Julie United States 13 Comments

Brooklyn is one of New York City’s hot spots to visit. With historic neighborhoods, a fabulous food scene, and some of the best views of the Manhattan skyline, this is a great place to add to your New York itinerary. With one day in Brooklyn, you can walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, visit Dumbo, and explore Williamsburg.

Brooklyn is enormous. I recently read a statistic that if Brooklyn were a separate city, it would be the third most populated city in the United States (after Los Angeles and Chicago). However, since it is one of the five boroughs, it gets added into the mega city of New York.

Since Brooklyn is so large, it’s impossible to visit all of it in just one day. This one day itinerary focuses on the Brooklyn Bridge, Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Williamsburg. The day starts off with a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and iconic views of the Manhattan skyline and ends with a food tour of Williamsburg.

Think of today as a mini food tour combined with some of the best views of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge.

About this Itinerary

If you plan to do this with kids, and you want to go bowling at Brooklyn Bowl, the only days you can do this itinerary are Saturday and Sunday. The Brooklyn Bowl opens at 12 pm on Saturday and Sunday, but during weekdays, it does not open until 6 pm. Kids are only allowed in Brooklyn Bowl before 6 pm. Just make sure you get here by 4:30.

If you are not visiting with kids, this itinerary works well all week. Just be aware that Brooklyn Bowl is not open on Monday or Tuesday, so you will have to skip the Brooklyn Bowl on these days.

One Day in Brooklyn: On a Map

How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.

One Day in Brooklyn

10 am: Brooklyn Bridge

Start off the day with a walk over the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. This is one of the best free things to do while in NYC.

From the Manhattan side of the bridge, it will take about 30 minutes to cross Brooklyn Bridge, allowing time for photos.

Brooklyn Bridge

shutterstock.com/TTstudio

Getting Here: The closest subway stations are Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall (lines 4,5 and 6), Chambers Street (lines J and Z), Fulton Street (lines 2 and 3) and City Hall (lines N, R, and W). You can also get here using Uber or Lyft or a taxi.

10:30 am: Dumbo

Dumbo is an acronym for “down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass.”

This is another spot in Brooklyn that has changed in the recent years. It was once a seedy area with abandoned warehouses and now it is filled with restaurants, shops, offices, and apartments. It’s worth a stroll and a chance to take this iconic photo of the Manhattan Bridge.

The prime photo spot is near the intersection of Washington Street and Water Street. On Google Maps, it is labeled Dumbo-Manhattan Bridge View.

To get here from the Brooklyn Bridge, walk to Washington Street and then walk north on Washington Street, towards the East River. In two blocks you will be at the photo spot for Dumbo.

Dumbo Brooklyn

Dumbo | One Day in Brooklyn

11:00 am: Brooklyn Bridge Park

For one of the best views you can get of the Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge, visit Brooklyn Bridge Park and the nearby Pebble Beach.

This waterfront area, which runs along the East River in Brooklyn, was once home to warehouse and ferry ports that were used for shipping. Once the Brooklyn Bridge was constructed, the need for these ferry ports no longer existed, so this area was neglected for decades.

In the 1980’s, plans began to turn this area into an 80+ acre park. Now, not only do you have an awesome view of the Manhattan skyline, but you can also go biking and running along the paths, play basketball, bocce ball or soccer, and even go kayaking or bouldering.

Walk through the park, heading back towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Stop off at Pebble Beach for a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge and kids will enjoy a ride on the carousel.

You can’t walk directly under the bridge, so you will cross over it at Water Street. On the opposite side, you have the option to walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park to the East River for another view of the Manhattan skyline at the New York Skyline Lookout.

Manhattan Skyline

Brooklyn Bridge View

View from Pebble Beach | One Day in Brooklyn

 

Manhattan Skyline February

12:00 pm: Lunch at Juliana’s Pizza

There is no shortage of amazing pizza places in Brooklyn, and Juliana’s is one of the best. Some people even say that Juliana’s serves the best pizza in New York City.

Juliana’s Pizza is located next to the Brooklyn Bridge, just a few minutes walk from Brooklyn Bridge Park. They do not take reservations so be prepared to wait in line. It’s worth it.

Julianas Pizza

NYC Pizza

Juliana’s Pizza | One Day in Brooklyn

We waited in line for about a half an hour for a table. On the menu are salads, pizzas, and pastas, as well as a variety of desserts.

The pizza is very good. It’s similar to pizza you would get in Naples, Italy, with a thin crust, simple but delicious tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, basil, and a dash of olive oil. You can order the plain and simple margherita pizza or take your pick of toppings. Enjoy!

Juliana’s is the first stop on our “food tour” of Brooklyn. You have a few other places to visit this afternoon, so have a light lunch at Juliana’s (or skip Juliana’s if other places in this itinerary look more enticing).

PRO TRAVEL TIP: After lunch, you will ride the East River Ferry to Williamsburg. The ferry runs roughly every 30 minutes during the summer and every 45 minutes in the winter. While at lunch, look up the next ferry so you know when to be at the Dumbo ferry station. 

1:30 pm: East River Ferry to Dumbo

It’s time to head to Williamsburg. The most scenic way to do this is to take the East River Ferry to the North Williamsburg ferry port.

Board the East River Ferry at Dumbo, which is located to the west of Brooklyn Bridge and just a 3 minute walk from Juliana’s. Take the ferry two stops to North Williamsburg. Along the way, you will have fantastic views of the Manhattan skyline and sail under the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. For just $4 per person, this is a gorgeous yet budget way to travel in New York City. 

2:15 pm: East River Park

From the ferry port, it’s just a short walk to East River Park (also called Marsha P. Johnson State Park on Google Maps). The view of the Manhattan skyline from here is a bit different than near the Brooklyn Bridge.

East River Park

East River Park | One Day in Brooklyn

2:45 pm: Williamsburg

Williamsburg is a neighborhood that has changed quite a lot in the past twenty years. Since the late 1990’s, Williamsburg has undergone a staggering amount of renovation. Buildings have been restored and brand new, stylish high-rises have been erected along the East River. Along with these changes came an influx of artists, musicians, and a vibrant nightlife.

Brooklyn Street Art | One Day in Brooklyn

Street Art in Williamsburg | One Day in Brooklyn

Now, these city streets are dotted with nightclubs, restaurants, and boutique shops. For the next several hours, you can explore Williamsburg. We have four great restaurants to try, if you like the idea of taking a “food tour” of Brooklyn.

The Meatball Shop

This is one of our favorite restaurants in Williamsburg. The menu is hysterical. Take your pick from one of several types of “naked balls” and add your favorite sauce. We ordered the classic meatball with the classic tomato sauce and the spicy pork meatball with the parmesan cheese sauce. Both were delicious but the classic was definitely our favorite.

Meatball Shop Menu

Meatball Shop Brooklyn | One Day in Brooklyn

They also serve sandwiches, shakes, and floats. Kara ate waffle balls with fruit and whipped cream.

If you want to pace yourself for today’s food tastings, consider ordering just one meatball. There are still a lot of great restaurants to try today!

Juliette’s

Juliette’s is a lovely French-style café. It’s very cozy with a charming, uniquely decorated atmosphere.

Juliettes

Juliette’s | One Day in Brooklyn

Radegast Hall and Biergarten

Just down the street is lively Radegast Hall and Biergarten. This is the spot to get your Bavarian food and beer fix. Feast on schnitzels, wursts, and giant pretzels with mustard. Or, just have a pint of German beer and enjoy the atmosphere.

Radegast Hall Brooklyn | One Day in Brooklyn

Radegast | One Day in Brooklyn

The Bedford Cheese Shop

The Bedford Cheese Shop offers wine and cheese tastings. They also can prepare sandwiches if you prefer a budget meal.

Bedford Cheese Shop

Bedford Cheese

5:00 pm: The Brooklyn Brewery

If you like the idea of taking a brewery tour or doing a beer tasting, visit the Brooklyn Brewery. 

Brooklyn Brewery | One Day in Brooklyn

The tasting room of the Brooklyn Brewery opens at 4 pm Monday through Thursday, at 2 pm on Friday, and at noon on Saturday and Sunday. You also have the option to book a brewery tour which last 45 minutes. Learn more on the official website.

6:00 pm Brooklyn Bowl

On our visit to Brooklyn, we stumbled across this very fun spot. The Brooklyn Bowl is a bowling alley – bar – nightclub combination. This is not your average bowling alley. While you bowl, you can have a drink, order some more food, and listen to the live music.

Brooklyn Bowl

Brooklyn Bowl Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Bowl does not take reservations. It’s first come first served and we were told that the line gets quite long later in the day. Lanes are rented by the half hour. If you only play one game, you will be here for about one hour.

On weekends, the Brooklyn Bowl opens at 12 pm. On weekdays, it opens at 6 pm. Brooklyn Bowl is closed Monday and Tuesday. Get updated hours before you go on the official website.

After 6 pm, no kids are allowed (you have to be 21 years or older). When we did this, we visited on a weekend before 6 pm, so Tyler and Kara were allowed at Brooklyn Bowl.

To return to Manhattan, take the L train from the Bedford Avenue station.

About Our Experience

We visited Brooklyn on the Saturday of President’s Day Weekend (mid-February). We did this itinerary in the opposite order, because at that time, Brooklyn Bowl opened at 10 am. Their hours of operation dramatically changed since our visit, so I rewrote this itinerary in the opposite order. In the afternoon, we visited Dumbo and while we were at dinner at Juliana’s Pizza, it started snowing. By the time we visited the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, it was snowing so hard that we could barely see the Manhattan skyline. But the snow did make for a magical walk across the Brooklyn Bridge!

Brooklyn Bridge in Snow | One Day in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bridge Snow | One Day in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bridge in February | One Day in Brooklyn

Tours of Brooklyn

If you prefer to do this with a guide, there are a number of walking tours to choose from, that include Williamsburg or Dumbo and the Brooklyn Bridge. 

 


Do you have plans to visit New York City soon? Comment below if you have any questions about how to spend one day in Brooklyn.

Read More About New York City

If you are planning a trip to New York City, don’t miss these articles. Our Where to Stay in New York City article includes recommendations for hotels in Brooklyn.

BEST OF NEW YORK CITY: For a list of the top experiences in New York City, read our article Best Things to Do in New York City.

NYC OBSERVATION DECKS: In our article Best Observation Decks in New York City, we rank all of the observation decks by price, height, and best view. We also have detailed guides on The Edge, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and One World Observatory.

NYC ITINERARY: In our article 5 Days in New York City, we included detailed daily itineraries for exploring New York City. You can do all five days or follow just a day or two, if you have less time in the city.

CHELSEA & HUDSON YARDS: In our article Best Things to Do in Chelsea and Hudson Yards, learn about the best things to do in the area, with suggestions on where to eat and where to stay.

NYC HOTELS: Need a place to stay? Check out our guide to the Best Hotels in New York City, organized by neighborhood.

 

We have more information about things to do in New York in our New York Travel Guide. If this is part of a bigger road trip through the USA, you can read all of our articles about the United States in our United States Travel Guide.

 

One Day Brooklyn New York Itinerary

One Day in Brooklyn New York

 

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Comments 13

  1. Avatar for Jonathan Gonzalez (Jg)
    Jonathan Gonzalez (Jg)

    I plan on traveling to Brooklyn and possibly using this itinerary on my birthday (January 19th). Other than using this itinerary/guide, is there anything you recommend that’s a must do for my born day to experience or are there any cost efficient things to do in the area. I’m willing to divert a little if need be and just looking for an overall fun and lasting experience. I do also plan on visiting a well known restaurant I’ve been following on Instagram called Bark Bbq, located on 55 Water St. right there in Brooklyn at the timeoutmarketnewyork. I greatly appreciate any additional guidance and or direction for my potential upcoming trip. Thank you so much!

    Jg

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      Hello Jg. That’s very exciting that you will be celebrating your birthday in Brooklyn. Other than what we list in this itinerary, I have no other specific recommendations. However, I haven’t been to the Time Out Market in NYC but I visited the one in Lisbon a few months ago and it was amazing! So many great restaurants and food stalls. I just looked online and this one in Brooklyn also gets great reviews and looks very similar, so I think it would be worth checking out since you will be nearby. And now I’m hoping to visit it on a return trip to Brooklyn. 😊 Happy early birthday! Cheers, Julie

  2. Avatar for Gianpaolo
    Gianpaolo

    Hi Julie, we will be’ in NY from December 24 till 29 day of leasing. Howard would you suggest Us to schedule the TripAdvisor? We’re afraid to find many sites closed. Besides, we got the citypass for 6 attractions, with this card we don’t Havel to buy tickets to skip lines, do we?. Looking forward to your answer we thank you in advance. GP

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
      Author
      Julie

      The 25th is the day when many sites can close in NYC. In order to know exactly which sites are closed, you will have to check the hours on each website. We give links to each website in this article and our 5 day New York City itinerary. I have not personally used the City Pass, but the City Pass website should give you the full details on whether or not you can skip the ticket lines. I assume you can but I recommend double checking this. Cheers, Julie

  3. Avatar for Stephon Owens
    Stephon Owens

    I love your write -up! Brooklyn resident here and this is a good scratch of the surface. Just one minor correction. If Brooklyn was its own city, it would be the FOURTH largest city, behind New York, Los Angeles, and narrowly missing Chicago. 🙂

    However, Brooklyn is New York’s most populated borough and there is so much to see that it could fill its own trip to NYC!

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
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  4. Avatar for Cindi
    Cindi

    My husband and I are staying near times square. We would like to start the morning by walking the bridge and work our way back. How to get to DUNBO?

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
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      Julie

      At the end of the Brooklyn Bridge there will be steps that you can take down to street level. It’s less than a five minute walk from here to Dumbo. Just walk in the general direction of Dumbo and you will see the Manhattan Bridge. Use Google Maps to help point you in the right direction. Cheers, Julie

  5. Avatar for Doug Ross
    Doug Ross

    Great tips Julie! My wife and I did a modified version of your itinerary on the Sunday of Labour Day weekend and really enjoyed ourselves. We were driving so we started in Williamsburg, near the Brooklyn Bowl (which was a lot of fun btw) where we found easy street parking – remember it was Sunday! After spending time taking the delights and sights of Williamsburg, we took the East River ferry to Wall Street, hopped on the free ferry to Staton Island to take in fantastic close-up views of downtown Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, before making our way back to Brooklyn by way of the pedestrian walk on the Brooklyn Bridge (which was jam packed btw but worth it). We could have taken in the Ground-Zero memorial (a must-see) and the 911 Museum but we had already done so on a previous visit, and we wanted to spend time in the Dumbo area which we did – fantastic pizza at Ignazios right near the Ferry pier btw and some great roof-top decks were in full view with lots of people taking in the sunset. Thanks again, Julie

    1. Avatar for Julie Post
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  6. Avatar for Gianna
  7. Avatar for Dee
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