Brooklyn Roads

Even when you leave the borough of Manhattan behind and head into Brooklyn you can still see the incredible Manhattan skyline from many points in Brooklyn. This is the borough where I was born and raised, and often, as I daydream I set off on Brooklyn roads and return there in my mind.

Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883 and was the first bridge built across the East River. At one time the bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world until the Akashi-Kaiyo bridge was built in Japan.

It has become one of the top attractions in New York City and is beautiful particularly all lit up at night.

Brooklyn Bridge Park stretches along the shores of the East River. It is a wonderful place to take a walk and enjoy the views of New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and both Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The park features a restored carousel from the 1920s, playgrounds, piers, and lawns for picnicking. There are also basketball courts, an in-line skating rink, and a small beach for non-motorized boat launches. A seasonal ferry takes people from the park to Governors Island.

Governors Island is an island in New York Harbor within the borough of Manhattan and separated from Brooklyn by the 400-yard-wide Buttermilk Channel.

Governors Island National Monument includes two former military fortifications – Fort Jay and Castle Williams. There are 52 historic buildings, and is operated as a public park.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is located next to Prospect Park. Here you'll find peaceful gardens like the Cherry Esplanade, Fragrance Garden, Herb Garden, Magnolia Plaza, Cranford Rose Garden, Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Shakespeare Garden, and the new Woodland Garden, among others. During the winter, it is wonderful to stroll in the greenhouse filled with lush tropical flora and desert cacti. In the spring, you can enjoy the Sakura Matsuri Festival in the Cherry Esplanade with all the beautiful cherry trees in bloom.

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch is a triumphal arch at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, just north of Prospect Park. It was built from 1889 to 1892 and is dedicated “To the Defenders of the Union, 1861-1865” At the eastern end is a stairway to the observation deck and crowning sculpture which was open to the public until the early 2000s when the interior was unsafe to enter. It is worth just admiring from the outside.

Prospect Park begins at the Grand Army Plaza Triumphal Arch. It encircles the neighborhoods of Park Slope, Crown Heights, and Windsor Terrace. The park is a great place to commune with nature, take walks, run, bike, explore the Ravine Forest, and picnic on the Long Meadow and Nethermed. There are man-made wetlands and trees. Among the attractions here are a boathouse, zoo, lake, sporting fields, ice rink, carousel, band shell, and many playing fields. On Sundays near the Breeze Hill entrance, you'll find Smorgasburg Prospect Park, a food festival with many different cuisines from local restaurants from April to October.

Prospect Park Zoo is home to nearly 400 animals. It is operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society and is known worldwide for its innovative ways of caring for animals. The exhibits feature animals in environments that reflect their natural habitats. You can enjoy sea lions, Hamadryas baboons, red pandas, North American river otters, and much more. There is a barnyard with sheep, goats, and cows.

My Brooklyn roads also take me to my neighborhood Bay Ridge in the southwest corner of Brooklyn. Here you'll find the incredible Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. It spans the Narrows, a body of water linking Upper New York Bay with Lower New York Bary and the Atlantic Ocean. This is a double-deck bridge with 13 lanes – seven lanes on the upper level and six on the lower.

It was named after Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first European explorer to enter New York Harbor and the Hudson River in 1524.

American Veterans Memorial Pier, also known as the 69th Street Pier in Bay Ridge, is located at Bay Ridge Avenue and Shore Road. Sports fishermen enjoy fishing in the waters of “The Bay Ridge Anchorage” and along the seawall promenade running south from the pier to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and east along Gravesend Bay.

The pier features a sculpture emitting a beam of light to memorialize those who died on September 9/11.

Take a trip to Coney Island, which is a popular summer destination at the southern tip of Brooklyn. It is known for its carnival rides and Nathan's Famous hot dogs. You can enjoy strolling on the boardwalk and the beach.

Among the highlights is the Wonder Wheel, built in 1918 and opened in 1920. The wheel will take you up high for spectacular views. It holds 144 riders and stands 150 feet tall. At night it is illuminated by neon tubes. It is part of Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park.

The Cyclone was built in 1927 and is the nation's oldest wooden roller coaster and is still in operation. It is located across from the new Luna Park.

New York Aquarium is not to be missed when in Coney Island. It has great exhibits and is home to sharks, rays, sea otters, octopuses, jellyfish, and more.

Even in Downtown Brooklyn, you can find some beauty through nature at Cadman Plaza Park. It is a beautiful park where people can play or relax on the large central lawn. There are shaded walkways for pedestrians and dog walkers.

In the center of the park is the monumental Brooklyn War Memorial, dedicated to the 300,000 Brooklynites who served in WW II.

The new Barclays Center is home to the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA. It opened in 2012 and is a multi-purpose indoor arena. You can enjoy New York Islanders hockey games here and concerts and comedy shows.

You can get a great view of the Empire State Building from Washington Street. This is a famous New York Street offering scenic views of Manhattan landmarks through the Manhattan Bridge. The Empire State Building can be viewed from Washington Street and Water Street.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music BAM is a prominent cultural center. It opened in 1861 and has featured legends like Isadora Duncan, Sarah Bernhardt, Steve Reich, and Winston Churchill. BAM is a not-for-profit corporation that inhabits three venues – the Peter Jay Sharp Beaux-Arts building (with the Howard Gilman Opera House and BAM Rose Cinemas), the BAM Harvey Theater, and the BAM Fisher. The BAM Cafe is a restaurant that hosts live music and readings in the Peter Jay Sharp building.

The Greenwood Cemetery has impressive Gothic arches at the entrance and a rolling landscape across 478 acres. It was the first rural burial ground in New York City and the final resting place for wealthy New Yorkers. The cemetery is a delight for nature lovers, especially bird lovers.

A colony of blue-green monk parakeets nests in the spires of the arches, and the ponds are home to herons, egrets, sandpipers, geese, and ducks. Since the cemetery is part of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System, birding walks are available.

There are many impressive monuments, mausoleums, and sculptures to see. Take the Civil War Discovery Trail to see monuments of fallen Union and Confederate soldiers.

Brooklyn Heights offers some of the most stellar views of Manhattan along the lovely manicured promenade. The outdoor walkway overlooks Downtown Manhattan, the East River, and the Brooklyn Bridge. This is one of the most historic neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

As you walk along the promenade, you can see beautiful mansions and impressive architecture. The pedestrian walkway is lined with benches and beautiful flowerbeds. It is a popular place to walk, sit, and people-watch. Runners, rollerbladers, and cyclists love to exercise along the pavement. Not far from the promenade are some of the best restaurants and boutiques in Brooklyn.

The beautiful beachfront neighborhood of Brighton Beach is worth visiting in South Brooklyn. It is an international community. There is a beautiful, wide beach to enjoy and hotels and restaurants. The restaurants are mostly Georgian, Uzbek, and Turkish, giving the neighborhood its nickname “Little Odessa.”

Brighton Beach was named for the English seaside resort town. People who live in the apartment buildings along the beachfront have great views of the beach and easy access to it.

The William Vale is one of the must-see hotels in New York City. It is located in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg. It is a contemporary luxury hotel featuring world-class hospitality, amazing views, and elevated public green space. All of the 183 rooms and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows, open-air balconies, and awesome views of all the boroughs. It has some of the best eateries, and in the summer, free movies are shown in Vale Park. It has become a Brooklyn attraction even if you are not looking for accomodations.

Museums

The Brooklyn Museum displays artwork by the masters Cezanne, Monet, Bierstadt, Rothko, and other renowned artists. There is an amazing collection of Egyptian antiquities and African, European, Japanese, Oceanic, and American art. There are nearly 1.5 million artworks, and it is the third largest museum in the city. The museum hosts a First Saturday program, with free programming for visitors each month. Programming includes art classes, music and dance performances, art workshops, and gallery talks, as well as musical performances and film screenings.

The New York Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn pays homage to one of the oldest public transit systems in the country. The museum is housed in a decommissioned train station and displays vintage subway cars and buses from the early 1900s. You can learn about the history of mass transit in the city since 1976 through memorabilia, reconstructed subway platforms, and long-term and rotating exhibits. During the holidays, the Holiday Nostalgia Rides give you a chance to ride in a 1930s RI-9 train car on Sundays between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

The Brooklyn Children's Museum dates from 1899. It is a great place for children to express themselves and discover. Children can be stimulated by fascinating exhibits like the “Sensory Room,” Neighborhood Nature,” and “Collections Central.” This museum lets kids see how great the world around them really is and stimulates their imaginations.

Things to do and see in Manhattan