You'd be remiss to visit New York and spend all your time in Manhattan. Sure, Manhattan may be plenty happening, but there's also so many areas further afield worth exploring. Whenever I visit New York, I like to spend a day or two across the river in Brooklyn. It's the epicentre of New York cool, with so many interesting neighbourhoods to wander, shops, drinking and dining to discover. There's so many things to do in Brooklyn, in fact, that you could easily base yourself there for your whole trip and not get bored.
Though I'm no expert, I've come to know the borough fairly well over various trips, and have compiled a list of some of my favourite things to do in Brooklyn. I'm a big foodie and a lot of my travels revolve around dining. Therefore, I've split this list in two - the first half is your classic things to do, sights, and shopping, whilst the latter half focuses on the best dining and drinking experiences in Brooklyn.
As such, read on for my list of the best things to do in Brooklyn.
Things to do in Brooklyn
01. Cross the Brooklyn Bridge
If you do one thing in Brooklyn, make sure it's this. Whenever I'm in the city, I love to get up for a sunrise walk across Brooklyn Bridge, to watch the city come to life. The bridge connects Lower Manhattan with DUMBO in Brooklyn, and is a great way to start your Brooklyn day. Plan for a clear day, and you'll hopefully be rewarded with a pretty spectacular sunrise. It's also beautiful at sunset, but far, far busier. So if you can handle the early start, I'd aim for morning!
02. Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn isn't all craft beer and hipsters, promise. If you're looking for something a bit different, head to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. With over 52 acres brimming with plants and trees. It's beautiful year round, but at it's best in March/April when the cherry blossoms bloom (pictured). There's also a Japanese garden, rose garden, and discovery garden for little 'uns.
03. Go Vintage Shopping
Unsurprisingly, Brooklyn is great for shopping. There are plenty of great vintage shops to be discovered around Dumbo and Williamsburg - some of my favourites are L Train Vintage, Awoke Vintage (pictured), and Beacon's Closet. Admittedly, bargains are few and far between, but just look at that wall of cowboy boots!
04. Visit Domino Park
Central Park isn't the only park in New York! Domino Park is Brooklyn is one of my favourite spots for a respite from the city streets. It's a narrow 5 acre green stretch in a prime location on the Williamsburg waterfront. Sitting in the shadow of the old Domino Sugar Factory, the park has a fairly industrial feel to it. This is a park for hanging out with friends, enjoying activities, and watching the sun set over Manhattan, rather than escaping to nature. Speaking of activities, there's plenty here, with a children's playground, dog run, volleyball court and playing field. When I visited it played host to a dog adoption run, which as a dog lover was extremely exciting to happen across. Sadly, I left empty handed, but I did get to pet a few good doggos....
05. Browse the Markets
There are two major markets in Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg. The former is a "flea" market, but the kind of fancy flea you'd expect from a hip neighbourhood. Set under the arches in Dumbo on Saturdays and Sundays, it's all small boutique brands, curated vintage finds, and chic antique pieces. The prices tags were honestly a bit outrageous, but it's fun to browse.
Smorgasburg is a food market that operates from April to October at two locations in Brooklyn, Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Williamsburg on Saturdays, and Prospect Park on Sundays. It's an open air, international food market with a range of local vendors serving up a diverse range of tasty treats. I've never had the opportunity to visit as it's not been on when I've been in New York (boo), but it's on my bucket list!
Dining and Drinking in Brooklyn
06. Grab Coffee in Greenpoint
Greenpoint has all the hallmarks of a classic Brooklyn neighbourhood. Cocktail bars and breweries, vintage stores and boutiques line the streets. Hip restaurants brush shoulders with traditional Polish joints (it has the second largest population of Polish Americans, so make sure to get your pierogi fill). My top tip after a morning of exploring is to head to oh so aesthetic Bakeri (pictured) for a matcha latte and freshly baked goods.
07. Brunch like a Brooklynite
I feel like Brooklyn and brunch go hand in hand. Tell me I'm wrong! Therefore it feels criminal to visit Brooklyn and not indulge in the hipster's favourite meal (no shade intended, big brunch fan here). I went to the beautiful Juliette in Williamsburg (pictured), a French bistro with an excellent selection selection of brunch staples and more unique dishes. However some other places to check out are Celestine for East river views, or Sunday in Brooklyn for stacks of pillowy pancakes.
08. Dine at the prettiest restaurant in Brooklyn
You wouldn't really describe Brooklyn as pretty or aesthetic, but it has it's moment. One such is Fandi Mata, a large Mediterranean restaurant meets Mezcaleria. Pops of colourful art lines the foliage filled space, whilst tiled decor details soften the stark industrial space. It's one of the most interesting locations for a meal in the city, not to mention great food and cocktails.
Read More: Instagrammable Restaurants in NYC
09. Bar Crawl your way around Williamsburg
Brooklyn has a brilliant drinking scene, playing host to some of the best bars in the city. If you're a drinker, Williamsburg is a great place for a bar crawl. There's rooftops, dive bars, and everything in between. Pictured is one of my favourites, Maison Premiere, a seafood restaurant and bar which serves up an absinthe focussed cocktail menu. However for this one I'll very much let you make your own discoveries - part of the fun of a good crawl is finding places as you explore!
10. Drink Local Craft Beer
Brooklyn is well known for it's beer scene, so it's a bit of a must for beer enthusiasts. I can't say that I am one, but when in Rome and all that! If you're looking for the full experience, head to Brooklyn Brewery for tours and tastings. Or if you're just interested in drinking, Other Half Brewing and Wild East Brewing both have taprooms open to the public. Threes Brewing has locations in Gowanus (which is brewery central!) and Greenpoint, with the former also hosting a music venue and expansive terrace space.
Besides the many, many breweries, there's also countless bars that specialise in beer. Pictured is Brouwerij Lane in Greenpoint, a no frills, low key beer shop cum bar. Other spots to check out are Tørst, BierWax, and Lucky Dog.
Read More: The New York City Guide
I hope this guide to the best things to do in Brooklyn has been helpful! If I've missed any key activities, please do let me know down below in the comments. And as always, make sure to follow along on Instagram for more travel adventures.
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