Many people who set out to see New York City spend all their time in the borough of Manhattan, but insiders know that many of the most stunning and classic views of the metropolis can only be had by crossing in to historic Brooklyn. Luckily, a trip to “Kings County” is no sacrifice. A stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge, and a tour of the surrounding area, is well worth including in any New York experience.
Crossing the Bridge
The entrance to the bridge is on Park Row, across from City Hall. The closest subway station is the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall stop on the 4, 5, 6 but a short walk across City Hall Park will get you there from the City Hall stop on the N, R or the Park Place stop on the 2, 3. The walk across the bridge is just under one mile, but be sure to leave plenty of time to read the markers that commemorate the history of the storied structure, and take advantage of unique photo opportunities. The walk is not particularly strenuous, but does include a gentle incline as you approach the middle of the bridge. There are benches set at intervals along the pedestrian walkway that offer ample opportunity to rest, and on hot days enterprising vendors sell bottles of water halfway across the bridge. However, if you become dehydrated easily it’s not a bad idea to bring along something to drink.
A note of caution: the walk across the bridge is divided into a pedestrian lane and a bike lane. Some visitors are tempted to stray into the bicycle lane in order to frame a perfect shot or get a closer look at the picturesque blue of the Manhattan Bridge (which runs almost parallel to the Brooklyn). If you are one of these, beware! Many of the pedal pushers crossing the bridge are professional bike messengers, and they mean business. It’s rare to see an actual collision, but many an errant pedestrian has been left off balance after a brush with a flurry of gears and angry bells.
As you approach the Brooklyn end, you’ll see a small staircase off to the left. You’ll need to cross the bicycle path to get to it (look both ways-bikers are supposed to yield to you, but sometimes they’re approaching faster than they should). On a crowded day, there will probably be other people ascending here. This is the exit you want to take, but if stairs are a problem, it is possible keep going along the off-ramp. At the end of the longer descent there is almost always a uniformed police officer or two who can offer you directions and assistance.
In Brooklyn
The stairway empties at the entrance to Cadman Plaza Park. Instead of heading into the park, turn left and head down Adams Street to the area that is now called D.U.M.B.O. (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). If you keep going all the way to the water, you’ll come across a park spanning the area between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Actually, it’s two parks-one run by the city and one run by the state. The parks offer some beautiful view of the bridges and most days you can see happy couples taking their wedding portraits here. This is also a favorite location for fashion and music video shoots, so don’t be surprised if you see models dashing in and out of trailers here.
If you turn left just before reaching the park, you’ll find yourself on Water Street. Jacques Torres’ chocolate shop, with it’s infamous hot chocolate is an excellent place to recover some of the calories burned along the bridge, but Almondine-the bakery across the street-can give it a run for its money with its sumptuous patisserie. Almondine also has excellent sandwiches if you’re inclined to picnic in the park, and should co-founder Herve Poussot be manning the register, don’t be afraid to drop a few words of French to him.
A little farther down Water Street is the River Café, a pricey but extremely elegant restaurant that has played a key part in some of Brooklyn’s most romantic rendezvous. For those looking for a casual atmosphere, walking to the end of Water Street and turning left onto Fulton Street will bring you to Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. This whole-pie (don’t worry-convincing yourself to finish it all will not be difficult) cash-only restaurant is one of the top contenders in the age old “Best pizza in New York” argument.
Once you’ve reached Fulton Street, you could take a Water Taxi back to Manhattan. The boats depart from the Fulton Ferry Landing, and a schedule is posted there (service is limited during the colder months so it’s a good idea to plan ahead if you want to travel this way). However, some spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty and the South Street Seaport can be had if you turn right up Columbia Heights and climb the hill to historic Brooklyn Heights. (A slightly less strenuous walk can be had by continuing on Fulton St. under the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and turning right along Henry Street.) Columbia Heights will lead you onto the Brooklyn Heights Promenade; simply veer right down the sloping pathway. This is another favorite setting for photo shoots, and you may well recognize the view of the Manhattan skyline. The Heights also frequently plays host to television and movie filming, so keep an eye out for production crews if you’re interested.
Returning to Manhattan
The shops and scenes of Brooklyn are well worth exploring, but it’s easy to head back to Manhattan after savoring the promenade. Right before the southern end of the walk, turn left onto Montague Street. On the corner of Court Street and Montague Street is the entrance to the Court Street/Borough Hall subway stop that services the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and R subway lines. You can also turn left along Court Street until you come to Cadman Plaza Park. Crossing the park will bring you back to the steps up to the Brooklyn Bridge, in case you haven’t had your fill of walking. You may well want to choose this option if you’ve planned your trip so that you could experience the sunset along the promenade. At night, the views from the bridge of Manhattan in lights are quite different than during the day, and quite beautiful.
Resources
Jacques Torres Chocolate
66 Water Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Almondine
85 Water Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
http://www.almondinebakery.com
The River Café
1 Water Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
http://www.rivercafe.com
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
19 Old Fulton St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
http://www.grimaldis.com
New York Water Taxi
(212) 742-1969
