For Christmas, my husband surprised me with flights to NYC during our anniversary, and we couldn’t wait to get to the The Big Apple! We spent 3 days in Brooklyn and 2 days in Manhattan and saw just about everything we could during our first visit to New York. If you’re visiting Brooklyn {on a budget} this post is for you!
First Impressions: NYC can be a very overwhelming place, and I see why they call it “the city that never sleeps.” There are a million things to do and places to eat, a dozen cultures to experience, and a ton of awesome architecture. I actually found the locals to be very friendly, although you aren’t striking up small convos on the street (like you would in the South where I’m from). I love the accessibility of everything (you can walk or take the subway anywhere) and the energy and the flow of the city. It’s also everything you hear about: crowded, loud, somewhat dirty and smelly in places. I like to say it is a lot, but in all the good ways!
Where we stayed
For our first three nights, we stayed in an Airbnb in the Williamsburg/ Greenpoint area of Brooklyn, and we really fell in love! I hate when people think that NYC is just Manhattan, because your great culture and food is found in the surrounding boroughs, like Brooklyn! The area definitely had a very local and hipster-type vibe and a much slower pace than Manhattan. In Williamsburg, you’ll find trendy cafes, cool street art, and stunning views of Manhattan.
We loved walking around the streets, stopping at local coffee shops, and walking down to the East River Park for panoramic views of Manhattan. We picked up some yummy pizza at Carmine’s Pizzeria, had brunch at 12 Chairs Cafe, and got delicious cheesecake from Martha’s Country Bakery.
What we did
We spent our first afternoon taking the ferry down to DUMBO, Brooklyn. The NYC Ferry Service is a great alternative to taking the subway to the different boroughs, and tickets are the same price as a subway ride. Obviously, not the quickest way to get around, but definitely the most beautiful!
Dumbo (the area Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is a really cool and trendy area of Brooklyn with cobblestone streets, converted warehouse buildings, and a big art scene. The ferry docks right next to the Empire Fulton Ferry Park, so we headed there for some great views of Manhattan and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.
TRAVEL TIP: Right next to the Empire Fulton Ferry Park is a secret spot for FREE beautiful rooftop views of the Brooklyn Bridge & the Manhattan skyline! Take the elevator or stairs to the rooftop of The Empire Stores and chill for as long as you like!
An infamous spot in DUMBO (mostly made popular by social media) is this stunning bridge framed perfectly between two warehouse buildings (as seen from Washington Street). Most people think this is the Brooklyn Bridge, but it is actually it’s longer neighbor – the Manhattan Bridge. You’ll see a line of people waiting to get that perfect Instagram shot, but you can get just as beautiful a picture from the sidewalk…and without holding up traffic 🙂 At the right angle, you can also pick up the Chrysler Building in the bottom open space of the bridge. DUMBO is an interesting area to explore, so check it out and grab a burger at the local Shake Shack!
Of course, your Brooklyn visit wouldn’t be complete if you didn’t walk across the Brooklyn Bridge! It was the first steel-wired suspension bridge and was once the longest in the world. It’s like a rite of passage in NYC and is beautiful on a nice sunny day or at sunset. I’d recommend at least 30 min to 1 hour for walking across, depending on how long you stop for pictures or to take in the views. We walked from Manhattan to Brooklyn, but walking the opposite direction to Manhattan gives the best skyline views in my opinion.
I’m a sucker for a great food market, and the Dekalb Market in Brooklyn is not to be missed! We went here on our second day in Brooklyn (mainly to stay out of the freezing rain) to grab a snack and some coffee. The market has just about every type of food you could imagine!
After leaving the food market, we also walked around Prospect Park for a bit and up to the Boathouse. We weren’t letting a little nasty weather ruin New York for us! The Boathouse was built in 1905 and was one of the first NYC buildings to be declared a historic landmark. The park also features the Prospect Park Zoo and neighbors the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and the Brooklyn Museum, so there is lots to do in the area!
TRAVEL TIP: The Botanic Gardens are free on Friday mornings from 8a-noon!
Beside food and transportation, all the activities we did in Brooklyn were FREE! I love traveling on a budget, and I didn’t have to spend a lot of money to get “the NYC experience.” If I return, I would definitely stay in Brooklyn again; it’s such a cool, vibrant melting pot, yet still feels hometown-ish. If you’re looking for some great culture and good food, then Brooklyn is for you!
Check out my next post on Manhattan…on a budget of course 😉
Down the Highway My Way 
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