Twenty-four hours is never enough in any city, but sometimes it’s all you have. And if you want a truly localized experience but only have a day in Brooklyn, here’s where to go, what to do, and how to best experience it, in one day.
Coming from Manhattan, first make your way down to lower Manhattan and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Yes, it’s touristy but it’s stunning and should be missed. This piece of architectural magic was the first to unite these two pieces of land, for foot traffic, horse-drawn carriages, and bicyclists at the time it opened in 1869.
The Brooklyn side of the bridge ends in DUMBO, a very historic and quite trendy neighborhood that stands for “Down Under The Manhattan Bridge Overpass”. Both the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge end in this neighborhood within a few blocks of each other, offering iconic views of both boroughs and picture-perfect frames for the infamous skyline (you’re probably familiar with the one above?).
Walk around Brooklyn Bridge Park, which has the best views of lower Manhattan. There’s a fairly hidden bar within the park, as well as a historic schooner-turned-oyster and cocktail bar just off the park in the river, in case you get thirsty (and I recommend that you do). Spend some time exploring the shops and cobblestone streets of DUMBO, but avoid Grimaldi’s. It’s not even close to the best pizza in town, and you don’t want to be one of those mindless tourists spending an hour in line for a sub-par slice.
From there, catch the NYC Ferry from DUMBO up to Williamsburg. Get off in South Williamsburg and walk under the Williamsburg Bridge and into Domino Park. Great waterfront views and my favorite taco spot in town, Tacocina. Owned by some of the best restauranteurs in town (think Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Manhatta…) this sneaky little shack is serving some of the best tacos in town, right on the water, for less than $4 a pop. From there, walk up Kent to North 7th- There you’ll find Smorgasburg, a massive, weekly food festival (on Saturdays!) and their new Food Truck Fridays (on… Fridays!) in East River State Park, right on the water. Both will be crowded and full of “influencers” precariously positioning pineapples in Portrait Mode, but also a great way to experience some amazing local fare.
From there, walk East to Bedford Ave (the main drag in Williamsburg) for shops and such. Ideally you’ll find yourself close to sunset and also both the William Vale and Wythe Hotels around the same time. The William Vale is the tallest publicly-accessible structure in the borough, and thus offers unmatched views of the skyline, and damn good cocktails. It is, however, a scene. The Wythe Hotel, just across the street, is tall enough to see it all and has a much more localized vibe.
Make your way north into Greenpoint (the best neighborhood in Brooklyn) and explore the amazing shops along Franklin Street. Get dinner at any of my favorite spots- Chez Ma Tante (French Canadien/British inspired, and probably the best food in north Brooklyn right now), Le Fanfare (Sardinian-Italian spot where I work! Amazing fresh pastas and seafood), Oxomoco (one of two Michelin Starred Mexican places in the city. AMAZING food), Paulie Gee’s (the only pizza spot you need to know about. Unbelievable, and a neighborhood institution.) Cherry Point (mostly British, meat-centric, insanely talented chef) of El Born (authentic Spanish tapas and paella!) I recommend making a reservation ASAP at any of those places! Then go get drinks at Ramona, Troost, or Moonlight Mile,
Still want more? Work off that extra energy and tear up the dance floors at Good Room (edgy, techno-centric club with world-class DJs but an approachable vibe) or Pony Boy (wild dance parties for a youngish crowd that you still can fit right in, at any age) in Greenpoint. If you really want to burn the midnight oil- grab a cab and head to Bushwick to hit up a crazy dance party at House of Yes (part circus, part dance club, this eccentric space was started by a few Burning Man revelers who want to keep the Playa vibes going all year) or Brooklyn Mirage (MASSIVE indoor/outdoor space that is the best place to party outside of Ibiza.) until the wee hours.
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