9 Best Things to Do in Brooklyn for First Timers!

Brooklyn is one of the boroughs of New York City, and there are plenty of places to visit and fun things to do here for first time tourists. One of our fondest memories of New York was chilling in Brooklyn Bridge Park while admiring the gorgeous Manhattan skyline across the river. We also enjoyed strolling across the Brooklyn Bridge, indulging in delicious food at an open-air food market, and eating some of the best pizzas in New York. And we had the special experience of seeing a spectacular display of Christmas lights at Dyker Heights. We spent one day in Brooklyn and below is our list of recommended things to do for first timers. Also read: 8 Awesome Places to Eat in Brooklyn, New York!

1. Stroll Across the Brooklyn Bridge

This iconic suspension bridge was built in 1883, and is 486 metres long. It spans the East River, linking the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. During both our trips to New York, we walked across the bridge from the Brooklyn side to Manhattan, so that we could see the beautiful Manhattan skyline. We managed to take many pretty photos here, though it was quite a challenge because the bridge was crowded with many other tourists.

2. Chill at Brooklyn Bridge Park

The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a waterfront park located beside the Brooklyn Bridge. While it is nowhere as large as Central Park, Raevian and I still loved the vibe here so much that we spent over an hour just relaxing on the lush green field. Across the river, we could see the towering Manhattan skyscrapers. And just nearby, children were having fun at Jane’s Carousel. This is one of our fondest USA memories, and we hope to return to this park again some day!

3. Shop at the Brooklyn Flea Market

The Brooklyn Flea Market is a weekend flea market that sells a large variety of items such as stylish furniture, quaint clothing, antiques, jewelry and crafts. The flea market operates in Industry City between November and February, and operates in both Industry City and the DUMBO neighbourhood between April and October.

We visited the flea market at Industry City and it was a fun experience to immerse in the bustling vibe of the market! We bought a few things here, including a cup and a cloth sling bag. The famous Smorgasburg was held here too and we had a good time indulging in the delicious food.

4. Visit the Amusement Park at Coney Island

Coney Island is a neighborhood located at the southwestern part of Brooklyn. There is an amusement park here with many rides and attractions, along with a scenic beach and boardwalk. Unfortunately, the amusement park was closed when we went in December. You can check out the times of operation of Coney Island at this website.

However, the upside of this was that the beach was largely empty and we had a nice stroll here. To get here, we simply took the subway to Stillwell Avenue subway station. The area near the station and the amusement park felt quite safe, but it seemed that the surrounding neighbourhood was quite rough. Therefore, we didn’t venture very far away from the subway station.

5. Be Dazzled by the Christmas Lights at Dyker Heights!

Dyker Heights is a typical middle class neighbourhood in Brooklyn. However, every year during the Christmas period, the district transforms into a Christmas lights bonanza. The houses along the streets are decorated with thousands of Christmas lights and a galore of Christmas decorations, complete with speakers playing Christmas carols.

We were lucky enough to visit Dyker Heights during Christmas, and it was truly a spectacular sight! We were dazzled by the glittering Christmas decorations along entire streets. The area had a bustling festive vibe because there were plenty of other visitors and tourists here too. This was a very special experience and we highly recommend making a trip to this neighbourhood if you are visiting New York during the Christmas period.

6. Explore the Vibrant Food Scene!

While the food scene in Brooklyn may not be as extensive as Manhattan’s food scene, there are still plenty of great food spots. We had ice cream in winter at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, and we enjoyed having brunch at famous cafes such as French bistro Cafe Luluc and American bistro Buttermilk Channel. We ate like gluttons at the Smorgasburg, a weekly open-air food market in Brooklyn. We even travelled deep into Brooklyn to find Ichiran, a ramen restaurant that is part of a famous ramen chain in Japan. And of course, we HAD to check out the famous pizza rivalry between Juliana’s Pizza and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria (our vote goes to Juliana’s). I am seriously missing all the great food we ate in Brooklyn. Check out our list of 8 Awesome Places to Eat in Brooklyn!

7. Take a Ride in Jane’s Carousel

Jane’s Carousel is a 48-horse carousel located at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It was built in 1922 and was originally located at Idora Park (an amusement park) in Ohio. After the amusement park closed down in 1984, the carousel was sold off at an auction to Jane Walentas. She then moved it to Brooklyn and spent the next twenty years restoring the 48 wooden horses. This is why it’s called “Jane’s Carousel” today. The carousel is housed inside a $9 million glass structure designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.

The carousel is located right by the river, so you can enjoy a great view of the river while riding on the merry-go-round. We didn’t ride on the wooden horses, but it was nice to see many children having fun and enjoying themselves.

8. Snap an Iconic Photo of the Manhattan Bridge

The Manhattan Bridge is another suspension bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn, though it is not as well-known as the Brooklyn Bridge. From Washington Street, it is possible to snap an iconic photo of the bridge tower aligned nicely between two buildings – which is what loads of people do every day.

However, we had to stand in the middle of the street to take the photo, which probably irritated many of the drivers trying to making their way down the street. It took us many tries before getting a decent shot of the bridge, because there were so many other people trying to take the same picture!

9. Chill at Prospect Park

Prospect Park is a beautiful urban park in Brooklyn that spans about 526 acres. We took many nice drone shots in the area, including footage of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch at the Grand Army Plaza, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Ultimate New York Travel Guide for First Timers. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?