13 Things to Do in Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn is a must-see on your list of things to see and do in New York. It has been the world’s “hipster capital” for decades: it’s full of cafes, shops, and restaurants that were once old factories and now represent the culinary epicenter of New York.

Brooklyn is one of New York’s trendiest neighborhoods. A borough with an industrial past and a strong cultural identity that’s well worth a visit. I’ll tell you about the must-sees in the area. Welcome to Brooklyn!

In a city like New York, where there’s no shortage of major tourist landmarks, one of the first places you have to visit is the famous Brooklyn Bridge. You’ve probably seen it countless times on TV, but crossing it is an impressive experience, and the views of the New York skyline over the East River are fascinating. You can cross it on foot or take a bike tour across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Book a Brooklyn Bridge tour and don’t miss a single detail of this engineering marvel, opened in 1883, which spans the river connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan from the neighborhoods of DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights in Brooklyn to the Civic Center neighborhood in Manhattan. In fact, from here you’ll have the best views of the Manhattan skyline.

The Barclays Center is a massive stadium in the heart of Brooklyn, just around the corner from BAM. With a capacity of over 17,000 spectators, it’s famous for being the “home” arena where the Brooklyn Nets (NBA) and the New York Islanders (NHL) have played since 2012.

The Barclays Center has also hosted boxing championships and musical events (in fact, some of the world’s top artists, such as Celine Dion, Ariana Grande, and Marc Anthony, have performed here). If you want to attend an NBA game during your visit to New York, you can’t miss the Brooklyn Nets here. The season starts in late October and ends in mid-April.

Why I recommend visiting the Barclays Center

People come to New York to have a blast, and even if you’re not a huge sports fan, watching an NBA game in the U.S. is a true spectacle of music, partying, dancing, and above all, basketball. Are you ready to see the world’s best players up close? Here’s how to get NBA tickets in New York.

One of the best things to do in Brooklyn—especially if you’re visiting New York in the summer with kids—is to book a tour of the boroughs and Coney Island, the neighborhood where New Yorkers go to relax outdoors and enjoy the beach when the weather is nice.

• Stroll along the boardwalk: one of my favorite things to do in Coney Island is walking along the boardwalk, feeling the Atlantic breeze on my face and the scent of the ocean. It’s a fantastic feeling!
• Luna Park: a mix between an old-fashioned fair and an amusement park that preserves its original attractions, such as the Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel and the Cyclone roller coaster. Nearby is a freak show so typical of the 1920s and 1930s. You’ll feel like you’re reliving the past among bearded women, dwarfs, and other classic characters.
• Visit the New York Aquarium: it’s the city’s only aquarium, located on the boardwalk. Its mission is to highlight the importance of preserving aquatic ecosystems. You’ll see sea otters, sharks, and penguins, among many other species. When you enter, check the feeding schedule and don’t miss it if it coincides with your visit. The kids will love it!

Dyker Heights is a residential neighborhood in Brooklyn that wouldn’t be anything special were it not for the fact that its residents go all out when it comes to celebrating Christmas by decorating their homes and gardens with hundreds of garlands, ornaments, colored lights, and other decorations. And when I say everything, I mean everything!

Some opt for elegant, understated lights, while others deck out their gardens until there’s not a single empty spot left, filling them with all kinds of lights, inflatables, and Christmas figures that sing carols and move.

It’s a true competition that began in the 1980s and has become an annual event—so much so that some families even hire decoration companies to surprise onlookers. A tradition you can’t miss in Brooklyn if you’re traveling to New York for Christmas. In fact, you can book a Christmas tour in Dyker Heights to learn all the details and history of this unique tradition.

Another must-do is to discover the artistic culture of Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. And there’s no better way to do that than by booking a street art tour. On a roughly 90-minute tour led by a local artist with deep knowledge of graffiti techniques, you’ll admire all the neighborhood’s murals. A true open-air exhibition!

Plus, you’ll learn all about the neighborhood’s history and the evolution of this artistic movement, and you’ll also discover a completely different perspective on New York City.

Keep in mind that if you’ve already done this activity before, you can do it again, since an annual event is held where various artists from around the world gather to paint their works, which remain on display until the next edition, when other artists create new pieces over the old ones.

And if the street art tour wasn’t enough for you, you can book a graffiti workshop where you can create your own piece and have a keepsake to last a lifetime. You’ll work with a real graffiti artist and learn all the tricks of the trade.

An ideal plan for adults, but also for the kids in the family. Give this original and fun activity a try. It’ll be one of those adventures that’ll leave your friends speechless!

Hipsters and New York’s most conservative Jewish community coexist in Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s Jewish neighborhood. However, each has its own space and lives its own way: the hipsters in Williamsburg and the Orthodox Jews in the South Williamsburg area, which you reach by crossing under the Williamsburg Bridge.

This place feels like walking through a different world— austere and simple. There aren’t as many charming shops, and the buildings seem somewhat more run-down compared to the other part of the neighborhood. This is home to Hasidic Jews (a branch of Orthodox Judaism) who arrived from Hungary fleeing World War II.

During your walk through South Williamsburg, you’ll notice that the restaurants and shops have signs in Hebrew, as do the typical yellow school buses. If you can, I recommend popping into a kosher shop and buying some sweets or a bagel. They’re pretty tasty!

Travel responsibly

I recommend that, if you want to make the most of your visit, you book a tour of Williamsburg, as it is a very close-knit community that deeply respects its way of life and traditions. They don’t pay much attention to visitors, but it’s best to act with consideration during your walk through South Williamsburg (especially when taking photos in which residents might appear).

The contrast between different ways of life can be jarring, but even if their clothing, hairstyles, or other details catch your eye, to avoid making them feel uncomfortable, try not to stare at them curiously or follow them to take photos. Being respectful of others is also part of traveling responsibly.

In DUMBO, there’s no shortage of restaurants where you can stop for a bite to eat. Next to Grimaldi’s pizzeria, famous throughout New York for its pepperoni pizza, this neighborhood is home to Time Out Market, a food hall with over twenty food stalls where you can sample different dishes without leaving Empire Stores, the picturesque building that houses it and bears witness to Brooklyn’s industrial past in the 19th century.

A perfect option if you’re traveling in a group and want to avoid the endless debate about where everyone wants to eat, since there’s a little bit of everything: Italian, Japanese, Thai, and Lebanese food, bagels, burgers, vegetarian options, sweets, and more. Some of the best chefs selected by Time Out New York share this space of over 2,400 square meters.

Another option is to book a food tour in Brooklyn and discover the area’s top culinary delights. You can also head to Time Out Market at 55 Water Street, which brings together some of New York’s most skilled bartenders across three bars to mix up delicious cocktails for you to toast your trip. And if, in addition to filling your stomach, you’d like to have a drink with a view, make a note of the best rooftops in New York.

What was once a rather bleak industrial zone filled with factories and warehouses is now one of New York’s trendiest spots. Toward the end of the 1970s, bohemians and artists settled in DUMBO, changing the soul of the neighborhood, which became the epicenter of new artistic movements and attracted wealthy new residents due to its proximity to Manhattan.

When you arrive in DUMBO, the first thing you’ll want to do is take a long stroll and get lost in its streets. One way to make the most of it is to book a photo shoot in Brooklyn with a photographer.

You’ll be struck by how the neighborhood has maintained that perfect blend of old industrial architecture and cobblestone streets—where the old train tracks are still visible—with the most modern design and luxury spaces found in the area.

What to see in DUMBO?

What better way to delve deeper not only into Brooklyn but also into the Bronx and Queens than by booking a tour of contrasts through these three neighborhoods, where you’ll discover all the secrets, interesting facts, and anecdotes about these three areas alongside a *tour guide.

The tour, which lasts approximately 6 hours, is available every day of the week first thing in the morning and will immerse you in the diversity and culture of Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. Plus, it’s ideal if you’re tired of long walks because transportation is provided in an air-conditioned vehicle.

Another great thing to do in Brooklyn is to spend an evening at the BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), a multi-arts center that for over a century has been home to adventurous artists with bold ideas who have surprised audiences. They work primarily with emerging artists, though they also feature innovative artists who have already made a name for themselves. Even actors of the caliber of Cate Blanchett, Jeremy Irons, and John Malkovich have graced the stages of BAM.

The main building is located near the Atlantic Avenue subway stop. Barclays Center is the venue shared by Rose Cinemas, which specializes in arthouse cinema, the Howard Gilman Opera House, and Lepercq Space, a multipurpose venue for performances.

If you like innovative and alternative art, be sure to check out their official website because you’ll find some really cool and unique cultural offerings. And if you’d rather continue your itinerary by visiting one of New York’s best museums, don’t miss the Brooklyn Museum.

One of my favorite spots in DUMBO for its breathtaking views is Main Street Park, one of New York’s best parks, which you can reach by booking the New York City tour bus. On one side is the Brooklyn Bridge, on the other the Manhattan Bridge, and straight ahead the East River and the Financial District skyline. You won’t be able to stop taking photos!

But, to tell the truth, I don’t just like it for this reason—I also love it because it’s home to Jane’s Carousel, an authentic 1920s carousel that was restored to its original splendor and has been part of Brooklyn’s landscape since the 1980s, when it was brought here from Ohio.

Main Street Park with Kids

If you’re visiting New York with your family, this is the perfect place to take the kids to have fun—and you can hop on for a ride too. Jane’s Carousel is for all ages, so don’t be shy—hop on one of its cute little horses for just two dollars. It’s also a perfect plan if you’re traveling as a couple and want to surprise your partner with a romantic evening.

Brooklyn Beach

On the other hand, in Main Street Park there’s a tiny rocky beach known as Pebble Beach. There’s a sort of bleacher-style seating area where you can sit for a while to rest, look at the photos you’ve taken so far, and also enjoy the panoramic view of the city. If you’re traveling to New York in the summer, this spot will be essential for the hottest days of July and August in New York.

Another great thing to do in Brooklyn during your visit, especially between August and October, is to rent a kayak to paddle along the East River. You can find more information on the official website. If you’re looking for more unique experiences like this, don’t miss this list of must-do activities in New York.

Another option in Brooklyn is to take a stroll through the Brooklyn Flea Market in DUMBO on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April to October. It’s a vintage market offering a wide variety of items—clothing, furniture, books, jewelry, and crafts—carefully curated by over 150 local vendors and artisans.

If you love flea markets and are traveling to New York in the winter, this space transforms into Winter Flea during this time of year—a market featuring antiques, crafts, and food that’s open from November through March. Shopping enthusiasts, here you’ll find the best things to buy in New York.

Why I like this market

This isn’t your typical flea market where items are piled up haphazardly; instead, there’s a carefully curated display that draws your eye to the stalls, tempting you to take home a unique souvenir—whether for yourself or your family. There are truly one-of-a-kind items here!

If you don’t leave here with a super-cool vintage jacket, you’ll at least leave with a full stomach. Here you’ll try some of the best tacos, hot dogs, lobster rolls, and Sicilian cannoli in New York. It’s one of the best places to eat in Brooklyn.