Brooklyn is a very diverse borough in NYC, rich culture and history, the population in this borough alone is over 2.4 million making it one of the most populous areas in the United States. There lots of things to do in Brooklyn because there are several attractions, magnificent structures, parks, etc.
These happening places are scattered in different areas all over Brooklyn’s best neighborhoods. These activities may include going to places like museums, parks, gardens, visiting extraordinary architectural buildings, food markets, etc.
Regardless of where you are in the city you can easily get around these fun places in Brooklyn either through a ferry cruise on the East River, or a Subway ride from Manhattan or walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Anyhow you choose to find your way to these fun places is fine.
In this article, we have put together a number of things you can do in Brooklyn throughout the year. Most of these activities are free and cheap, and the most important thing is that you’d have fun while at it.
Things To Do in Brooklyn
- Tour around the Barclays Center
- Go see the Botanical Gardens
- Unwind at the Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Take a walk in the Brooklyn Bridge
- Visit the Brooklyn Museum
- Spend an afternoon at the Prospect Park
- Sip Craft Beer At The Brooklyn Brewery
- Visit Coney Island, Luna Park
- Shop At The Brooklyn Flea
- Visit Brooklyn Historical Society
- And more…
1. Tour Around The Barclays Center
Address: 620 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, New York
Barclays Center was opened in 2012 and it is a multi-purpose indoor arena with a total capacity of 19,000. This center is located downtown Brooklyn and it’s the home to Brooklyn Nets of the NBA. The center is also used for New York Islanders hockey games as well as several other events like music concerts, comedy shows, etc.
Barclays Center is in close proximity to the Long Island Railroad as well as several subway lines at the Atlantic Terminal transportation hub. This arena is beautiful structured, Its one if the most significant structures in the borough.
Website: Barclays Center
2. Go See The Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Address: 990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, New York
If you are looking for a place to relax or you are interested in horticulture, Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a place of peace and tranquility, checking out this beautiful garden is one of the best things you can do in Brooklyn.
It is located close to Prospect Park, this is a very beautiful and peaceful garden, it is similar to several others like Shakespeare Garden, Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Fragrance Garden, Cherry Esplanade, etc.
At this garden, there are several beautiful plants like the Hardy Hibiscus, the Dahlia, Japanese Anenome, and lots of others. There are different types of roses at this Garden that you may have not seen before. This is really a beautiful place to be.
Admission is not free, it costs 15 dollars for adults and 8 dollars for age 12 and above but free for children from age 12 below.
3. Unwind At The Brooklyn Bridge Park
Address: 334 Furman St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States
85-acres Brooklyn Bridge Park is located on the Shores of the East River. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place to unwind, relax and enjoy yourself. The view around the city harbor, Brooklyn bridge, Manhattan bridge, and the Statue of Liberty from this park is amazing.
This park is a nice venue for picnic, it’s also a popular playground, both tourists and locals find their way to the park. It has been used for a number of outdoor events like concerts, movies, fitness classes, kayaking, rowing, etc. At the park, there are basketball courts, in-line skating rink, etc.
Getting yourself here is also one of the best things to do in Brooklyn, it’s really a fun place to be. They are open from 6:00am to 1:00am.
4. Take A Walk On The Brooklyn Bridge
Address: Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY 10038, United States
This is one of the most popular tourist’s destination in Brooklyn, and if you are looking for sightseeing and attractions to see you should definitely get yourself out here, you’d be glad you did. The Brooklyn bridge is more than just a bridge connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan is a depiction of engineering excellence and ingenuity.
This architectural beauty was built over a century ago and it’s still one of the most beautiful bridges ever built. For pedestrians, the length of the bridge is about 1.1 mile. If you don’t want to walk you can take a bike ride, it’s fun. On the bridge you can have a panoramic view of the city from different vintage point on the pedestrian walkway.
This is one of the top attractions in the city, and you should add it to your list of thing to do in Brooklyn.
5. Visit The Brooklyn Museum
Address: 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238, United States
A visit to the Brooklyn Museum should at the top of your bucket list, this is one of the landmarks in the borough. At the museum, there are lots of beautiful collection of Egyptian antiquities and traveling exhibitions, you will find exhibitions like The Legacy of Lynching, Living Modern, etc.
Some of the collections include portrait of luminaries like John Cage, and so on.
The Brooklyn Museum is the third largest museum in the city and it’s one of the best. There are about 1.5 million works at the museum.
It is open on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11:00am to 6:00pm and on Thursday, it’s open from 11:00am to 10:00pm. On the first Saturday of the month it’s open from 11:00am to 11:00pm and it’s free for visitors every month except January and September.
Admission is 16 dollars for adults, 10 dollars for students but free for children below 19 years. On the First Saturday, admission is free.
Website: Brooklyn Museum
6. Spend Your Afternoon At Prospect Park
Address: 450 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225, USA
This is one of the nicest places for recreation and relaxation in Brooklyn, it’s a cool and fun place to be.
Prospect Park is over 500 acres and it’s one of the biggest tourist attractions in Brooklyn because are various activities you can engage in. You can go fishing, bike riding, exploring the Ravine forest, dog-walking, etc. The park features the first urban Audubon Center in collaboration with Audubon New York and the Prospect Park Alliance.
On Sundays from April to October at Smorgasburg Prospect Park, there’s a food festival where they serve various cuisines from local Brooklyn’s restaurants. The park is always open every of the week from 5:00am to 1:00am.
7. Sip Craft Beer At The Brooklyn Brewery
Address: 79 N 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249, United States
This is one of the places to visit when you re in Brooklyn but children are not allowed, to be able to access the premise for a tour you must have a valid ID showing you are 21 and above.
There are Small Batch and Technical Tour which is takes about 45 minutes and it include tastings but the public hour tour which takes bout 25 minutes doesn’t include tastings.
The Small Batch and Technical Tour takes place from Mondays to Fridays at 5:00pm, 5:45pm, 6:30pm, and 7:15pm. To be able to participate in this Small Batch and Technical Tour admission is 18 dollar and you must make a reservation.
Public hours takes place on Monday to Wednesday and it’s from 5:00pm to 11:00pm. In the summer, they on Thursdays from 2:00pm to 11:00pm and on Fridays from 2:00pm to 12:00am.
8. Visit Coney Island, Luna Park
Address: 1000 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224, United States
Coney Island was opened in 2010, it’s located at the southern end of Brooklyn, it is one of the most popular summer destinations and it’s a nice place for family fun. Coney Island is known for its carnival rides and lots of other fun activities. At Luna Park, you can go on a roller coaster, go-karting, etc.
Being at this spot is one of the fun things to do in Brooklyn, in recent years, it has been the location for the annual Mermaid Parade which attracts fans dressed in their costumes from different part of the borough to celebrate the water nymphs.
Admission into the Luna Park is not free, “Any Day Luna Pass” costs 40 dollar when you purchase it in advance but at the park, it costs 42 dollars.
9. Shop At The Brooklyn Flea
This is a seasonal market with everything you could possibly need. This spot is open on Saturdays on the second-level patio of the Williamsburg Hotel and on Sundays under the Manhattan Bridge at Pearl Plaza in Dumbo, it runs from April to November. There several items sold at Brooklyn Flea, from furniture, clothing, to jewelry, etc. These items were made by the sellers themselves.
Make your weekend fun by visiting the Brooklyn Flea, it’s a fun place to be and it’s one of the greatest markets in the country. It’s only open on weekends at these locations mentioned above.
10. Visit Brooklyn Historical Society
Address: 128 Pierrepont St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States
Brooklyn Historical Society has been around for over a century, there you will find informative and educative document about the borough. This is a place of knowledge about Brooklyn, how several events occurred, the time and relevant details of those events.
Here you can check out the Other Library, educational center and museum.
This is a cool place to spend your afternoon, there are two locations, another location is at Empire Stores in Dumbo neighborhood.
It is open from Wednesdays to Sundays from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Admission is 10 dollars for adults, 6 dollars for seniors, 62 years and above and teachers. It is completely free for students and children from 12 years below.
11. Enjoy The Games At MCU Park
MCU Park is located adjacent to the Broadwalk and Coney Island-Stillwall Avenue Station, it is the home of Brooklyn Cyclones, and it’s a place of fun. You can come with family and friends to enjoy minor league baseball games at the MCU Park, there are special promotions like Everyone Runs the Bases, Kids East Free Monday and Tribute to Seinfeld Night. This is a place to have fun, and it’s one of the best activities you can do in Brooklyn.
12. Get A Souvenir At The New York Transit Museum
Address: 99 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, New York
Located Downtown Brooklyn, is the New York Transit Museum, it is one of the oldest public transportation system in the US. It is housed in a decommissioned subway station where you’d find subway cars and buses used in the 1990s.
At the NY Transit Museum, there’s an educational program where you’d learn about the history of mass transportation in the metropolis since 1976 through reconstructed subway platforms, memorao, etc. At this location, you’d learn a lot and have fun at the same time.
13. Brooklyn Grange
Address: 63 Flushing Ave., Building 3, Roof, Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn Grange is located at the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, it is a 5.6 acre farm where local restaurants and markets get farm produce. It is also one of the biggest rooftop soil farm on the planet.
Every year, over 50,000 pounds of organic produce are grown from this farms, and this is amazing. The company has two rooftop farms, one is in Brooklyn and the other in Long Island City, Queens. At the Brooklyn Grange, you can learn about organic farming, mushroom cultivation, flora design, beekeeping, etc. This is nice place to to see, the view of the city is extraordinary from this spot.
14. Enjoy The View At Brooklyn Heights Promenade
This is a nice spot to have some breathtaking views of Manhattan, it is a beautiful and comfortable spot. This outdoor walkway overlooks the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and downtown Manhattan. Along the manicured promenade, you’d find some of the oldest mansions in one of the most historic neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
At the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, there’s a pedestrian walkway with benches adorned with flowerbeds where you can sit and enjoy the view and also watch people walking and running by.
This place is one of the favorite places for exercise, here you’ll find people runners, cyclists, rollerbladers, etc. Close to this spot are a number of restaurants serving different type of dishes so you can easily stroll to any of them when you feel like eating. There are also some rooftop bar where to you can unwind and enjoy the view of the city.
15. Dine At The Pilot
Address: Pier 6 Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, NY 11201
The Pilot is an eatery on a boat that has gone around the world at two different occasions. According to records, this ship was instrumental during the world war II but today is one of the most fun places to be in Brooklyn for an exquisite meal.
This is one of the best places in the borough to get seafood, some of the items on the menu include ceviche, oysters, caviar, callops, etc.
Pilot is open occasionally, so you have to plan for it before going, the waterfront make it’s a more fascinating destination, the atmosphere is ecstatic so looking for something to do in Brooklyn, you should check this place out.
16. Enjoy Nature At Cadman Plaza Park
Address: Cadman Plaza E, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States
Cadman Plaza Park is a beautiful place of nature located downtown Brooklyn, if you need to peace and quiet, this is one location you can be sure of finding it. At this park, you will feel at ease.
This is a place to unwind and relax, if you need a getaway for a while then you should come to Cadman Plaza Park. It’s always open, and there are no admission, you can come in at anytime, you wouldn’t be alone at the park but it’s also a quiet place.
17. Williamsburg Smorgasburg
If you are looking for things to do in Brooklyn, you can not afford to miss the food market in East River State Park, Smorgasburg Food Market.
This is an open-air market, organizer in partnership with the New York Greenmarket and the Brooklyn Flea Market. It is the biggest weekly food market in the country with over 25,000 people every weekend and most of them are locals.
This market is usually on Saturdays and it runs from April to November so if you are in Brooklyn this is a nice spot to visit.
They have a wide selection of food to choose from. This is really a fun place to be and finding your way here is one of the best things to do in Brooklyn.
18. Enjoy Music Concert At The BAM Harvey Theater
The BAM Harvey Theater was built in 1904, it hosts musicals, vaudeville and plays that went all the way to Broadway. This building has going through different times, before the advent of TV in the 40s, it served as an elegant European-style movie house and was closed in the 60s
In the late 80s, it was reopened as a prominent cultural center, as part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). It is a non-profit corporation with three mixed venues which are the BAM Harvey Theater, the BAM Fisher and the Peter Jay Sharp Beaux Arts-style building (housing Howard Gilman Opera House and BAM Rose Cinemas). This is a fun place to be and you can add it to your bucket list as things to do in Brooklyn.
19. Tour the Brooklyn Children’s Museum
If you have kids and you are looking for ways to make the most out of your time in Brooklyn, then you should consider this place. This children’s museum is a nice place for children, here you’ll find exhibitions that are mind blowing.
Some of the most fascinating ones are Collection Center, Neighborhood Nature and Sensory Room. Some of the temporary exhibits are Survival of the Slowest and Native Voices.
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00am to 5:00pm. On Thursdays it’s open from 10:00am to 6:00pm and on Saturdays and Sundays, it’s open from 10:00am to 7:00pm.
Admission costs 12 dollars but on Thursdays from 2:00pm to 6:00pm and Sundays 4:00pm to 7:00pm admission is pay as you wish.
20. Washington Street
From Washington Street, you can have a good view at the Empire State Building so you do not necessarily need to go to Manhattan. So if you love to have great views in Brooklyn then take a stroll on Washington Street, from there you’d be amazed of the breathtaking views it offers.
Within the DUMBO neighborhood, you’d find several interesting points with great view over the city skyline. This is also one of the numerous things to do in Brooklyn, it’s fun and refreshing.
Brooklyn is one of the most fascinating places in New York City, there are lost of things you can do that are free and cheap. These are some of the things you can do in Brooklyn, they are mostly free and cheap. If you have tried any of these out let us know in the comment section.
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