Things to Do in Brooklyn, NYC
Browse top attractions, markets, theater performances, parks, things to do with kids, and great restaurants.
Brooklyn never sat still, not once during our visit. “It’s a borough that breathes with its whole chest,” I thought, watching a cyclist glide past murals, a DJ warming up on a sidewalk stage, kids dancing on stoops without music.
We crossed bridges, rode rollercoasters, wandered into old buildings filled with stories, and left every market with more than we planned. What surprised me most wasn’t how much there was to do, it was how easy it was to stumble into something worth remembering. A view. A voice. A fresh-baked knish.
Brooklyn didn’t feel like one place. It felt like a hundred small scenes stitched together—and each one invited us in, no script required.
Plan your Brooklyn day:
- Getting There: Subway, ferry, or bike from Manhattan
- Vibe: Eclectic, expressive, constantly unfolding
- What to Bring: Comfortable shoes, appetite, curiosity
- Best Time to Visit: Spring to early fall for open-air fun
Best Things to Do in Brooklyn
Luna Park, Coney Island
The boardwalk buzzed, waves crashing on one side, screams from the Cyclone on the other. “This isn’t just a theme park,” I thought. “It’s summer bottled up and let loose.”
Luna Park brought color and clamor in all the best ways: spinning rides, cotton candy fingers, carnival games with prizes too big to carry. We rode the Wonder Wheel, toes dangling over rooftops, and laughed through every tilt and twist of the roller coasters below. It wasn’t sleek, it was gritty joy, and it worked.
What I Loved Most: That everything felt wide open. Ocean breeze, neon signs, time slowing just long enough to taste the moment.
My highlight? A Nathan’s Famous hot dog, straight from the source, snappy casing, warm bun, tang of mustard. The scent of sizzling onions trailed us down the beach as the lights of the park blinked into evening.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Coney Island, Brooklyn
- Vibe: Nostalgic, lively, seaside electric
- Cost: Pay per ride or wristband options (~$60 for unlimited)
- Hours: Seasonal, typically April–October; check website for daily times
Brooklyn Bridge Park
The skyline looked like it had been painted just for us, sharp and glowing across the water. “This is where the city lets you breathe,” I thought, as we wandered along the piers with grass underfoot and the East River lapping nearby.
Brooklyn Bridge Park stretched long and generous. We skipped stones near Pebble Beach, watched kids climb giant boulders at the playgrounds, and found shade beneath old industrial cranes turned sculpture. Jane’s Carousel spun slowly near the water’s edge, its music drifting on the breeze like a lullaby for the city.
What I Loved Most: The balance, open space with a front-row seat to Manhattan’s pulse.
My highlight? A late lunch at Luke’s Lobster: warm buttered lobster roll, lemon just squeezed, nestled into a soft split-top bun. The smell of the sea and grilled bread made every bite feel like summer, even in spring.
Plan your visit:
- Location: DUMBO to Brooklyn Heights waterfront
- Vibe: Scenic, family-friendly, urban oasis
- Cost: Free entry; food and attractions priced individually
- Hours: Open daily, 6am–1am
Brooklyn Flea
It smelled like old books and fresh coffee. “This is treasure hunting, Brooklyn-style,” I thought, flipping through a box of vinyl records while someone bargained over mid-century chairs nearby.
Brooklyn Flea wasn’t just a market, it was a mood. Vintage denim, handmade jewelry, antique maps, and framed concert posters mixed with banter and espresso steam. Kids munched on pretzels while parents eyed old globes and letterpress signs. It felt spontaneous, but curated by years of stories stacked in crates and bins.
What I Loved Most: That anything could catch your eye, a keychain or a cabinet, and it all came with a story.
My highlight? A buttery croissant from Dough Donuts across the lot, light, flaky, warm, with sugar melting at the corners. I ate it with one hand while flipping through postcards from 1967.
Plan your visit:
- Location: DUMBO or Williamsburg, depending on season
- Vibe: Eclectic, local, creative chaos
- Cost: Free to enter; prices vary wildly (cash recommended)
- Hours: Weekends, 10am–5pm (April through December)
Explore Brooklyn’s Past at the Brooklyn Historical Society
The building itself felt like a time capsule, ornate ceilings, hushed wood-paneled rooms. “This place has been listening longer than I’ve been alive,” I thought, stepping into the library lined with arched windows and rows of books too old to touch.
Inside, we found exhibits on immigration, shipbuilding, abolitionists, and the layered lives that shaped the borough. One room held a century-old map of Brooklyn’s street grid; another played oral histories of long-gone neighborhoods. Everything felt close, less museum, more memory bank.
What I Loved Most: The way Brooklyn’s past wasn’t polished, it was personal, textured, and real.
My highlight? A café stop afterward at Tilly’s: chai latte with oat milk and a toasted sesame bagel slathered in scallion cream cheese. Warm, savory, with just enough spice to match the creak of old floorboards still echoing in my head.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Brooklyn Heights (now part of the Center for Brooklyn History)
- Vibe: Historic, reflective, quietly powerful
- Cost: Donation-based; free suggested
- Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm
The Ford Amphitheater
The sun was setting behind the boardwalk, and the music rolled out over the beach like a wave of its own. “There’s no curtain between the stage and the sky,” I thought, leaning back in my seat as the crowd swayed together in the warm air.
The Ford Amphitheater, perched at the edge of Coney Island, brought big sound to the shore, concerts, comedy, dance, and the occasional local festival. The seats were open to the breeze, and seagulls drifted above like they had tickets too. Even if you didn’t know the artist, it felt like the right place to be.
What I Loved Most: That mix of ocean and amplifier, natural rhythm meeting performance pulse.
My highlight? Fish tacos from Paul’s Daughter before the show, crispy, citrusy, wrapped in warm tortillas with just a hit of jalapeño. We ate standing up, salt on our fingers and music already in the air.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Coney Island Boardwalk
- Vibe: Outdoor, energetic, beachside electric
- Cost: Ticketed events vary (~$25–$100); free festivals occasional
- Season: Summer through early fall
FAD Market
It felt like walking through a live Pinterest board, hand-poured candles, screen-printed tea towels, ceramics with glazes that caught the light. “This is Brooklyn’s creative heartbeat,” I thought, as a local jeweler chatted with a shopper over a display of hammered gold hoops.
Held in rotating spaces like church halls and historic buildings, FAD Market (Fashion, Art, and Design) showcases local makers and independent artists. Every table offered something thoughtful, tactile, or beautifully odd. Kids clutched hand-sewn stuffed animals while adults compared small-batch soaps scented with lemongrass or cedarwood.
What I Loved Most: Meeting the people behind the pieces, no middlemen, just makers and stories.
My highlight? A quick bite at a pop-up stand: rosemary focaccia layered with fig jam and brie, warm and fragrant, the bread chewy and golden. I ate standing beside someone painting a tiny watercolor of a pigeon in sunglasses.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Various pop-ups, often Boerum Hill, DUMBO, or Industry City
- Vibe: Artisan, stylish, community-driven
- Cost: Free entry; items $5–$100+
- Hours: Select weekends; check online schedule
Emma's Torch
The scent hit me as soon as I walked in, cumin, warm onions, something rich and earthy simmering in the back. I slid into a booth, already thinking, “This isn’t just food, it’s something people poured themselves into.”
Emma’s Torch felt like kindness with silverware. The menu was small, thoughtful. I ordered plantains with spiced beans and herb-roasted chicken, and every bite felt like it had been carried from a home kitchen somewhere far away. The staff, all part of a culinary training program for refugees, moved with so much care it made me sit up straighter. I wanted to be as present as they were.
What I Loved Most: I could feel the purpose in the room. It made the meal feel deeper, like I was part of something quietly important.
My highlight? Coconut-lime cake for dessert, moist and tender, with a sharp citrus finish that stayed with me the whole walk back. It tasted like sunshine wrapped in a good ending.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
- Vibe: Uplifting, intimate, purpose-driven
- Cost: Entrées ~$18–$30; brunch also offered
- Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, lunch and dinner
BKLYN Larder
I walked in for cheese and left with a little more faith in small joys. The air inside BKLYN Larder was cool and sharp, like parmesan and sourdough had been arguing happily all morning. “I could stay here for hours,” I thought, reading chalkboard notes about local dairy and homemade jam.
I sampled a few things at the counter, creamy robiola, a smoky gouda, before settling on a pressed panini with prosciutto and fig spread. The bread crackled as I bit in, warm and buttery, the sweet and salt meeting just right. I found a sunny bench outside and watched the neighborhood pass by like a slow parade of strollers and well-loved dogs.
What I Loved Most: I felt taken care of without fanfare. The kind of place that gives you exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
My highlight? A slice of olive oil cake to go, moist and lemony, with the faintest crunch of sugar on top. I ate it standing by the curb, wishing I’d bought two.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn
- Vibe: Artisanal, comforting, just a little indulgent
- Cost: Sandwiches ~$10–$16; cheeses by weight
- Hours: Daily, 10am–8pm
Experience Art, Film, and Music at BRIC Arts Media
I didn’t plan to stay long, but the space pulled me in. High ceilings, art on the walls, someone rehearsing a spoken word piece behind a curtain. “This is Brooklyn with its voice turned up,” I thought, leaning into a video installation that made the whole room hum.
BRIC wasn’t like a gallery or theater, it was both, and more. I caught part of a youth dance showcase, then wandered through an exhibit on social justice photography. Families sat on benches, couples browsed, teenagers debated quietly near a wall of community-made zines. It felt alive and accessible, like everyone belonged just by showing up.
What I Loved Most: I didn’t need a ticket or a plan. I just walked in and let the art come to me.
My highlight? A short film looped in the corner gallery, quiet, dreamy, about life along the G train. I stood there until it ended, then watched it again.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn
- Vibe: Creative, welcoming, neighborhood-rooted
- Cost: Most exhibits free; events vary
- Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–6pm
The Brooklyn Film Festival
“What if the noise stopped and a film was all that remained?” I thought on opening night, standing outside Windmill Studios as a hush fell over the crowd. Neon lights glinted on Bedford Avenue and I felt the city shift from rush to reverence.
Brooklyn Film Festival At a Glance
- When: Late May to early June (typically May 30–June 8)
- Where: Windmill Studios (Greenpoint) & Wythe Hotel Cinema (Williamsburg), plus online streaming
- Theme: “Pause” , a call to slow down and focus
- Vibe: Energetic yet thoughtful, indie-driven, worldview-expanding
- Highlights: 140+ films, narrative, documentary, shorts, experimental, animation; world/U.S./NY premieres; Q&As; panels
- Facilities: Screening rooms, lounges, mixers, virtual viewing platform
- Cost: Tickets per screening or full festival passes; online access options available
- Hours: Screenings daily; select venues from late morning into evening; online runs 24/7
- Food Nearby: Nearby cafés like Variety Coffee; festival lounge events; local eateries in both neighborhoods
Explore Brooklyn on a Budget with Free Tours by Foot
Our guide waved at a brownstone and said, “This one’s seen more stories than a library.” I scribbled that in my notes because it felt true, and because I never would’ve noticed that stoop on my own.
I joined a Brooklyn walking tour through Free Tours by Foot, and it felt more like wandering with a sharp-eyed friend than anything formal. We covered a stretch of DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, talking about Walt Whitman, waterfront warehouses, old ferry routes, and how gentrification was still rewriting the edges of every block.
What I Loved Most: I could ask questions, take photos, hang back, and still feel completely in it. The city felt smaller somehow, but also deeper.
My highlight? A stop mid-tour for an everything bagel at La Bagel Delight, still warm, soft inside, the crust studded with garlic and sesame. I ate it on the move, cream cheese cooling my fingertips as the tour kept walking.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Various neighborhoods (Brooklyn, Manhattan, etc.)
- Vibe: Informal, insightful, street-level storytelling
- Cost: Pay-what-you-wish model; cash or Venmo tips appreciated
- Hours: Daily schedules online; advance booking recommended
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
“It felt like I had stepped into another season,” I thought as I entered beneath the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden . Petals drifted on the breeze, soft against stone paths, while families strolled slowly and students sketched near the ponds. The city’s hum slipped away, replaced by rustling leaves and water trickling over rocks.
What I Loved Most: Walking through the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, bridges arching gracefully, koi flashing beneath lily pads.
My highlights? Lunch at the Yellow Magnolia Café inside the garden, seasonal roasted vegetables with citrus glaze, bright and fragrant, followed by a lavender shortbread that crumbled delicately and carried the scent of spring.
A downside? On peak bloom weekends the paths got crowded, and I found myself weaving through groups instead of moving at my own pace.
Plan your Brooklyn Botanic Garden visit:
- Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY
- Vibe: Serene, seasonal, colorful
- Highlights: Japanese Garden, Cherry Esplanade, Rose Garden, Desert Pavilion
- Best Time to Visit: Spring for cherry blossoms; summer for roses; fall for foliage
- Cost: ~$18 adults; free on select weekdays before noon
- Hours: Tues–Sun, 10am–6pm (seasonal hours vary)
The Brooklyn Film Festival
“The lights dimmed, and suddenly I was somewhere else.” That was the feeling as the first frame flickered onto the screen. The festival carried the hum of New York but distilled it into stories, raw, inventive, sometimes startling. I moved between theaters, each screening room buzzing with expectation, the smell of buttered popcorn trailing behind.
What I Loved Most: Discovering independent voices, films I knew I wouldn’t stumble on anywhere else, each one stitched with a kind of daring.
My highlights? Grabbing a falafel wrap from a nearby food truck between screenings, warm pita, crisp chickpeas, tahini dripping onto my fingers, while talking with strangers about which films had surprised us most.
A downside? Some popular screenings filled quickly, and I had to line up early to secure a spot, cutting short my time exploring between shows.
Plan your Brooklyn Film Festival visit:
- Location: Multiple venues across Brooklyn (often Williamsburg, Greenpoint, DUMBO)
- Vibe: Creative, eclectic, intimate
- Highlights: Independent features, shorts, documentaries, international films, filmmaker Q&As
- Best Time to Visit: Early June (annual festival)
- Cost: ~$15 per screening; festival passes available
- Hours: Screenings typically afternoon to late night
Conclusion: A Borough That Moves With You
Brooklyn didn’t ask me to pick a pace, it just let me find mine. One moment I was watching the skyline from a quiet park bench; the next, I was dancing in the street with strangers to a live band outside a flea market. “This place doesn’t slow down,” I kept thinking. “But it always makes room.”
I came home with more than souvenirs: sea salt on my shoes, rosemary on my breath, stories tucked into the pockets of my jeans. Brooklyn gave me music, food, art, and motion, but also pause. Enough stillness to notice a mural I’d walked past twice, or the way the light shifts across old bricks at golden hour.
It’s not just a place to visit. It’s a place to feel, deep in your steps, your appetite, your rhythm.
Plan your Brooklyn loop:
- Trip Length: 2–4 days
- Best Base: Park Slope, Williamsburg, or DUMBO for walkability
- Getting Around: Subway, ferry, or just your feet
- Tips: Mix high-energy stops with quiet ones, eat often, and let yourself wander
