Whether you like art, music, nature, sports, or something else, there are a lot of incredible things to do in Brooklyn.
If you’re going on a trip to New York City, you shouldn’t miss out on Brooklyn. With its great museums, theaters, music venues, and more, there’s always something to do. From learning about transportation to having a drink with a view to seeing art, there’s something for everyone’s liking.
I made this guide to help you decide what to do in Brooklyn. In this guide, I included a large variety of fun activities, including must-see sights, tours, museums, and more.
Best Things To Do in Brooklyn
See Art From Around the World at the Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is Brooklyn’s largest museum and one of the best museums in New York City. The museum was founded in 1898 and has a large collection of more than 500,000 objects.
The collection of the museum includes lots of different works of art from all across the world and from a period of more than 3,000 years. Whether you want to see modern American art, art from ancient Egypt, Japanese art, or other types of art, you can find it at this museum.
In addition to seeing the museum’s permanent collection, you can also attend a temporary exhibition at the museum.
You can also attend all kinds of events at the museum. For example, there are film screenings, workshops, and lots of other types of events.
Address: 200 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Do a Tour of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a beautiful botanical garden with an area of 52 acres that is home to thousands of species of plants that can be found in various specialty gardens.
Each garden at the botanic garden focuses on a specific type of plant. For example, there is a garden with plants that are native to the New York metropolitan area.
You can find the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Prospect Park, next to the Brooklyn Museum.
Besides seeing the nature of the garden, you can also attend an event at the garden. Lots of different events take place here, including workshops during which you can learn about nature, tours during which you can see the highlights of the garden, events for families, and many other types of events.
When visiting the garden, a great tour to do is the “Seasonal Highlights Tour”. During this tour, which takes place many times throughout the year, a guide can show you what’s in bloom during the current season and provide you with interesting information. These tours are free with admission to the garden.
Because the Seasonal Highlights Tour focuses on the highlights of the current season, each tour during the year is different.
Go to a Concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
The Brooklyn Academy of Music, which was founded in 1859, is an arts center with several venues. At the different venues, you can see opera shows, listen to live music, enjoy theater performances, see film screenings, and attend a variety of other types of shows. This is great if you’re looking for things to do at night in Brooklyn.
One of the buildings that is part of BAM is the Peter Jay Sharp Building, which is a building in the Renaissance revival style that was built at the start of the 20th century. Here, you can see opera shows and movies.
The BAM Strong is another building that is part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It houses the BAM Harvey Theater.
Another building is the BAM Fisher Building.
Address: 30 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Visit the New York Aquarium
Founded in 1896, the New York Aquarium is the oldest aquarium in America that is still operating. You can find the aquarium in Brooklyn’s Coney Island and going there to see and learn about marine animals is one of the best things to do in Brooklyn.
The aquarium houses close to 300 different species of wildlife.
Some of the animals that you can find at the aquarium are sharks, sea turtles, rays, harbor seals, and penguins.
The animals are spread over various exhibits. For example, there is one exhibit where you can find “spineless” animals, such as the Pacific octopus.
You can also do various experiences at the New York Aquarium. For example, you can go to the 4-D Theater to see a 3D film with sensory effects, and you can also see various interactive shows.
Address: 602 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224
See a Movie at Nitehawk Cinema
Nitehawk is a dine-in movie theater with two locations in Brooklyn. There is one location in Williamsburg and one in Prospect Park.
At this place, you can see the latest blockbusters, classics, shorts, and other types of movies.
You can enjoy great food and drinks while seeing a movie here. This is also fun if you’re looking for date ideas in New York City. You can order from your seat, and enjoy the food during the movie. The food menu of Nitehawk Cinema includes lots of different options, including burgers, salads, and much more.
On Saturdays and Sundays, you can also get great food from the brunch menu.
The drink menu of Nitehawk Cinema includes lots of different options, including a list of different craft beers.
Also, there are special menu items that pair with the movies that play here.
Address: 188 Prospect Park W, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Learn About Transportation at the New York Transit Museum
At the New York Transit Museum, which you can find at 99 Schermerhorn Street inside a former subway station, you can learn about the diverse ways of transportation in the New York City area.
You can find lots of memorability and other objects related to the city’s trains, buses, tunnels, roads, and more.
Some of the objects at the museum are very large. For example, there are old subway cars that you can enter and see from the inside.
Sometimes, it is also possible to do “nostalgia rides” at the New York Transit Museum. During these, you can ride one of the vintage railcars to a special location in New York City.
In addition to that, there are temporary exhibitions at the museum as well that focus on a very specific part of the city’s transportation.
Going to the New York Transit Museum is also one of the best things to do with kids in Brooklyn.
Address: 99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Have a Picnic at Domino Park
Domino Park is a beautiful park that is located in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg. You can find the park next to the Williamsburg Bridge, next to the East River.
It’s one of the best picnic spots in New York City and having a picnic there is a fun activity in Brooklyn. The park has large lawns where you can have a picnic or where you can go for a walk while enjoying a view of the East River, the Williamsburg Bridge, and the skyline of Manhattan.
You can also sit on one of the benches at the park and relax.
Domino Park is situated at the site of the former Domino Sugar Refinery, and you can still see structures of the refinery that was founded in 1856.
Tour the Brooklyn Brewery
The Brooklyn Brewery is a brewery that produces many types of craft beer, including pilsners, lagers, hazy IPAs, and other styles. You can find this place at 79 North 11 Street in the Williamsburg neighborhood, so this is great if you’re looking for things to do in Williamsburg.
At the brewery, you can do two types of tours. There’s one that takes place on weekdays, called the “small-batch tour”, and there’s a free tour that you can do on Sunday.
During both tours, you can learn about the history of beer and the production of beer. You can also taste Brooklyn Brewery’s beer during this tour.
Instead of doing a tour of the brewery, you can also visit the taproom and try one of the brews. There are year-round styles of beer as well as seasonally available styles.
Address: 79 N 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Listen to Music and Bowl at Brooklyn Bowl
Brooklyn Bowl is a unique place that you can find in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg. Brooklyn Bowl is a live music venue, bowling alley, and restaurant.
There is a large stage where you can attend concerts of a large variety of genres, including rock music.
In the same space as where you can find the stage, there are modern bowling lanes where you can bowl. Because these lanes are located in the same space, you can enjoy the concert that takes place here while you are bowling.
In addition to that, you can get all kinds of dishes by Blue Ribbon at Brooklyn Bowl. Whether you want a burger, sandwich, salad, wings, or something else, there are many options to choose from, and there’s delicious food for everyone’s liking.
Brooklyn Bowl is also amazing if you’re looking for fun date ideas in Williamsburg.
Address: 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
See a Game of the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center
The Barclays Center is a modern indoor arena that you can find at 620 Atlantic Avenue, close to the Brooklyn Museum. It’s in Prospect Heights, so this is also great if you are looking for things to do in Prospect Heights. The venue has a capacity of close to 19,000, but this depends on the type of event that takes place here.
The arena opened in 2012 and is a place where you can attend all kinds of events.
The Barclays Center is the home of the Brooklyn Nets, which is a team that competes in the NBA, and the New York Liberty, which is a team that competes in the Women’s National Basketball Association.
In addition to sports events, you can also attend concerts and lots of other events at the venue.
Address: 620 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Attend a Concert at the Music Hall of Williamsburg
The Music Hall of Williamsburg is one of the best music venues in New York City. It is operated by The Bowery Presents, which is an organization that also operates other live music venues in the city, such as Terminal 5 in Manhattan.
The Music Hall of Williamsburg used to be the Northsix rock club, which was renovated in the year 2007.
The music hall is a standing-room-only venue and has a capacity of 650. Lots of concerts take place at the venue and going to a concert here is a very fun thing to do in Brooklyn. You can listen to many types of genres of live music, such as rock music. Lots of up-and-coming artists perform at the venue.
You can go here on most days of the week to attend a concert.
Address: 66 N 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Explore Time Out Market New York
Time Out Market New York is a food hall that you can find in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood.
You can go here to have lunch or dinner, and there’s a lot of food to choose from, as you can find many different types of eateries at Time Out Market. There are 21 different food concepts in one space.
From tacos to burgers to ramen, you can choose from many different types of dishes.
You can enjoy the food at the tables in the eateries’ shared space, which means that you can go to Time Out Market NYC with others who like other food more and have food at the same time. Going to Time Out Market is also one of the best date ideas in Brooklyn.
A variety of events take place at Time Out Market. For example, there are events with live music and game nights.
When you go here, you can also check out the Roof Top Bar where you can get cocktails and enjoy a panoramic view of the skyline of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Address: 55 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Play an Escape Game at Beat The Bomb Brooklyn
Beat The Bomb Brooklyn is a place where you can have a lot of fun with multiple people.
At this place, you can two different types of immersive and challenging games within 1 hour that are very similar to an escape game.
You can choose between two “missions” during which you have to advance through 5 rooms with video games.
Each of these rooms tests a skill and in the final room, you have to disarm a bomb to avoid getting paint or foam on you.
You can choose whether you want to play the “Paint Bomb” or “Foam Bomb” mission.
As playing an escape game here is very fun, this is also amazing if you’re looking for things to do for your birthday in NYC. You can find Beat The Bomb Brooklyn in the Dumbo neighborhood at 255 Water Street.
Address: 255 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Visit Brooklyn Bridge Park and See Jane’s Carousel
Brooklyn Bridge Park is a large park with a size of 85 acres that is situated next to the East River and on both sides of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Because of the location of the park, when walking here, you can enjoy a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge, the East River, and Manhattan’s skyline.
The park has a lot of walking paths and you can relax on one of the benches or lawns.
Brooklyn Bridge Park is also home to Jane’s Carousel, which is a historic carousel that dates back to the year 1922. It features wooden horses and two wooden carriages, and children can ride the carousel. You can find the carousel inside a glass pavilion to protect it.
Have a Drink With a View at The Water Tower Bar
The Water Tower Bar is a rooftop bar in the Williamsburg neighborhood. The rooftop bar is part of Arlo Williamsburg, which previously was The Williamsburg Hotel. You can find this place at 96 Wythe Avenue.
At the rooftop bar, you can enjoy all kinds of cocktails, other beverages, and food, while getting a view of the East River and the skyline of Manhattan. You can also often listen to live music when you are at the rooftop bar, making it a great thing to do in Brooklyn if you love music.
The rooftop bar has both an indoor and outdoor area. There is an indoor space with large windows where you can enjoy a great view, and there is a large outdoor terrace that is great for when it is sunny outside.
Address: 96 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Enjoy Delicious Food at Smorgasburg
Smorgasburg is an open-air food market that you can go to during the summer months. You can find the open-air market in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood at the Marsha P. Johnson State Park.
At the market, there are more than 75 vendors that serve many types of food, and there is a shared space with picnic tables where you can enjoy the food, making this place similar to a food hall, but outdoors.
Because there are many different types of vendors, there’s much to choose from, and when you go here with multiple people you can all have the food that you want and enjoy it at the same time.
Address: 90 Kent Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Attend a Performance at Kings Theatre
The Kings Theatre is a historic theater that was established in 1929. At that time, it was a Loew’s Theatres movie theater.
The theater closed in 1977 but was renovated in 2015. It is now a venue where a large variety of events takes place, and is one of the best music venues in Brooklyn.
You can go here to enjoy live music during a concert, attend a comedy show, watch a movie, or attend another type of event.
In addition to the great events that take place at Kings Theatre, the design of the theater makes it worth visiting. Kings Theatre has a beautiful interior that features a lot of golden decorations and there are chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
You can also do a tour of the Kings Theatre, during which a guide shows you around the building and tells you about the history and design of Kings Theatre.
Address: 1027 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226
Go to Brooklyn Flea
Brooklyn Flea is the largest flea market in Brooklyn which was founded in 2008. You can find the market in the Dumbo neighborhood, and it is held almost every weekend from April through December.
At the flea market, you can shop for all kinds of items from hundreds of vendors, such as vintage clothing, antiques, and collectibles.
The same company that operates Smorgasburg also operates Brooklyn Flea.
A part of the flea market is located underneath an archway of the Brooklyn Bridge, which is a unique aspect of the marker.
Address: 80 Pearl St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Visit the Coney Island Museum
The Coney Island Museum is a museum that was established in 1983 and that you can find in Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighborhood.
You can find all kinds of objects related to the former Coney Island amusement park at the museum, and you can see artifacts and art related to the history and culture of the neighborhood at the museum as well.
There is a permanent collection and there are temporary exhibitions that take place at the museum. The latter allows you to learn about a specific part of Coney Island’s history or culture.
Address: 1208 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224
Go for a Walk at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade
The Brooklyn Heights Promenade is a walkway that you can find along the East River. When you go for a walk at this place, you can enjoy a great view of the New York Harbor, Manhattan’s skyline, and the Brooklyn Bridge at the same time.
You can also find a lot of benches at the promenade where you can relax.
The Brooklyn Heights Promenade is also home to several monuments and seeing these is one of the best activities in Brooklyn as well. At these monuments, you can see plaques through which you can learn about the monuments.
Check Out the Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Founded in 1899, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is one of the first children’s museums in the world. You can find this museum at 145 Brooklyn Avenue and it’s one of the best museums for kids in New York City.
At this museum, children can learn about a variety of topics through several fun hands-on exhibits.
For example, one of the exhibits at the museum is the “World Brooklyn” exhibit, where children can play inside kid-sized shops that are based on shops that can actually be found in Brooklyn. Two examples are a grocery store and a bakery.
Another exhibit that you can find at the museum, and that lets children learn about life sciences, is the “Neighborhood Nature” exhibit.
Address: 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213
Go to an Event of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! is an annually recurring multi-stage festival that takes place in summer. You can attend the festival for free, making going here great if you are looking for free things to do in Brooklyn.
The festival is held in Prospect Park and the festival dates back to the year 1979. It is the longest-running outdoor performing arts festival that is free in New York City.
Lots of events take place at the festival. For example, you can listen to great live music. From indie to jazz to other types of music, there are concerts of a wide variety of genres.
At the festival, you can also attend dance shows, see film screenings, or attend another type of festival.
Check Out the Brooklyn Public Library
The Brooklyn Public Library is Brooklyn’s public library system. It has several branches that you can find throughout the borough.
If you want to read books, you can go to the library, but you can also go to the library if you want to attend an event.
Lots of events take place at the different branches of the library, including workshops, book discussions, and many other types of events. If you’re wondering what to do in Brooklyn, it can be great to check out the events at the library. There are also many events that are great for children.
In addition to that, some of the library system’s branches are housed inside beautiful buildings. The main branch of the library, the Central Library, is in a building that opened in 1941 and that is a designated New York City Landmark.
The building of the main branch features a grand entrance with several bronze sculptures next to it.
Address: 10 Grand Army Plz, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Explore the Jewish Children’s Museum
The Jewish Children’s Museum is one of the best museums in Brooklyn. It’s a children’s museum that you can find at 792 Eastern Parkway. At this museum, children can learn about Jewish heritage through several permanent exhibits.
These exhibits are educational and hands-on.
For example, there is an exhibit where children can shop for kosher groceries in a replica of a store.
There are also exhibits through which children can learn about Noah’s Ark and other stories.
Address: 792 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11213
See Animals at the Prospect Park Zoo
The Prospect Park Zoo is one of the best zoos in New York City, and you can find this zoo in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
The zoo’s history dates back to the year 1890 when it was a menagerie.
You can go to the zoo to learn about all kinds of animals, and in total there are close to 1,000 animals at the zoo.
The animals at the zoo can be found in various exhibits at the zoo.
For example, you can see very small animals, such as frogs, at the “Hall of Animals” exhibit.
You can also check out the “Sea Lion Court”, which is an exhibit where you can see the sea lions of the zoo, which is one of the most popular species of animals at Prospect Park Zoo.
Address: 450 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Go to the Center for Brooklyn History and Learn About the Borough’s History
The Center for Brooklyn History is a museum that is part of the Brooklyn Public Library where you can learn about the 400 years of history of the borough.
At the center, you can find a collection of all kinds of interesting artifacts. From newspapers to historic maps to pamphlets, there are a lot of different types of historic artifacts on display here. In addition to that, you can see paintings and photographs at the Center for Brooklyn History.
You can also attend various events at the center. For example, sometimes there are live music events and there are temporary exhibitions.
Address: 128 Pierrepont St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
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There are a lot of great coffee shops in Brooklyn that you can find across the borough and some of these are close to some of the places that I mentioned in this article. If you want to have a more comfortable time, I recommend finding out if there’s a coffee shop near a place that you want to visit before deciding what to do in Brooklyn and going there as well before or after the activity.
For example, Devoción Coffee is located close to Domino Park. So you can get a cup of coffee at Devoción Coffee and go to Domino Park after that.
Brooklyn Things To Do Map
This was my guide to the best things to do in Brooklyn. I hope you liked the activities!