1 Day Brooklyn Itinerary - What To Do In Brooklyn NY In One Day

Last Updated on 5th June 2024

This 1 day Brooklyn itinerary for first time visitors contains affiliate links.

1 Day Brooklyn Itinerary - What To Do In Brooklyn NY In One Day

Are you planning to explore Brooklyn during your trip to New York City? If so, you’re probably wondering about all the best things to see in Brooklyn NY! This huge Brooklyn 1 day itinerary includes everything you need to know about spending a day in Brooklyn New York!

While many first-time visitors to New York City tend to stick to the famous sights of Manhattan (such as Times Square, the Empire State Building, Central Park etc), I also think that it’s worth heading over the East River to the New York borough of Brooklyn, even if it’s just for a few hours!

Most visitors to the city will walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, but once you get over to the other side of the bridge, there is so much to see, do and eat in Brooklyn!

If you’re looking to spend a day in Brooklyn, NY this guide is for you! I’ve covered all the top spots to see in Brooklyn in one day, as well as a few bonus things to do in Brooklyn if you have longer to spend there!

Do you still need some help with planning your trip to NYC? Check out my Ultimate New York City Travel Guide Ebook and join my free New York Facebook Group for more helpful tips, advice and inspiration!

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Brooklyn one day itinerary – summary

See the iconic Brooklyn Bridge
Walk along Squibb Park Bridge
Explore Dumbo
Go shopping at Brooklyn Flea Market
Enjoy a cocktail and lunch at Time Out Market
Admire the Manhattan skyline from Domino Park
See the views from Westlight Rooftop Bar
Eat dinner at Peter Luger Steak House

Check out more of my NYC itineraries here!

One Day in Brooklyn Map

Brooklyn Google Maps itinerary - things to do in Brooklyn NYC

The Google Maps image above shows you all the best spots in Brooklyn that you can visit in one, two or three days, depending on how long you want to spend in Brooklyn.

You can also head to this Google Maps link to save a copy of my Brooklyn map itinerary so you can see where everything is located!

One day in Brooklyn itinerary – top tours & attractions

If you’d prefer to explore Brooklyn with a helpful and expert tour guide, check out some of the best Brooklyn tours below!

Is Brooklyn NY Worth Visiting?

Brooklyn is 100% worth visiting while you’re in New York City! The borough is such a fantastic place to spend a day as there’s plenty to see and do and so many amazing places to eat.

It feels a lot more local than Manhattan in many areas and it’s definitely worth heading off to explore Downtown Brooklyn and the Williamsburg neighbourhood as it will give you a feel for what it’s like to be a New Yorker living in Brooklyn!

Is 1 day in Brooklyn enough?

Unfortunately, one day in Brooklyn isn’t quite enough time to see and do everything that this incredible New York borough has to offer. However, one day is a good place to start when it comes to exploring Brooklyn as it allows you to experience many of the highlights, including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Dumbo, Williamsburg and more.

If you can, I think that 2 or 3 days is the ideal amount of time to spend in Brooklyn, especially if it’s your first time in NYC, but of course, this is quite a lot of time if you’re only in the city for 4 or 5 days anyway.

Best things to do on a Brooklyn day trip itinerary

Below, you’ll find just a few of the best things to do in Brooklyn NY on an epic day trip from Manhattan.

From strolling the iconic streets of Dumbo to admiring the remarkable views of the Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park and Squibb Park Bridge to dining at some of the borough’s most prestigious eateries, you’ll find my 1 day Brooklyn itinerary a great place to start for planning your trip!

Brooklyn Bridge itinerary

Your one day Brooklyn itinerary should begin with a walk across the world-famous Brooklyn Bridge.

If you’re staying in Manhattan, I’d recommend heading to the bridge as early as possible to enjoy a leisurely stroll across the iconic structure from Manhattan to Brooklyn. The walk across the bridge usually takes around 30 minutes, but I would allow for around an hour so that you have plenty of time to admire the views and take plenty of pictures.

How to get to the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan: You can take the subway to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall (4, 5 and 6 lines), City Hall (N, R and W lines), Fulton Street (J and Z lines) or Chambers Street (J and Z lines), depending on where exactly you’re staying. From all of these subway stations, it’s less than a 10-minute walk to the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan.

Brooklyn Bridge Park – Brooklyn itinerary 1 day

Once you’ve crossed the Bridge and you’re officially in Brooklyn, I’d recommend heading to the stunning waterfront area of Brooklyn Bridge Park to admire the views of the Manhattan Bridge and the spectacular skyline.

Brooklyn Bridge Park encompasses a pretty huge area, with various piers situated along the waterfront, all the way along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. You don’t necessarily have to walk all the way along the Promenade, but I would recommend spending a bit of time in this area so that you can take plenty of pictures and soak up the sights.

Squibb Park Bridge

Squibb Park Bridge is one of my favourite places in Brooklyn and even though it’s simply a footbridge that connects Brooklyn Bridge Park with Squibb Park in Brooklyn Heights, I think it’s one of the best places in the city to enjoy an epic view of the Lower Manhattan skyline.

The bridge is completely free to visit and from its vantage point, you can see the infamous One World Trade Center, as well as many other notable skyscrapers in Lower Manhattan.

As you only have one day in Brooklyn, I’d recommend heading to the bridge to see the views and take a few photos, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend venturing into Squibb Park itself as that’s better reserved for when you have longer to spend in Brooklyn.

Empire Fulton Ferry Park, Jane’s Carousel and Pebble Beach

From Squibb Park Bridge, you can head back through Brooklyn Bridge Park to yet another waterfront location known as Empire Fulton Ferry Park where you can take a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge that’s featured at the very beginning of this guide.

The riverside park boasts a sprawling lawn area, a children’s playground and the renowned Jane’s Carousel, making Empire Fulton Ferry Park and Garden a brilliant place to visit with kids in Brooklyn.

Dumbo – Manhattan Bridge View on Washington Street

Next up on your Brooklyn itinerary is the iconic neighbourhood of Dumbo which is short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. The whole area of Dumbo is worth exploring if you have time on your one day itinerary as it has such a lovely, local feel to it.

However, it’s the intersection of Water Street and Washington Street that you’ll want to head to if you want to take a famous picture of the Manhattan Bridge with the Empire State Building peeking through in the background.

This area is usually very popular with tourists trying to get the epic shot of the Manhattan Bridge in the background, so you may just have to be patient and wait around for a short while if you want to try and take a picture with very few people around!

Brooklyn Flea Market

From Washington Street, it’s just a short walk to the next stop on this awesome Brooklyn New York City 1 day itinerary; Brooklyn Flea Market.

The Flea Market in Dumbo boasts hundreds of vendors selling everything from furniture to jewellery to vintage clothing to antiques and much more, so it’s a great place to visit in Brooklyn if you want to do a spot of shopping!

Brooklyn Flea is open every weekend from April to December from 10 AM to 5 PM, so if you’re in the city on a Saturday or Sunday during those months, it might be worth heading to peruse the many artisan stalls at the market.

Find out more about opening hours and vendors on the Brooklyn Flea website.

Lunch/rooftop views at Time Out Market New York & Empire Stores

By now, you’re probably starting to get a little hungry and while there are so many wonderful places to eat in Brooklyn (check the where to eat section below!), I would recommend paying a visit to Time Out Market New York as it’s one of my favourite rooftops/eateries in NYC!

There are dozens of food and drink stalls to peruse at Time Out Market, including some of my personal favourites such as Pat Lafrieda Meat Purveyors, Felice Pasta Bar, Ess-a-Bagel and Bark Barbecue.

As well as the many food stalls on the ground floor of Time Out Market New York, you can also head to the rooftop bar on the fifth floor which boasts both indoor and outdoor seating. From the rooftop, you’re treated to tremendous views of the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. The cocktails at the bar are also heavenly and if you didn’t have plenty of other things to see and do on this Brooklyn itinerary, I would happily recommend spending the rest of the afternoon in the Time Out Market!

Get the full list of vendors and details about opening times etc on the Time Out Market New York website.

Read more: 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar

Downtown Brooklyn

Once you’ve perused the stalls inside Empire Stores and Time Out Market New York, I’d recommend walking off your lunch/cocktails with an easy stroll through Downtown Brooklyn.

How much of Downtown Brooklyn you can explore will depend on how long you want to spend in each place on this itinerary, but I would suggest wandering around the neighbourhood for at least a little while to see the famous Brooklyn Brownstones in order to get a good feel for local life.

If you have time, I would suggest strolling all the way through Cadman Plaza Park towards Brooklyn Borough Hall. It’s only a 20-minute walk from Time Out Market, so you should have plenty of time on your one day Brooklyn itinerary to explore the Downtown/Brooklyn Heights neighbourhoods.

Domino Park, Williamsburg

In the afternoon, it’s time to head to another Brooklyn neighbourhood known as Williamsburg. Renowned for being a hip and fashionable part of the city, Williamsburg is very popular amongst younger generations thanks to its boutique shops, cosy cafes and trendy bars and restaurants.

From the waterfront area of Brooklyn, you can easily walk to the heart of Williamsburg in an hour or so, or you can opt for the easier option of the East River Ferry which will take you from Hunters Point South in Dumbo directly to the ferry point in South Williamsburg and from there, it’s less than a 10-minute walk to Domino Park. The ferry costs just $4 each way and takes approximately 12 minutes, so it’s a super quick, easy and cheap way of getting from Brooklyn Bridge Park to Williamsburg.

More details about prices and up-to-date departures and schedules can be found on the East River Ferry website.

Your first stop once you get to Williamsburg should be Domino Park where you can enjoy even more spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline from this gorgeous riverside park.

Artists & Fleas Williamsburg

New York City is famed for being a hub for shopping malls and outlets and if you’re in the mood for a spot of vintage clothes shopping or you want to check out the latest creations in the art and design industry, be sure to add Artists & Fleas Williamsburg to your Brooklyn itinerary!

Artists & Fleas can be found less than a 10-minute walk from Domino Park, so you can enjoy seeing some of the local life in Williamsburg as you wander through the neighbourhood. Once you’re at Artists & Fleas, you’ll be greeted by more than 50 arts, design, fashion and craft stalls!

The Brooklyn flagship store is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM to 7 PM. Head to the Artists & Fleas Williamsburg website for more details on vendors, opening times and more!

Brooklyn Brewery – Brooklyn itinerary

The next stop on your itinerary should be Brooklyn Brewery which is a fantastic place to visit if you enjoy lagers, IPAs, pilsners and more! The Brooklyn Brewery is a great place to sample some local Brooklyn brews and you can even take a tour of the brewery itself to learn about the history of beer at Brooklyn Brewery!

Brooklyn Brewery hosts “small batch tours” at 4.15 PM and 6 PM Monday to Thursday and at 3 PM, 4 PM and 6 PM on Friday evenings. If you’re visiting Brooklyn at the weekend, you can also take advantage of the free tours on the hour from 1 PM to 6 PM on Sundays.

Head to the Brooklyn Brewery website to find out more.

Westlight Rooftop Bar

If the buzz from the Brooklyn Brewery wasn’t enough, I’d recommend paying a visit to the Westlight Rooftop Bar at the top of The William Vale hotel, which is incidentally just over the road from the brewery, so you can easily squeeze both establishments into your Brooklyn itinerary!

Located on the 22nd floor of the hotel, Westlight NYC is yet another incredible place to enjoy mesmerising views of the city, all the while sipping on both classic and signature cocktails, as well as spirits, craft beer, wine and more. There’s also an excellent food menu created by Chef Andrew Carmellini which you can enjoy while admiring vistas of the Manhattan skyline and beyond.

Alternatively, you can head to the next and final stop on this 1 day Brooklyn itinerary for dinner instead…

Head to the Westlight website for more information.

Dinner at Peter Luger Steak House

Peter Luger Steak House is one of the most renowned and top-rated steak houses in New York City! Famed for its no-frills approach to dining, the steak house is beloved for its USDA prime dry aged beef, but it also serves a selection of other delicious meat and fish dishes.

A truly traditional establishment, Peter Luger’s only accepts reservations over the phone, so you may want to ask your hotel concierge to make you a reservation if your phone doesn’t make international calls.

For more menu details and opening hours, head to the Peter Luger Steak House website.

Brooklyn itinerary – bonus best things to do

Of course, it’s not possible to see and do everything in Brooklyn in just one day, so if you have longer to spend in this New York borough, here are a few more suggestions of things to do in Brooklyn!

Watch a Brooklyn Nets basketball game at the Barclays Center

Watching a basketball game at Madison Square Garden (home of the New York Knicks) is arguably one of the most iconic things you can do in NYC. However, tickets to watch the NY Knicks can be incredibly expensive, so a cheaper alternative is to get tickets to watch the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.

The NBA basketball season runs from October to April, so if you’re in the city during those months, you can purchase tickets to watch the Nets via Ticketmaster or SeatGeek (use the code IMJUSTAGIRL16 to get $20 off tickets on SeatGeek).

See the Brooklyn 99 building – Brooklyn itinerary 2 days

While many Brooklyn 99 fans will be dismayed to learn that almost all of the hit TV show was actually filmed in studios in Hollywood and not in New York City, you can still head to Brooklyn to see the exterior shot of the 99th Precinct building (which is in fact the 78th Brooklyn Precinct!).

Brooklyn Museum

New York City isn’t exactly short on museums and if you have more than one day to spend in Brooklyn, it might be worth adding the Brooklyn Museum to your itinerary. Spanning an area of more than 560,000 square feet, the Brooklyn Museum is the second largest museum in NYC (after The Metropolitan Museum of Art).

The Brooklyn Museum is also home to more than 500,000 objects across its many art exhibits and collections. The museum can be found next to the northern entrance of Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which are also worth adding to your itinerary if you have more than one day to spend in Brooklyn.

Check out the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights – Brooklyn at Christmas

If you’re heading to New York in December, I would seriously encourage you to pay a visit to the famous Dyker Heights Christmas Lights in Brooklyn. I’ve written an entire guide all about how to visit Dyker Heights, including the best ways to get there, recommended tours to take if you don’t want to travel on your own, as well as some of the top houses you need to check out for the best lights!

Visit Coney Island – must see in Brooklyn NY in the summer

If New York in the summer is more up your street, then you should add a day trip to Coney Island to your Brooklyn itinerary!

Located in the very southern end of the Brooklyn borough, Coney Island is quite a trek to get to, especially from Manhattan where it takes around an hour via subway to get to from Times Square, but it’s definitely worth the journey, especially in the summer months.

Home to its very own beach, plus a huge amusement park, Coney Island is a great place to visit with people of all ages and it makes for such a fun day trip in the warmer weather!

How to get to Brooklyn from Manhattan New York

The best and easiest way to get to Brooklyn from Manhattan is simply by walking over the Brooklyn Bridge. I shared details about the best ways to get to the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan side in the section above and once you arrive at the entrance to the bridge, it’s just a 30-minute walk over the East River.

Alternatively, you can take the subway from Fulton Street subway station in Manhattan to High Street subway station in Brooklyn which takes less than 5 minutes!

Where to Stay in Brooklyn

Of course, this Brooklyn itinerary was created with the intention that you would be staying in Manhattan and taking a day trip over to Brooklyn, but if you do decide to stay in Brooklyn for the duration of your time in NYC, you can find some of the best hotels in Brooklyn below!

Where to eat on a day trip in Brooklyn

There are so many incredible places to eat and drink in Brooklyn that it’s entirely impossible to try them all in just one day! If you have longer to spend in Brooklyn, there are a fair few dining establishments that I would personally recommend trying out, including Smorgasburg which is an epic food market hosted in various locations (including Williamsburg) across NYC from April to October.

While there are many Shake Shack branches located all over the city (and beyond), the Dumbo branch of Shake Shack is my personal favourite as it holds so many special memories from when I first visited New York with my mum back in 2014, as well as multiple times with Matt since.

Los Tacos Al Pastor is another great place to eat if you just want a quick bite as their mini tacos are perfect for an afternoon snack as you’re wandering through Dumbo.

Here are a few more awesome places to eat in Brooklyn, NY!

Smorgasburg
Shake Shack
Grimaldi’s Pizza
Los Tacos Al Pastor
Juliana’s Pizza
The Osprey
Sunday In Brooklyn
Jack’s Wife Freda
The Butcher’s Daughter

Brooklyn in a day – conclusion

As you can see throughout this guide, there is so much to see and do in Brooklyn, New York! You could easily spend a day in Williamsburg itself, as well as in Downtown Brooklyn and if you’re visiting NYC in the summer, you could also easily spend a whole day at Coney Island.

It is definitely possible to get a good feel for what Brooklyn has to offer in just one day, but I would encourage you to spend longer there if you have repeat visits to New York as it’s such a wonderful borough with so many amazing things to see, do and eat!

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Do you have anything else to add to this Brooklyn to do list? Would you consider taking a day trip to Williamsburg Brooklyn? Let me know in the comments or in my New York Facebook Group!

1 Day Brooklyn Itinerary – What To Do In Brooklyn NY In One Day