If there is a designer beard staring back at you in the mirror every morning before pulling on the skinny jeans and and an ironically worded t-shirt, then travelling to Brooklyn is something of a right of passage. It is here, across the Brooklyn bridge from the ever-buzzing Manhattan, that the hipster force is strong. And if you travel with your little skinny jean-wearing children, even better. Brooklyn, as it turns out, is a fine destination for young families who want to partake in a few of New York City’s finest attractions, but are also interested in some city biking, craft brewery hopping and vintage toy shopping at the local flea market. It’s the best of both worlds.
Where to stay: There are many independent hotels in the area, such as the Dazzler Hotel, which offer far lower rates than one might encounter in Manhattan, which is just a bike or subway ride away.
Here’s five of our favourite family stops in Brooklyn.
For the full hipster experience, try these two popular long-running events which return to the streets of Brooklyn in April and run until October.
The Brooklyn Flea, founded in 2008, allows tourists to experience a local neighbourhood while at the same time digging for an array of potential treasures from the many vinyl record booths, to vintage clothing, jewelry, art, and toys. If you think your kid won’t enjoy a flea market, think again. Kids are all about the bin diving and finding that certain something to take home, and there are enough down-market dealers to satisfy all budgets.
These events are very casual, friendly affairs. One location is a school playground in a neighbourhood surrounded by lovely brownstones and old churches, a bike rack designed by the Talking Heads’ David Byrne right up the street. You just can’t get any more folksy than that. There are three flea locales to consider when they get up and running in April. The school is Fort Greene, in addition to a DUMBO location, to combo with pizza perhaps (see #3) and one in the hipster central ‘burb of Williamsburg.
In addition to the Flea, tens of thousands of local food lovers and tourists flock to Brooklyn for the weekly Smorgasburg events. Smorgasburg was started in 2011 by the same industrious group of Brooklynites that gave the world the Flea, and they have similar locations and vibes. But people love to eat, and Smorgasburg seems to have established itself as one of the top local happenings in the area. So delish, it even had celebrity chef Mario Batali declaring it “the single greatest thing I’ve ever seen gastronomically in New York City,” and was what the New York Times dubbed the “Woodstock of eating.”
Starting in April, there will be a Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and in Prospect Park. The park location allows for the exploration of numerous Brooklyn tourist sites including the botanical garden, Brooklyn Library, Brooklyn Museum as well as the very kid friendly Prospect Park Zoo. That’s a good day right there.
Walk towards the bridges that cross the East River and take visitors to the island of Manhattan, and underneath, at the water’s edge, is Brooklyn Bridge Park. And there is a lot going on, as more and more land is being reclaimed for neighbourhoods and public spaces. There are abundant parks, playgrounds, and climbing walls for the kids. And there is a trail system ideal for biking from under the bridge to the scenic Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
The views of the Manhattan skyline are phenomenal and there are plenty of stops along the way for refreshments, especially along the Promenade. Be sure to stop at Jane’s Carousel, which was originally built in 1922 and has been placed lovingly along the riverbank, which is open year-round. Make your way to Pier I, which is the largest of the park piers. This area features plenty of public art installations, water gardens.
Further along on Pier 2, there are basketball courts and even a roller rink. There are new arts centres and shopping districts and great restaurants as well. One highlight includes Luke’s Lobster, a local off-shoot of the famed Manhattan shop that serves up some incredible lobster rolls. Kids love lobster rolls. If it can be timed, try and hit the park on an evening that features Bargemusic, which is a chamber music concert in an old coffee barge plunked into the East River. There are numerous family concerts that usually happen on weekend afternoons.
Brooklyn is known for pizza, and two of the best spots in town are located under the bridge in DUMBO — Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. It’s a hot new neighbourhood with plenty of galleries and cool stores including such landmarks as Redbeard’s Bikes. The area is also popular for movie and TV shoots. One afternoon the crew from Gotham were on hand filming a few scenes, and had no issues interacting with passersby. Trade a couple hours shopping in a hip new neighbourhood for an early dinner featuring some of the best pizza you can imagine.
Juliana’s and Grimaldi’s are basically located next to each other. Grimaldi’s is the local icon, Juliana’s is something of an offshoot and is the one with the booze. The pizza is cooked in a coal-fired oven, heavy on the oregano, a delicious crisp bite to the crust. It’s heaven on a stainless-steel platter. But pizza is everywhere, and there are numerous pizza tours available for visitors, which is a great way to avoid the often-epic lineups that can form, especially in good weather and on weekends.
You have been warned.
So, you’ve done all you can do underneath these gigantic bridges, now might be time to see what it’s like topside. And, as it turns out, the Brooklyn Bridge is just lovely, thank you very much, with a large section in the centre perfect for walking and cycling.
To walk the entire length of the bridge will likely take 30 minutes with the family; pedalling across by bicycle can be done in five to 10 minutes, but the bridge be bumpin’, as they say, so thoughts of speeding across could be hijacked by camera-toting tourists stepping out into the bike path and impeding progress.
Important to note, NYC has a great bike share program with depots everywhere. And, it might sound scary, but cycling across to Manhattan is not a life-threatening situation, especially for those travelling from cities such as Vancouver and Toronto. Just be sure to get a bike map, which highlights bike lanes. And, it is easy to hang a left at the end of the bridge and bike to Battery Park, for instance, and take in some of the many sites along that section of Manhattan. Bicycling Central Park is a dream. Or take in a show on Broadway, including the very family friendly School of Rock, running at the beautiful Winter Garden Theater.
No trip to Brooklyn is complete without a trip down memory lane at Coney Island. It does take 45 minutes by subway, but it is so worth it. What better place to create some memories with the family?
There is such history in these boardwalk planks, such delicious food, more than 50 amusement park rides, and attractions that are swimming in nostalgia and even Brighton Beach is worth a stroll. One could easily spend an afternoon strolling the boardwalk or sitting on a bench watching the mayhem and never get bored, let alone partaking in the festivities. Be sure to consume at least one Nathan’s Famous hot dog, potentially three. Ahem. There are also some fine examples of primo Brooklyn pizza at the ready, including Grimaldi’s. A four-hour wristband for Luna Park rides will run around $35.
Ron Johnson is the father of a city girl who can't get enough of the country. He is a Toronto-based writer, and the editor of Post City Magazines. Knee-deep in bucket list items, he can currently be found shopping for home brew while practising the drums, playing ultimate frisbee with kids half his age or polishing up his vintage single speed bike. Don't judge him.
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