The best things to do in Brooklyn

From the turn of the century to the Second World War, Coney Island was considered the city's playground. Years of neglect followed, but the arrival of the Luna Park amusement park restored the area’s lively nature.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people visit what has become one of the top New York beaches offering a range of excellent things to do in summer. From movie nights to concerts and the wild Mermaid Parade, there’s something for everyone.

Urban visionaries Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who most famously designed Central Park, also put their stamp on bucolic, 526-acre Prospect Park. Amenities like the Long Meadow and Nethermead offer plenty of space to pull up on a patch of grass and indulge in some people-watching while having a picnic, and the woodland expanse of the Ravine is a towering forest within bustling Brooklyn.

Also don't miss the park’s kid-friendly offerings, including the zoo and LeFrak Center at Lakeside, where roller skating and ice skating goes down.

Bike through Brooklyn.

This sprawling 16,000-square-foot space, designed to double as a concert venue and nightclub for up to 1,200 people, is the city’s first new wooden rink in over a decade.

Founded by Varun Kataria, a local business owner who’s already made his mark on the neighborhood with the Turk’s Inn and the Sultan Room just down the block, Xanadu is decorated with a giant black-and-white photo of a group of young Black skaters taken over 40 years ago at Empire, a model for the energy in the room today.

There’s also a rinkside bar, serving drinks with names like Skaterade and Purple Rain with direct sightlines of all the action on the wood. And in the bathroom, a surprise DJ spins a soundtrack for patrons to dance to as they wash their hands, a cheeky setup Kataria calls, “Club Flush.”

Those searching for a little peace and quiet would do well to spend a few hours at this verdant oasis. The garden—which abuts two other neighborhood gems: the Brooklyn Museum and Prospect Park—was founded in 1910 and features thousands of types of flora, laid out over 52 acres. 

Each spring, crowds descend on the space to ooh and ahh over the 70 trees blooming along the Cherry Esplanade. But equally impressive are serene spots like the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, the first Japanese-inspired garden built in the U.S., and the Shakespeare Garden, brimming with plants (such as primrose and crocuses) mentioned in the Bard’s works.

Other archives may offer broader perspectives on city history, but we love the Transit Museum because it goes deep into one essential element of New York life: the public transit system. Opened in 1976 in a former IND subway station, the museum displays historic artifacts—including a collection of vintage train cars spanning the 20th century—as well as more timely pieces, such as works from the MTA’s Arts for Transit program.

This little gem of a museum takes you through the history of the public transit system. The exhibits are always on rotation, so even if you've already been, you can have a whole new experience the second time around. 

We really like eating around the city, and we're guessing you do, too. So lucky for all of us, we've packed all our favorite restaurants under one roof at the Time Out Market New York.

The DUMBO location in Empire Stores has fluffy pancakes from the venerable Clinton Street Baking Co., pizza from Fornino, seasonal ice cream flavors from Sugar Hill Creamery, fried chicken from Jacob’s Pickles and more amazing eateries—all hand-picked by us. Chow down over two floors with views of the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline. 

Attending an outdoor bazaar is certainly a must here in New York, and Brooklyn Flea is hands-down one of the top flea markets to hit. The market has everything, including an impressive selection of throwback wares and records, which you certainly wouldn’t find in any vintage clothing store or record store in the city.

Find Brooklyn Flea in DUMBO on the cobblestone streets beneath the DUMBO Archway (80 Pearl Street). 

At Fornino, wood-fired brick-oven pies are sprinkled with herbs and vegetables grown in the restaurant's greenhouse. Freshly picked arugula, for example, might be combined with eggplant, bresaola and Parmesan, and locally grown figs may be matched with prosciutto and Gorgonzola.

Too esoteric for your family? No worries: Try the basic marinara or Margherita. You can't go wrong with any of the pies here.

This waterfront complex, housed in the former Bush Terminal is home to artist spaces and artisan workshops as well as local shops and eateries (Sahadi's, Li-lac Chocolates, Powerhouse, St. Mark's Comics and Japan Village).

It also hosts concerts, art and fun community events like karaoke, chess, and live music.

For a purrfect afternoon, hang out with the cats of Brooklyn! This cat cafe is located on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights and is an adorable stop on your way to lunch (Montague Diner is a great option). 

This is the only non-profit cat cafe in NYC—their mission is to end cat homlessness and overpopulation. The kid-friendly cafe offers snacks, coffee and tea as you play with kitties. If you fall in love, you can even adopt one. 

Sure, the Brooklyn Bridge serves a practical purpose as the means for millions of commuters to travel from Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn, but it is also one of the most iconic structures in the city.

You can walk and bike over it, but beware, the crowds are serious! Go early in the morning or later at night to avoid the hustle and bustle.

Fans of mouthwatering candy shops like the BonBon Swedish Candy Co. have a reason to celebrate. Co-founder Selim Adira, along with Emon Maasho, recently opened a brand-new foodie destination, but instead of another candy shop, this time they've debuted a Swedish bakery concept in Brooklyn Heights called Ferrane.

As a bit of background, Adira and Maasho both have Swedish and Moroccan ancestry and used that heritage as the basis for their recent endeavor. Popular items include a Swedish cinnamon bun called kanelbulle, prinsesstårta (a.k.a. princess cake), and a variety of Swedish bread scratch-made using custom-milled grain flours from Brooklyn Granary & Mill. 

Some city parks—Central and Prospect, most obviously—were built to replicate rustic fields and preserve serene woodland. Brooklyn Bridge Park, however, was not—and that’s precisely why it has become so popular.

The project has transformed a chunk of the Brooklyn waterfront into an 85-acre expanse; several sections house unique attractions such as Jane’s Carousel, a restored 1920s merry-go-round, and riverside esplanades with gorgeous Manhattan views. 

There was a time when Williamsburg was what some people called “up-and-coming,” and if it was ever that, then these days it often feels like it's got up and left. But New York nightlife staples Eli Escobar and Rafael Ohayon have breathed much-needed life into the neighborhood with Gabriela, a bar and club that feels, first and foremost, like a space forged from love.

House parties were a big inspiration for the venue: Specifically, the way a house can have different rooms that serve different purposes. In their dream venue, they knew that they wanted a place to dance where the ceilings were lower, but also a separate place where you could sit down and talk to your friends.

A century ago, this site vied with Niagara Falls as New York State’s greatest tourist attraction. Filled with Victorian mausoleums, cherubs and gargoyles, Green-Wood is the resting place of some half-million New Yorkers, among them Jean-Michel Basquiat, Leonard Bernstein and Boss Tweed.

But there’s more to do here than grave-spot: Check out the massive Gothic arch at the main entrance or climb to the top of Battle Hill, one of the highest points in Kings County and a pivotal spot during the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776.

One hundred taps dispense craft brews at this massive Greenpoint gastropub from owner Robert Shamlian (Spitzer's Corner, Fat Baby). The 6,000-square-foot beer hall features a wood-burning oven and a marble bar. Hopped up drinkers can line their bellies with salty snacks, like sausages and pretzels, from a German-focused menu.

This wild Bushwick spot opened in 2016 and quickly established itself as a reliable way for Brooklyn revelers to wear insane costumes and lose their inhibitions just about every weekend.

With exhibitionist parties like “House of Love” and the immersive “Little Cinema” film tributes, along with a panoply of aerialists, magicians and dancers on retainer, House of Yes is constantly inventing new ways to make a night out more than just drinks at the bar.

It’s the Sunshine State by way of Gowanus at this pastel-streaked Floridian playground, where shuffleboard revivalists Jonathan Schnapp and Ashley Albert have retooled lido-deck kitsch for beer-fisted millennials. At the 17,000-square-foot game hall, neck-tattooed skaters and fly girls dressed like Miley Cyrus gather over $75-an-hour rounds of biscuit and tang (shufflespeak for pucks and poles), forming a scene that’s as flamboyantly Boca as it is staunchly Brooklyn.

Channeling Maine's minigolf clam shacks, this hulking 250-seat eatery brings putt-putt facilities and seaside tastes to Red Hook's waterfront. Elevated on stilts, the three-story stand-alone restaurant is done up with wharf-themed flourishes: lobster traps, fishing rods, Christmas lights and a mounted shark's head. Gather friends for a round of minigolf, bocce or cornhole (beanbag toss) outdoors.

After hitting the greens, grab a picnic table and dig into simple coastal fare. Drinkers can sip frozen daiquiris or split a bucket of beer (Corona, Bud) with pals on the open-air roof deck, which boasts clear views of New York's Upper Bay.

BAM, which showcases local and out-of-town companies, is one of New York’s most prominent cultural institutions. The Howard Gilman Opera House, with its Federal-style columns and carved marble, is a beautiful dance venue. The 1904 Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St between Ashland and Rockwell Pls), formerly called the Majestic, has hosted the work of John Jasperse, Wally Cardona and Matthew Bourne. 

Brooklyn’s premier institution is a less-crowded alternative to Manhattan’s bigger-name spaces, though the innovative and impactful items found inside are just as important as anything you'll find in the city.

The museum, found on the edge of the sprawling Prospect Park, has a large holding of Egyptian art as well as the famous feminist piece, The Dinner Party, by Judy Chicago. Works by such Impressionists masters as Cézanne, Monet and Degas are also included in the collection along with with prime examples of Early American Art, period rooms and so much more.

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