Visiting Brooklyn for a Day

[markeb]

No cruise involved here. We’re spending a week in NYC in just about a week. We’re staying in Midtown (Michelangelo) and thinking about spending a day, or most of a day, in Brooklyn. Probably not Coney Island, but otherwise open. And a bit lost. I know my way around Manhattan pretty well, but Brooklyn not so much. We just don’t want to waste a day traveling around and backtracking, so we’d love suggestions on things to do and see. Bonus points for pizza. I have vague familiarity with Di Fara and Lucali, but not the geography. And not looking to start a pizza war! Used to live in Texas and barbecue there was a religion…

 

Appreciate suggestions. Subway lines and stops from Midtown highly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, markeb said:

and thinking about spending a day, or most of a day, in Brooklyn. Probably not Coney Island, but otherwise open. And a bit lost. I know my way around Manhattan pretty well, but Brooklyn not so much. We just don’t want to waste a day traveling around and backtracking, so we’d love suggestions on things to do and see

Forgive me if I'm wrong but you sound pretty wishy washy about going to Brooklyn in the first place-- the only reason I ask is that you could spend a lifetime ticking off things in Manhattan so what's the reason for going to Brooklyn in the first place if you don't seem too enthusiastic about doing it?

 

2 hours ago, markeb said:

have vague familiarity with Di Fara and Lucali, but not the geography.

Both are great but have been commercialized considerably. Di Fara you can also get in Manhattan at South Street Seaport. Lucali is still Brooklyn but has also expanded to Miami Beach. You can get comparable pizza in Manhattan. 

 

2 hours ago, markeb said:

Probably not Coney Island, but otherwise open.

A ride on the Cyclone is one of NYC's great off the beaten path experiences...

[markeb]

15 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

Forgive me if I'm wrong but you sound pretty wishy washy about going to Brooklyn in the first place-- the only reason I ask is that you could spend a lifetime ticking off things in Manhattan so what's the reason for going to Brooklyn in the first place if you don't seem too enthusiastic about doing it?

 

Both are great but have been commercialized considerably. Di Fara you can also get in Manhattan at South Street Seaport. Lucali is still Brooklyn but has also expanded to Miami Beach. You can get comparable pizza in Manhattan. 

 

A ride on the Cyclone is one of NYC's great off the beaten path experiences...

 

I've seen a lot of pictures/videos of the DUMBO area, and friends have talked about it. There's the Williamsburg area. Scale is a little hard to judge online, and I suspect picking 2-3 things that interest us (such as the Brooklyn Museum, for instance) would be a day in reality.

 

DW has serious motion issues (in spite of loving to cruise...), and it's a better than average possibility that it will be hot as Hades in late August, which is why we weren't looking at Coney Island. We've tried to go the Tenement Museum a couple of times for instance, and every time it's been on our list, NYC had a "record" heat wave...

 

I'm one of those folks (you are too) that constantly tells people who are going to be in Manhattan for 2-3 days to lump their activities and not waste time going back and forth to Downtown/Financial District/Battery if they're staying Midtown. Put things together. I guess that's what I'm really asking, along with a recommendation or two. And maybe something I wouldn't just find in a Google search! 

 

And I appreciate the feedback! 

[Brighton Line]

The easiest way to DUMBO is the NYC Ferry, the east river route will give you some stops down the East River, even the Brooklyn Navy Yard from East 34th St. Peir for $4. Tickets on their app or from ticket machines at their Pier. https://www.ferry.nyc/# or any route from 34th St to Wall St and transfer to South Brooklyn or East River Route to the stop "DUMBO". 

 

From your hotel you could walk to 34th St Pier.

Walk to East 50th and Madison Ave for the ERS or East River Shuttle, a NYC Ferry bus to 34th St. Pier at limited time

https://www.ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/landing/east-34th-street-midtown-east/

 

Walk to Lexington and East 50th St and take the MTA M102 bus to Lexington and E 37th St and walk to 34th St. Peir.

 

A subway trip to Dumbo is simple but a lot less touristy with the F Train from 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr to York Street 

Or A from 42nd St Port Authority to High St. Google the walking directions to the East River. 

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by Brighton Line

[lenquixote66]

I lived in Brooklyn 60 years .There is much to see there.

The Brooklyn Museum

Sheepshead Bay

Manhattan Beach 

Mill Basin

Williamsburg

Spumoni Gardens for pizza and ice cream

Brooklyn Heights