Explore Brooklyn

When looking for a hotel in Brooklyn, your interests during your stay can tip the balance when choosing a destination: the places described here represent landscaped parks, gardens and wildlife, as well as history and culture. Their themes range from a structure you can walk across to a decommissioned subway station and historic houses. The distinctions below can help you identify the specific focus of each attraction.

Parks, Gardens and Wildlife

Prospect Park is a landscape designed by Olmsted. In planning it, the designers used natural features such as old forests. Fort Greene Park offers another kind of park landscape, with winding paths, sloping lawns and mature trees. Prospect Park also has a paved 3½-mile loop for walking, jogging and cycling. This highlights a clear distinction between a landscape with preserved design features and a loop with designated activities.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden combines a history of its founding with an extensive plant collection: founded in 1910, the garden covers 52 acres and includes more than 10,000 plant species and varieties. Its herb garden showcases useful and edible plants from around the world. For a closer look at individual habitats, Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park offers a different focus: nearly 500 different species have been recorded there, including more than 50 bird species, 200 insect species and more than 200 plant species.

In the broader region surrounding Brooklyn is Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. It covers more than 12,600 acres of waterways, salt marshes, freshwater and brackish ponds, upland fields and forests, as well as open bays and islands. More than 300 bird species have been observed there; however, sightings of particular species are not guaranteed on any one visit.

Bridge History and Cultural Heritage

The Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883 and was the first bridge to connect Manhattan and Brooklyn across the East River. It is free to cross on foot. Since pedestrian access and rules can change, check them before your visit. The bridge offers a tangible connection to the history of the link between the two boroughs, without requiring a long hike.

Memorial sites also tell different parts of the story. A monument in Fort Greene Park commemorates more than 11,500 American prisoners of war who died aboard British ships during the American Revolutionary War. Green-Wood Cemetery dates back to 1838 and contains hundreds of monuments and works of art. Its landscape includes four ponds, 8,000 trees and 185 bird species across 478 acres. The Weeksville Heritage Center is a historic site and cultural center in Central Brooklyn; tours take visitors through the historic Hunterfly Road Houses.

At the New York Transit Museum, the history of transportation is set in a decommissioned subway station: the museum is located at 99 Schermerhorn St. This sets it apart from parks and memorial landscapes, with its distinct focus on public transit. Fishing has taken place at Canarsie Pier for more than 300 years, another historical connection to a specific activity.

Activities and Practical Considerations

Brooklyn Bridge Park offers free seasonal walking tours led by trained guides. Dates may change, so check before your visit. The Environmental Education Center in the same park offers free drop-in activities during opening hours. These include encounters with live animals native to New York, crafts and science-based games. Opening hours and programs may change, so checking before your visit is recommended.

The offerings differ in format: the tours are seasonal and guided, while activities at the Environmental Education Center are available during opening hours without registration. When planning your days in Brooklyn, you can take these conditions into account along with your interest in parks, history or cultural sites.

Explore more destinations: Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, Brighton Beach, New York City.

Return to the main travel overview: New York City.