7 Reasons for Falling in Love With Brooklyn
By Lucas Compan
Brooklyn is a people's place. It is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with a Census-estimated 2,636,735 residents in 2015. It is geographically adjacent to the borough of Queens at the southwestern end of Long Island.
Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County the most populous county in New York state and the second most densely populated county in the United States, after the county of New York – which is coextensive with the borough of Manhattan.
Here are 7 reasons for falling in love with Brooklyn.
the classic view from washington street in dumbo, brooklyn. photo: lucas compan
1 – Cinematographic inspiring views
2 – Amazing things to do
“Movies With A View” is a summer must-do. This program is certainly one of New York City’s favorite summer film series. If you are enjoying New York City during summertime, do not miss it for the world. Learn more, click here.
cinema with a view: summer fun in brooklyn bridge park. photo: orsvp
Forget Manhattan skyscrapers. In Brooklyn you can see sky, enjoy nature, listen to the birds and seagulls, and admire the lights of a amazing skyline.
Brooklyn Bridge Park - Pier 1. Photo: Julienne Schaer
3 – Stunning views never, ever get old
The secret path to go to DUMBO from the Brooklyn Bridge
lower manhattan, one wtc, brooklyn bridge, and jane’s carousel from dumbo, brooklyn. photo: lucas compan
water cruise tour passing by under the brooklyn bridge. photo: Agostina cois
view from under the manhattan bridge, dumbo. Photo: Lucas Compan
sunny day in dumbo. photo: lucas compan
sunrise from the brooklyn bridge. Photo: Lucas Compan
Directions to Brooklyn Bridge Park
Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge is something. So take the 6 train at Grand Central Station to the last stop (Brooklyn Bridge). If you don't want to walk 1,8 km on the bridge, you have five ways to get there:
F train to York Street / A or C trains to High Street / 2 or 3 trains to Clark Street
4 – Luna Park & Coney Island: a lot of fun
luna park’s entrance. photo: lucas compan
Luna Park, the 'Heart of Coney Island', is the most influential amusement park of all time, and the most well-known alongside Disney World. It is the architectural and entertainment industry triumph of two people – Frederic Thompson and Elmer 'Skip' Dundy – whose combined imagination, passion for their work and willingness to take risks changed the world. A Harper's Weekly article from just four months after Luna Park first opened in May of 1903 captures the amusement park's transformational impact on both Coney Island and the worldwide amusement industry:
"At just the time when it was needed, when the attractions had grown a trifle monotonous, two young men came out of the West and, without any blowing of horns, erected as if in a night an amusement park which has not its counterpart anywhere else on earth. The thinking visitor, after he has seen the many features, after he has laughed at the helter-skelter, and watched the Cingalese dancers, and made a trip to the moon, and another via the submarine route to the North Pole, will glance back after leaving the really picturesque entrance and marvel at the inventive genius that has made all this possible."
Experience two minutes of pure fun. Watch “Sumer At Luna Park”
The founders of Luna Park at a glance – Thompson, an architect by training, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1872. His exceptional creative ingenuity and marketing flair were rivaled only by his equally exceptional disregard for financial prudence. Dundy, born in 1862 in Omaha, Nebraska, was Thompson's perfect complement. He naturally was an astute and crafty businessman with a knack for raising money, but lacked the artistic creativity.
Want to explore more about Luna Park, the heart of Coney Island?
Explore the history of this amazing place: click here the access fantastic historic facts
Directions to Coney Island and Brighton Beach: take the Brooklyn-bound N, Q, B, D or F trains to the last stop
5 – Brighton Beach just a subway ride away
Also known as "Little Odessa" due its tight-knit Russian and Eastern European communities, Brooklyn's Brighton Beach is a lively neighborhood with many high-rise residential buildings.
coney island: beach and boardwalk. photo: lucas compan
Traditional ethnic restaurants and food markets line Brighton Beach Avenue. The beach and boardwalk here are more laid-back than nearby Coney Island, catering largely to locals. Splashy nightclubs attract partiers in the evenings.
coney island: beach and boardwalk. photo: lucas compan
From Sunday to Sunday, The boardwalk in front of Luna Park is always electric and live during summertime.
coney island: beach and boardwalk. photo: lucas compan
6 – You can ride The Cyclone
The Cyclone is a Coney Island historic wooden roller coaster that opened on June 26, 1927.
cyclone wooden-coast. photo: lucas compan
7 – Romantic spot with breathtaking sunsets at Brooklyn Heights Promenade
“High Above The East River At The Edge Of A Leafy-Green Neighborhood Of Townhouses And Brownstones Is One Of The Most Romantic Walkways In The City, A Favorite For Many New Yorkers – And It’s In Brooklyn.”
watching the sunset from brooklyn heights promenade is one a breathtaking experience. photo: lucas compan
Directions to Brooklyn Heights Promenade: take the R train at Times Square/42nd Street to Court Street/Borough Hall
Extra reason: you can find great food, music, art, fashion in Williamsburg
Williamsburg is situated across the East River from Manhattan’s Lower East Side. It remains synonymous with the rise of fashionable Brooklyn.
bedford street, williamsburg, brooklyn. photo: lucas compan
store window in williamsburg, brooklyn. photo: lucas compan
bedford street, williamsburg, brooklyn. photo: lucas compan
Directions to Williamsburg, Brooklyn: Starting in 2019, New York will close the Canarsie Tunnel, which accommodates the L train, for a period of 18 months in order to repair damage incurred when Hurricane Sandy flooded the tube with hundreds of thousands of gallons of brackish water. Service between Brooklyn and Manhattan will cease. Then, here’s how to get to Williamsburg from Manhattan (and vice-versa):
. Take the J, M, or Z train from the Delancey-Essex Street stop and hop out at Marcy Avenue';
. Take the scenic $2.75 NYC Ferry ride, and get off in one of these stops: North 6th Street or South Williamsburg;
. Get ride of some extra calories and cross-walk the Williamsburg Bridge from Chinatown. It’s an awesome walk with great views of Lower Manhattan, Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge, and New York Bay.
the vivid colors and atmosphere of williamsburg. photo: lucas compan
