The Best Areas for Nightlife in Brooklyn, NYC

| © Stef Ko / Alamy
Julia Goicochea

Don’t expect Brooklyn’s status as New York’s “it” area to be revoked anytime soon. With buzzing nightclubs, quirky date spots, and, of course, more than a few hipster haunts, the borough’s lasting popularity is in the bag. Just in time for your next night out, here are the best areas for nightlife in Brooklyn, New York City.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Bushwick

Not even Brooklynites are too cool for clubbing, a New York nightlife tradition still going strong in Bushwick. At neighborhood spots including House of Yes, Bossa Nova Civic Club, and Trans-Pecos, locals dance to DJ performances, watch live shows, and manage to make even norm-core clubbing quirky.

Westlight offers jaw-damaging views of the Manhattan skyline

You knew this one was coming. In recent years, Brooklyn’s Williamsburg has become an epicenter for New York City’s hipster culture. Locales like oldies-screening cinema-bars, dive cocktail spots, and chill rooftop bars make “alternative” living the norm here.

Red Hook

Self-described cocktail snobs (it’s Brooklyn—we all know one) should head to Red Hook, home to some of the best critically acclaimed bars in the borough. At Time Out- and Serious Eats-endorsed Botanica, produce-focused drinks blend Caribbean and Mediterranean flavors to delicious effect, while nearby bar Fort Defiance sticks to tradition with potent renditions of gin fizzes and mint juleps.

Crown Heights

A foodie capital, New York City plays host to countless dining destinations, many of which call Brooklyn’s Crown Heights home. A taste of the world is what’s on the menu here, where Caribbean, Mexican, Indian, and more global cuisines are on offer.

Greenpoint

A special person calls for a special locale. Find your ideal date-night destination in Greenpoint, where amorous outings may entail sharing a couple of ice cream cones (vegan, of course) or sampling one of the city’s most famous slices for yourselves.

Park Slope

Union Hall, 702 Union Street

Park Slope is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, a quality which extends (sort of) to the Brooklyn neighborhood’s nightlife scene. Leave the BabyBjörn back home for this one, Park Slopers: the fun at local bars Union Hall and The Dram Shop (think bocce, pool, shuffleboard, and plenty of drinks) was made with grown-ups in mind.

Gowanus

In a city as glitzy as New York, you’ll find many music venues more about being seen than the sound. That’s not the case in Gowanus, a quirky neighborhood known for its performance spaces. Start at the Bell House or Lucky 13 Saloon, and then go where the music (and the night!) takes you.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Culture Trip Spring Sale

Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.

X
close-ad
Edit article