The Best Neighborhoods in Brooklyn by NestApple

We’re listing our top 5 Brooklyn nabes, including the most walkable, the safest, and the coolest by Nestapple

Brooklyn is quickly becoming the hottest borough in New York City, and for good reason. The borough offers residents some truly incredible places to live, so without further ado, here’s our list of the best Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Dumbo, Brooklyn

Dumbo is an acronym that stands for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass." It is a widely known and fascinating neighborhood that connects Brooklyn and Manhattan. The residential market is filled with renovated lofts, mixed-use converted spaces, and a growing number of new high-rise condos. Additionally, there are a plethora of shops and restaurants, including the new Time Out Market, which hosts various well-known eateries and shops. Visiting DUMBO is the perfect "photo opp," given its gorgeous skyline views and cobblestone streets.

Dumbo tops our list as it’s not only one of the best but also amongst the safest neighborhoods in Brooklyn. That does come at a cost, though, as it’s also the most expensive neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Popular Attractions in Dumbo:

Brooklyn Bridge Promenade

Juliana’s Pizza

The River Cafe

Time Out Market & Rooftop

Public Transportation:

F at York Street

A, C, at High Street

Transportation

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

Historically, Boerum Hill was a Manhattan suburb. Today, the revitalized neighborhood is dubbed a semi-suburban oasis, which combines a lively city vibe coupled with a picturesque and intimate setting more in line with suburban living. One of the highlights of living in Boerum Hill is Smith Street, a foodie-lovers paradise where you'll be able to explore just about every cuisine imaginable. When it comes to real estate prices, Boerum Hill is expensive, but it's also a great place to find a classic Brooklyn Brownstone, making it one of the best neighborhoods in Brooklyn for families.

Living in Boerum Hill, you will never find yourself without access to public transportation, especially since the transportation hub known as the Atlantic Terminal is right on the tip of Boerum Hill. Residents enjoy a calm, slower-paced lifestyle away from the Manhattan rush. As far as tourism is concerned, Boarum Hill is a popular destination for boutique shopping and restaurants on Smith Street. Notably, Nunu Chocolates has its flagship stores in Boerum Hill.

Popular attractions in Boerum Hill:

Smith Street (shopping and restaurants)

Boutique Shopping

Nunu Chocolates

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)

Public Transportation:

2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R, W, and LIRR (Atlantic Ave)

F, G (Bergen St. Station)

Brooklyn Heights

Dubbed as America's original suburb, Brooklyn Heights is a beautiful tree-lined neighborhood, filled with cobblestone side streets, and a mix of large and small businesses tucked away in the middle of Brooklyn. Brooklyn Heights is an extremely picturesque neighborhood, and is certainly one of the best places to live in Brooklyn.

Housing in Brooklyn Heights is unique as the architectural styles versatile, including “Gothic Revival" to 19th-century mansions. Many of the available apartments are in buildings that were converted from single-family homes and rowhouses.

Overall, living in Brooklyn Heights is peaceful, charming, and understated. While tourism is not a massive part of the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, tourists do stop by and/or bike through to see the breathtaking Brooklyn Promenade, the Brooklyn Historical Society, and the Brooklyn Bridge Park, along with visiting the various coffee shops, and wine bars in the area. This makes the Brooklyn Heights perfect for families who are looking for a safe neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Popular Attractions in Brooklyn Heights:

Brooklyn Promenade

Brooklyn Historical Society

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Public Transportation:

2, 3, 4, 5, N, and R at Borough Hall.

2 and 3 at Clark Street

Downtown Brooklyn

Since being rezoned in 2004, Downtown Brooklyn has dramatically changed. Specifically, the 2004 zoning changes allowed taller and bigger residential buildings to be built in areas that were formerly low-rise industrial or commercial space. As such, flourishing luxury new developments dominate downtown, Brooklyn.

Right over the Brooklyn Bridge, downtown Brooklyn is genuinely a downtown area that could rival any major city outside of New York City. Food and culture are at the forefront of the downtown Brooklyn culture.

Given the fact that it is just a few stops over the Brooklyn Bridge, Downtown Brooklyn, should be a point of interest for any tourist to NYC and is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

Popular Attractions in Downtown Brooklyn:

Fulton Mall

New York Transit Museum

Barclays Center

Cadman Plaza Park

BAM Harvey Theater

Junior's Cheesecake

Dekalb Market Hall

Walt Whitman Park

Brooklyn

Academy of Music

House of Wax

Public Transportation:

D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 at Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center

The A, C, F, and G at Jay Street/Metrotech

Williamsburg

Hip, Artsy, Pricey, Music, and Nightlife are all words to describe the trendy neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. With that being said, it's easy to understand why Williamsburg is one of the most popular areas in the city amongst young New Yorkers. Williamsburg is not only one of the coolest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, but one of the coolest in all of NYC. Living in a hip neighborhood comes at a cost, as Williamsburg is one of the most expensive neighborhoods to living in Brooklyn. Expensive industrial loft apartments are popular in Williamsburg. You can also find a plethora of luxury high-rises and condos on the waterfront in Williamsburg.

During the Spring and Summer months, Williamsburg is home to the Smorgasburg festival, which is the largest weekly open-air food market in the US, attracting over 30,000 visitors. Festival-goers can enjoy the tasty bites from over 100 local vendors.

Williamsburg is a short train ride from Manhattan via the L train. Other train lines that stop in Williamsburg include the G, J, M.

Popular Attractions in Williamsburg:

Brooklyn Bowl

Brooklyn Brewery

Walk/Bike the Williamsburg Bridge

McCarren Park

Shop Boutique Stores and Eat at Various Restaurants around Bedford Avenue

Smorgasburg

Public Transportation:

L at Bedford

G at Metropolitan

J, M Marcy Avenue