Discover Kings: Parks, Art and History

Riverside landscapes and plant life

Kings brings together riverside landscapes, plant life and a wide range of cultural histories. Brooklyn Bridge Park spans 85 acres and combines rolling hills, waterfront promenades, lush gardens and striking city views. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden offers a different focus: as a botanical garden in the city, it connects people with the world of plants. It was founded in 1910. Together, the park and garden offer different ways to experience landscapes and plant life.

Art and historical perspectives

The collections of the Brooklyn Museum are held in trust for the benefit of the public. They represent many aspects of global art history, from antiquity to the present day. The museum was founded in 1823 as the Brooklyn Apprentices’ Library, with a mission to educate Brooklyn’s diverse community.

Lefferts Historic House is an 18th-century farmhouse museum. Its features include a working garden, historical artifacts, and indoor and outdoor exhibits. ReImagine Lefferts explores the lives, resistance and resilience of the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking and of the Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family. At least 25 people were enslaved there between the house’s construction in 1783 and 1827.

The two cultural sites offer different perspectives: the Brooklyn Museum covers global art history across long periods, while Lefferts Historic House focuses on a single house and the historical experiences associated with it.

Tours and experiences

Green-Wood offers expert-led trolley tours through its historic landscape. By contrast, Coney Island USA’s walking tours focus on Coney Island’s history and its connections to the rise of the roller coaster, amusement park and hot dog. The formats differ both in how you get around and in their historical focus: one tour travels through a landscape by trolley, while the other explores the history of a place on foot.

Prospect Park Audubon Center is the nation’s first urban Audubon Center. Its nature programming includes family nature walks for birdwatching; binoculars and bird guides are provided. Tours may be scheduled seasonally, so check current dates before planning. Another historical attraction is the 1912 Prospect Park Carousel. Its ornately carved figures include horses, lions, giraffes and deer. Operating days and prices may change, so check the latest information before visiting.

Boats and meals

LeFrak Center at Lakeside offers rowboat and kayak rentals on Brooklyn’s only lake. Operations and conditions may vary by season and weather; check these details before planning. The Duck Island Cafe & Bar at LeFrak Center at Lakeside has indoor and outdoor seating and serves lunch and dinner. The menu may change.

If you’re looking for a hotel in Kings, thinking about the focus of your trip may help: would you like your stay to center on nature, with waterfront views and birdwatching, or are you more interested in art and cultural history?

Discover more destinations: Greenpoint, Otsego, Chenango County, Fulton, Lewis, Madison, Delaware County, Wayne County.

For the broader travel overview: New York.