Heading to Brooklyn for a summer weekend in your car? We’ve got you covered in this guide put together to highlight what people normally miss when they visit New York’s hippest borough.
Welcome to Brooklyn! A lovely blend of history, culture, eclectic shops, cutting-edge arts, and top-notch restaurants. Summer in Brooklyn is when the beaches are most lively, all the shops are open, and the boardwalk is packed and full of life.
Here’s what to add to your summer weekend Brooklyn itinerary to make it all memorable!
An Early Morning Drive At the Brooklyn Bridge
One of the indispensable things to do when in Brooklyn is visiting the historic Brooklyn Bridge. This might be the busiest experience you’ll have during a day in Brooklyn as the bridge is very popular and highly trafficked, especially during summer.
However, we have a trick for you to enjoy the Brooklyn Bridge without the crowd. If you’re an early bird, drive to the bridge at sunrise. This is the best time to take fantastic pictures, have a skyline view of the city, and watch it wake up from night’s rest.
Looking for where to rent luxury cars when in Brooklyn? Check RealCar.Nyc/locations/Brooklyn out for the best rentals at a budget-friendly price!
Explore North Brooklyn
Williamsburg isn’t the only go-to place in North Brooklyn, there’s a whole more exciting place from Greenpoint to Bushwick to have a shopping and dining experience.
Drive to 727 Manhattan Avenue and have some bites of the popular Peter Pan donuts. Try out their fluffy yeast donut and crispy cake doughnuts with a cup of coffee.
Head over to Bedford Avenue for brunch in Five Leaves. They have a wide range of simple to complex dishes served in a relaxed atmosphere and their prices are fair.
If you’re a keen shopper, Bedford offers a diverse shopping experience, there are a lot of eccentric shopping centers and trendy boutiques to cater to different fashion preferences.
Finish off your visit by watching a blockbuster movie in one of their theaters. If you’re looking for a dinner location doubled as a movie theater, the Nitehawk Cinema is a good option.
Go Visit DUMBO
What’s a visit to Brooklyn in the Summer without exploring DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge overpass)? The iconic waterfront neighborhood has the best skyline views of New York City and a lot of dining, drinking, and shopping options.
Start by grabbing a hot coffee in one of DUMBO’s cafes, drive back to the waterfront of Brooklyn bridge park, and enjoy your coffee while having a scenic view between the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Drive down to Washington St and Front St and take some iconic shots with the view of the Manhattan Bridge and Empire State Building between its arches.
If you’re in DUMBO on a Sunday, go shop for vintage clothes, yesteryear furniture and apparel, and historic ceramics at the Brooklyn Flea. There are also food vendors scattered around to satisfy your cravings with delicious munchies.
In Brooklyn with family? Get an SUV rental for an easier commute.
Experience the Tapestry of Street Art at Bushwick Collective
If you’re an art lover, the Bushwick Collective is a must-visit if you’re spending only one day in Brooklyn.
The street art collection dates back to 2012 when the locals in the Bushwick neighborhood permitted street artists to design on empty walls in their buildings. Since then, the neighborhood has evolved to become a vibrant outdoor art gallery.
Many street artists including popular ones have made mind-blowing street art on these walls that attract a lot of Brooklyn tourists. What’s more? You get to see and take pictures of these murals free of charge!
Explore the Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is one of the premier cultural sites in New York City. Located in Prospect Heights, the museum charges an entry fee but on the first Saturday of each month February through August and October, entry is free for all.
Brooklyn Museum has a collection of about 500,000 historic objects of different cultures and ages. Its first floor houses architectural designs of yesteryear York buildings dating as far back as the 1880s.
The third floor is filled with intriguing pieces of ancient Egyptian art and European The fourth floor mainly contains pictures of American and European life from the 17th to the 20th Century.
On the fifth floor, you’ll find indigenous artworks and a visible storage center with over 2000 artworks.
Have a Picnic at the Prospect Park
If you’re in Brooklyn with family or friends, nothing beats a picnic in Prospect Park. Have fun in the sun, play games, and satisfy your tastebuds with snacks. Check out the wildlife in the historic Prospect Park Zoo.
You can also play baseball, go skating or bird watching. Don’t forget to ride on the carousel to ignite some nostalgia.
If you want something more serene, get lost in the Ravine that lies in the heart of the park packed with water bodies and dense trees.
Wrap up the day by watching movies outdoors in any Brooklyn outdoor theater nearest to your location.
Conclusion
Brooklyn is full of life all summer long. Apart from the activities we listed, other things to do for summer in Brooklyn include strolling the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, visiting Prospect Park, having a scenic view of the Grand Army Plaza, visiting Green-WoodWood Cemetery, or attending a free summer concert at the Amphitheater.
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