Brooklyn Bridge Park
An eighty-five-acre waterfront park built on six former shipping piers, running a mile under the bridges, with free programming all summer and the skyline view everyone comes to Brooklyn for.
- What it costs
- Free. The carousel and the boat rentals charge; the programming is free.
- Best in
- Spring, Summer, Fall
- Where
- 334 Furman Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
- Official site
- brooklynbridgepark.org
Pier by pier
The park runs from Pier 1 in the north down to Pier 6, and each pier does something different:
- Pier 1 — the big lawn and the best skyline view. Free outdoor films and concerts in summer.
- Pier 2 — courts and recreation: basketball, handball, shuffleboard, roller skating.
- Pier 3 — lawn and a granite prospect.
- Pier 4 — a small beach, which surprises people. Not for swimming, but the sand is real.
- Pier 5 — playing fields and the picnic peninsula.
- Pier 6 — the big playgrounds and the seasonal ferry to Governors Island.
The free summer programming
The park publishes a full season of free programming every year — outdoor film nights on Pier 1, concerts, fitness classes, kayaking from the boathouse at Pier 2, dance and family days.
It is one of the best free summer offers in the city and it is genuinely well run. Check the park's own calendar before you visit; the lineup is published each spring.
The rest of it
Jane's Carousel sits in a glass pavilion at the north end — a restored 1922 carousel, cheap, and a very good photograph with the bridge behind it.
Empire Stores and the surrounding warehouses hold food and shops. Time Out Market is in Empire Stores if you want twenty options under one roof.
The Washington Street view — Manhattan Bridge framed between brick warehouses — is one block inland and is the most photographed spot in Brooklyn. Get there early or accept queuing for the shot.
Getting there
The A or C to High Street, or the F to York Street, for the northern end at DUMBO. About 20 minutes from Midtown.
The 2 or 3 to Clark Street, or the R to Court Street, for the Brooklyn Heights end.
The NYC Ferry East River route stops at Pier 1 and DUMBO and costs the same as a subway ride — much the nicest way to arrive.
Getting around once you're there
Paved, step-free and level along the whole waterfront, with lifts and ramps between the upper and lower levels. One of the most accessible large parks in the city.