Brooklyn

There is a variety of neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

• Downtown Brooklyn, which is the central shopping and business area, anchored by Fulton St. west of Flatbush Avenue, looks similar to the downtown of almost any other major American city, with department stores, clothing and electronic shops, Borough Hall, two universities, a major railroad station, the Brooklyn Academy of Music concert hall, many office buildings, and municipal, state and federal buildings and courthouses. Many subway and bus lines go to or through Downtown Brooklyn.
• Brooklyn Heights is a residential neighborhood with elegant buildings and historic churches. It is an expensive neighborhood to live in, partly because of its great views of the Lower Manhattan skyline. The area's brownstone buildings and shopping district give it a quaint yet thriving feel. This is the richest neighborhood in Brooklyn, more expensive than parts of Manhattan.
• Canarsie is a West Indian neighborhood with somewhat of a "small-town" feel, largely composed of 1- and 2-family houses. The major commercial streets are Flatlands Avenue, Rockaway Parkway and parts of Seaview Avenue. It is served by the Rockaway Parkway station on the L line.
• Cobble Hill is a quiet neighborhood of bookstores, shops, and restaurants. Old-time Italian neighborhood with great pizza and Italian ices. Great restaurants and quite a number of bars along Court St. and Smith St.

• DUMBO is an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Once popular with artists for loft space, it has now become popular with a richer, trendier crowd. Walk along the riverfront park for a unique and unforgettable view of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and the Manhattan skyline.
• Park Slope — Long a haven for interracial families, lesbians and gays, and everyone else with a certain kind of groove in NYC, this upscale but downhome neighborhood can be joked about as the Berkeley of New York City. The granola eating transplant crowd might make you queasy at times and nostalgic for crackheads, but the neighborhood itself is beautiful. Boutiques, cafés, bars, health food stores like the 30-year-old Park Slope Food Coop, and attractive young people pushing strollers. Also home to a sizeable Lesbian community since the 1970s. Take the B or Q to 7th Ave, the M or R to 9th St, or the F or G to 4th Ave. or 7th Ave. and walk the neighborhood. Prospect Park is large, beautiful and green. Ice-skate here in the winter. Fly kites and enjoy free weekend concerts in the summer. While staying hip and vibrant, "the Slope" as it is commonly referred to, also enjoys its share of wealth. The quaint, tree-lined streets closer to the park house ornate, brownstones, townhouses, full service apartment buildings, and even a few full scale urban mansions on the parkside. These residences include the homes of names such as Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and famed actors Jennifer Connelly, Steve Buscemi and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Check out 5th Ave. for the restaurants and bars.
• Carroll Gardens — Historians date the name to the 1960s, and real estate people like to enlarge its borders. It encompasses part of Smith St. and the nearby areas. In the 1950s and further back in time, this area was known as Red Hook, to the dismay of many, and it still is called both Red Hook and South Brooklyn by many people. Smith St. has a newly charged restaurant row, but there are still plenty of old school Italian-American gems to be found.
• Williamsburg — Take the L train from Manhattan to Bedford Ave. or Lorimer St. Many restaurants, several popular music clubs and a burgeoning art gallery district. It is now what Greenwich Village used to be - including the artsy scene complete with eclectic galleries and off-beat bars. Have dinner at Sea (North 6th St. & Bedford Ave.) and go to the Royal Oak for a drink (North 11th St. & Union Ave).
• East Williamsburg — Centered around the Morgan Ave. stop on the L train. Seemingly a desolate industrial area, this neighborhood has a strong developing music scene. It is also home to the swinger's club Grego's. Brooklyn's natural food store can be found here.
• Bushwick — Rich in its own history, Bushwick is home to many brownstones, mansions, and projects alike. It's a rapidly gentrifying, hip neighborhood, much like Williamsburg used to be, with popular clubs and hipsters added to a large working-class Latino community. Shopping can be done on Knickerbocker Avenue, whether for clothes, appliances, or food. The newly restored Maria Hernandez Park on Knickerbocker Ave. and Suydam St. is a nice spot to bring the kids and relax in the shade of the trees. While it's not like neighboring "East Williamsburg," Williamsburg, or Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick has its own sense of community, not to be confused with anything else.
• Prospect Heights — Situated just north and northeast of Prospect Park, Prospect Heights features the Brooklyn Museum, which is first rate but often overlooked due to the museums in nearby Manhattan; a block away from the museum is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Further west on Eastern Parkway are the Brooklyn Public Library and Grand Army Plaza, the southern point of which marks the main northern entrance to Prospect Park.
• Red Hook is a formerly bustling industrial area that is on the upswing. Although hard to access by train, it can be served by the F & G trains at Smith-9th Street or by taxi or by the B61 bus. Settled in 1636 by the Dutch, it has seen many a boom and bust is today caught between those who like it as the sleepy part of town that time forgot and those who seek to restore its crown as the Queen of Kings County Commerce. If you're looking for something off the beaten path, Red Hook is it. Many artists call Red Hook their home, so don't be surprised to see random sculptures, galleries, or creative gardens across from city housing or burned out buildings. It was also home to the MTV's Real World Brooklyn cast in 2007.
• Cypress Hills — A subsection of East New York. See East New York.
• Fort Greene has some great restaurants and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, which features an art-house cinema, theater, and concerts.
• Coney Island — Ah, the famous Coney Island. Take the D, F, N, or Q trains to the end of the line to enjoy the beach or amusements or just get your official Nathan's hot dog. The Cyclone, a 1927 roller coaster, is the most famous of the amusement park rides at Coney Island, for good reason: It packs a lot of thrill into a small lot. There is also a great view of Manhattan from the top of the Wonder Wheel (a large ferris wheel). Otherwise, the amusement park is somewhat seedy, which is part of its appeal.
• Brighton Beach — The largest Russian-speaking community outside of the former USSR. It's unlike any other neighborhood in the city. It can be reached by the Q (local) or B (express) trains by going to Brighton Beach Avenue. Mosey on along the famous boardwalk and have a shashlik (shish-kebob) with a shot of vodka for lunch.
• Bay Ridge — Traditionally a residential Irish-Italian-Norwegian neighborhood, Bay Ridge has had an influx of Arab, Asian and Russian families as well. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connects to Staten Island, and Fort Hamilton, a United States Army Base, is here as well. There is a great variety of good values in food to be had in this neighborhood, especially on 3rd Av. Also, it is one of the top bar areas in the non-downtown area of Brooklyn.
• Sunset Park — Called New York City's little Puerto Rico and Brooklyn's Chinatown. Sunset Park is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City. Less than 20 min from downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park is a place for all families to come and shop and run Irene's on the heart of Sunset Park, 5th Avenue between 60th and 44th Streets. Its hilly terrain gives magnificent views of Downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan, Staten Island, Jersey City and the nearby Verrazano Bridge. Besides the Hispanic part of the neighborhood, filled with families from Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican and other Hispanic descent, the Chinese also put Sunset Park on the map with countless Chinese restaurants found on 8th Avenue between 60th and 40th Streets.
• Greenpoint — At the northern tip of Brooklyn, Greenpoint is the second largest Polish enclave in the United States (after Chicago) but is also home to a sizable Latino population (north of Huron St.) and a growing number of hipsters (see Franklin St.). Get Polish food at Karczma (136 Greenpoint Av.), coffee at Ashbox (Manhattan Av. between Ash & Box Streets), brunch at Brooklyn Label (Franklin & Java), Mexican at Acapulco's (Manhattan & Clay). Lots of good Polish meat markets along Manhattan and Nassau Avenues, too. For some industrial chic, walk down Java Street to its dead end at the East River for great views of Midtown. Nearest subway: G train to Nassau Av. and Greenpoint Av. stations.

• Flatbush — Formerly a Jewish, Italian, and Irish neighborhood, and before that settled by members of the Dutch Reformed Church, and now a largely West-Indian neighborhood, it is the home of Brooklyn College. In the very center is the 18th- century Dutch Reformed Church at the corner of Flatbush and Church Avenues, and the original school house dating to 1787 and originally called Erasmus Hall, now the administration building of the public Erasmus Hall High School, its own building over 100 years old. The neighborhood's eponymous commercial main street, Flatbush Avenue, goes from the Manhattan Bridge on the north to the Gil Hodges Marine Parkway Bridge leading to the Rockaway Peninsula section of Queens on the south. Get there by taking the 2 or 5 trains to Church, Newkirk, or Flatbush Avenue.
• Midwood is a quiet residential area with some commercial streets, on the other side of the Brooklyn College campus from Flatbush and extending for some distance to the south. The neighborhood is ethnically mixed but includes a substantial population of Modern Orthodox Jews and some Chasidim, and many shops are closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. The area has one of New York City's largest concentrations of beautiful free-standing hundred-year-old Victorian and Edwardian homes. An interesting example is the Avenue H station house on the Q subway line, which was built a century ago as the local real estate office selling these homes. It is a historic site and a unique fixture among the city's subway system. (See The Little Station House in the Woods for more information.)
• Sheepshead Bay — Near the Coney Island amusement parks, this neighborhood is populated with many Chinese and Russian immigrants. There are piers along the bay on Emmons Avenue where anyone can pay a small fee to be taken out for a day of fishing. Includes restaurants along the Bay and the El Greco Diner. It is served by the B & Q trains.
• Bensonhurst used to be Italian as far as the eye could see, but it now contains Albanian, Pakistani, Korean, Chinese, Mexican, and many Eastern European immigrants as well. Nonetheless, it is still the center of Brooklyn's Italian community and is one of the most well known Italian-American neighborhoods in the United States. The train runs above ground, and it is a lively place with an Old New York feel. Many of the best "unknown" restaurants in Brooklyn (known locally but often ignored by the Manhattan-based establishment) can be found in Bensonhurst. Get there by taking the D or M train to 18th or 20th Avenue or Bay Parkway.
• Crown Heights is largely a mixture of West Indians and Chasidic Jews. Get there by taking the 3 or 4 trains to Utica Avenue. Part of the neighborhood is near the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and the Brooklyn Museum. Violent crime is a still a concern along with the other social problems in the community so use caution.
• Borough Park contains the biggest Chasidic Jewish community in the city. You will see lots of kosher foods on sale and shops that are closed every Friday night and Saturday, because of religious rules, but open on Sunday. If these things are unfamiliar to you, a trip to Borough Park may be worthwhile.
• Bedford-Stuyvesant is a major African-American neighborhood with some African presence. It is served by the A and C trains at Nostrand Avenue. It is the second largest African-American neighborhood in the country after the city of Detroit. Bed-Stuy, as it is called by most New Yorkers, has been gentrifying lately. However, violent crime is a still a concern along with the other social problems in the community.
• East New York — like many Brooklyn neighborhoods it is rich in its own history with homes where farms once stood and its many parks like Highland Park where children can roam free to play. Gateway Mall is one of the few suburban-like malls in the city. The City Line subsection and Liberty Avenue are where residents can shop for food and clothing. But with the mall, parks and new homes popping everywhere come the projects. Like Brownsville, East New York is one of the most dangerous communities in New York City. Beware passing through here on your way to JFK Airport on the A and J trains and B15 bus.
• Brownsville is another mainly African-American neighborhood. It is just to the west of East New York, and like East New York, it remains among the more dangerous neighborhoods in New York, though crime statistics have declined, and does not merit a visit from most tourists. Beware passing through here on your way to JFK Airport on the B15 bus.
• Kensington is south of Prospect Park. It is the most diverse neighborhood in Brooklyn and is one of the most diverse in the United States. It is one of the "up and coming" neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Many new trendy restaurants and boutiques have opened, making this neighborhood a "hotspot" to reside in. It is served by the F and G trains at Church Avenue, the F at Ditmas Avenue, and the Q train at Beverly Road or Cortelyou Road.

The borough of Brooklyn is coterminous with Kings County—the counterpart of Queens County to the north—but hardly anyone calls it that except in occasional official correspondence.

Brooklyn was once a separate city independent of the City of New York. The cities merged at the end of the nineteenth century, forever after lamented by Brooklynites as "The Great Mistake of 1898." Although Brooklyn is very diverse, what makes Brooklyn so different from the other boroughs are its distinct cultural neighborhoods. Manhattan is frequently referred to as "the city" by residents of the other boroughs — for example, in the phrase "I'm going to the city." Many Brooklynites have a great deal of pride in their borough, and most New Yorkers consider Brooklynites to have an identity distinct from that of other New Yorkers. In any case, remember while speaking to Brooklynites that referring to Manhattan as "the city" is acceptable but calling Manhattan "New York City" is not.

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8th Avenue (or Third Chinatown), stretching from 40th Street to 62nd Street, holds its own against Canal Street and Flushing. Fancy gourmet restaurants to alleyway noodle shops, Malaysian to Vietnamese and fare from every Chinese province, the neighborhood has it all. Closest subway is the N-line's '8th Avenue' stop on 62nd and 8th.

Along 7th/5th Avenue in Park Slope, one can find any type of cuisine from Italian, to Mexican, to Japanese and even Fish and Chips. This part of Brooklyn has plenty of Zagat-reviewed restaurants that are sure to please any type of craving and tastebuds.

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• Williamsburg — This is the capital of NYC's hipster scene. If you like thin pale boys with tight jeans and no job, this is the place for you. There are plenty of bars along Bedford Avenue. Many of New York's small music venues are found here.
• Bay Ridge — This neighborhood has one of the highest concentrations of bars in the city! The neighborhood has been generally Irish/Italian and does not have the hipster/yuppie scene common in New York.
• Park Slope — This neighborhood is the yuppie capital of New York and you are more likely to find a tea house serving soy milk than a bar here. Young couples pushing strollers is a common sight. There is some low-key nightlife, although this has been on the decline. A number of lesbian bars are in this area.

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Brooklyn may have a tough reputation, but it is largely safe these days. As a rule of thumb, use more caution as you get further east in the borough (especially beyond Utica Avenue), which is where the borough's two worst districts crime-wise are, East New York and Brownsville. You will likely pass through East New York on your way to/from JFK Airport on either the subway or the LIRR. Streets may be dangerous but trains and stations are generally safe, including transfers between subway lines at Broadway Junction, which has a transit police office if you're concerned.

Other neighborhoods that one should exercise caution in are Bushwick, Red Hook (away from the waterfront), Coney Island (away from the amusement parks/beachfront), and East Flatbush.

Public libraries, most restaurants, almost all hotels, and some public plazas have free Wi-fi, either for their customers or for the general public.

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