45 minutes at a normal pace, longer with photographs. It is free and open 24 hours.
Should I stay in Brooklyn?
Yes if you want better value and a neighbourhood feel: Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn all have hotels near subway lines. See where to stay.
Can I do Brooklyn in half a day?
You can do DUMBO and the bridge in three hours. Williamsburg and Park Slope deserve their own half-day. Our 7-day plan gives Brooklyn a full day.