Guide to Brooklyn: 10 Best Things to Do and See

Yes, it’s one of New York’s most popular tourist attractions, but a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge offers breathtaking views of the city’s landscape as well as glimpses of Lady Liberty herself. A great source of exercise and entertainment, you can lose yourself in the crowds of tourists and New Yorkers and enjoy the fresh breeze.

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a fantastic free way to get to Manhattan, but it’s also NYC’s best photo-taking opportunity. Stretching from downtown Brooklyn to City Hall in Manhattan, the one-time longest suspension bridge in the world provides uninterrupted views of Financial District skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty and all of New York Harbour.

Within its grand structure, Brooklyn’s largest museum contains a staggering collection of art and objects spanning millennia. Artistic giants of the 19th and 20th centuries are well represented, with works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, Mark Rothko and Norman Rockwell housed within. Not to be missed is Judy Chicago’s large-scale The Dinner Party, celebrating more than 1,000 women from history and mythology.
Celebrating Brooklyn’s historical tradition as a hub where artistic innovation can flourish, further emphasizes Brooklyn’s inherent nature as a bed for discussion, action and innovation.

The construction of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) turned Fort Greene into a significant cultural destination at the turn of the 20th century. BAM hosts a variety of world-renowned programming in theater, dance, music, opera, film, as well as the visual arts. Simply known as BAM, the Brooklyn Academy of Music is the borough’s most prestigious performing arts venue. Its historic Beaux Arts building in the heart of downtown houses several movie theatres dedicated to indie film, and a gigantic tiered theatre for live concerts, comedy shows, dance performances and more.

Manhattan is a fabulous place, but so are the other four boroughs that make up New York City’s diverse metropolis. One of the oldest attractions in town, The Coney Island Cyclone was built in 1927, and although it wasn’t named a New York City landmark until 1988, it is worth the hike. Coney Island is filled with various rides, games and other amusements, not to mention the large sandy beach filled with sunlight throughout the day.

Gloriously kitschy Coney Island has been drawing New Yorkers since the Victorian era, when day-trippers descended on one of the country’s first amusement parks. Coasters and rides are still a big part of the Coney Island equation, with classics like the Cyclone and Deno’s Wonder Wheel. But Coney Island is best for its simple pleasures: strolling the boardwalk, trying your hand at a round of Skee-Ball, drinking a beer by the beach, and – best of all – people-watching.

Since its debut, Brooklyn Flea has gone from fledgling street fair to a major Brooklyn institution with spinoff projects, like the Smorgasburg food fair in both New York and L.A. It’s now spread across multiple locations, even hopping across the East River with a weekend market in Chelsea. Goods range from mid-century furniture and vintage Schwinns to houseplants and homemade jewellery.

A Brooklyn institution unparalleled in beauty and depth is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Situated inside of Prospect Park on the very edge of Crown Heights, next to Prospect Heights, the Garden is an absolute must-see destination – not just once – but several times throughout the year. With the change of seasons, the Botanic Garden will inspire, humble, and melt every visitor over every inch of its 52 acres. This is a place to bring your camera and spend the day outside admiring the beauty of all the gardens. Highlights of the garden include: the lily pool terrace, the Japanese gardens, the cherry blossoms, the aquatic house, and bonsai museum.

Believe it or not, the small neighborhood of Boerum Hill actually houses one of the most interesting museums, one that all New Yorkers can appreciate – the New York Transit Museum. This one is actually the largest transit-transportation museum in the United States. The museum has a number of exhibits, both new and long term, in addition to their educational programs and guided tours. The most popular and longest running exhibition is Steel, Stone, and Backbone: Building New York’s Subways 1900-1925. Visitors to this exhibit get to see the city’s first subway line and the construction methods used to build it, along with historical artefacts and videos. Go underground to a decommissioned 1936 subway station and see beautifully maintained vintage subways, elevated trains and buses from the early 20th century to the 1990s. The best part? You can actually go inside the vehicles and see ads and design features from a bygone era – think rattan seats, ceiling fans and wooden coach bodies.

Brooklyn has a host of offers on shopping, with numerous malls and streets full of classic, vintage and modern threads. The food and drink aspect is also taken care of with many eateries and places of interest for you to explore.

With plenty of tours and experiences, the Hudson River is an unmissable stop in your Brooklyn sightseeing journey. You’ll enjoy unbeatable views of Manhattan and the bridges too.