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With a famously catchy name—the acronym, if you’ve always been too embarrassed to ask, stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass—as well as cobblestone streets and wide-open parkland, this once-nearly-destitute area is now crawling with young families. Spend an afternoon in the downtown Brooklyn nabe and we bet you’ll consider moving there (that is, if you’ve got the disposable income of a hedge-fund manager). Get there by subway (F to York Street; A, C to High Street) or boat (hop off the New York Water Taxi at Fulton Ferry Landing).
Must-stops
At Brooklyn Bridge Park’s nautical-themed playground, kids climb on a replica of a ship’s hull and dig in rowboat-shaped sandboxes (enter from Main St). The park also affords a spectacular view of downtown Manhattan. Join the Audubon Society’s free nature walks in Brooklyn Bridge Park on Fridays at 9:30am—remind young ornithologists to look for peregrine falcons and snowy egrets (call 718-802-0603, ext 19 to reserve a spot). Or pack a picnic—we suggest baguette sandwiches and freshly squeezed lemonade from Almondine Bakery (85 Water St near Main St, 718-797-5026)—and enjoy “Movies with a View,” a free outdoor film series held at sunset in Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park. Local painter Jen Ferguson leads children’s art classes at trendy loft spot Possum Paint Studio on Wednesdays and Fridays at 4pm (20 Jay St at Plymouth St, 718-222-4860; call for prices). Toddlers and preschoolers in attendance can make mobiles, collages and clay sculptures.
Good eats
Bubby’s roomy Dumbo outpost (1 Main St at Plymouth St, 718-222-0666) offers mini-hamburgers and fries ($6)—and a play area for kids (albeit one that’s poorly maintained). The $24 prix-fixe menu at Five Front (5 Front St at Old Fulton St, 718-625-5559) includes a grilled hanger steak; for little ones, order pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese ($4) from the children’s menu. Try the smoothie of the day at Dumbo General Store (111 Front St between Washington and Adams Sts, 718-855-5288)—we love the mixed-berry flavor ($5). Stop by the original location of the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (1 Water St at Old Fulton St, 718-246-3963) for scoops of classic Vanilla or Chocolate.
Unique shops
Fans of contemporary furniture for children flock to Modern Tots (53 Pearl St between Plymouth and Water Sts, 718-488-8293), where kids are encouraged to swing in the hanging O-Zone chair. At Half Pint (55 Washington St at Water St, 718-875-4007), little visitors gravitate toward the train table as parents scan the racks for offerings from Tea Collection and Small Paul. Pomme (81 Washington St between Plymouth and Water Sts, 718-855-0623)—a bastion of European baby style—also offers stylish haircuts for kids on Wednesdays and Saturdays. And owner Yuval Gans fills P.S. Bookshop (145A Front St between Jay and Pearl Sts, 718-222-3340) with an eclectic mix of tomes—everything from Harry Potter to vintage Babar.
What local families do
Dumbo dad Peter Erhmann enjoys exploring the area on foot with his son Ziggy, 1 1/2. “It’s easy to do since there aren’t any major streets with cars zooming by,” he says. Their weekend routine often includes grabbing a slice of pizza at the famous Grimaldi’s (19 Old Fulton St at Front St, 718-858-4300) and taking a stroll (or stroller-ride) across the Brooklyn Bridge (access from either Tillary St at Adams St or Prospect St between Cadman Plaza East and West). Sounds kind of nice, doesn’t it?
