Dumbo, the best li'l neighborhood in Brooklyn

Dumbo stands for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass”. With two adorable bridges and countless ‘grammable spots, it’s the perfect way to pass an afternoon in NY.

Start (or end) your day with a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge. Built in 1883, it’s ironic that the neighborhood beneath it was eventually called “Dumbo”, since P.T. Barnum had 21 elephants walk across it to prove its safety. It’s magical any time of day, but especially at sunset.

Then head to Washington and Front Street. This is the most photographed spot in all of New York. If you position the shot right, you can even see the Empire State Building framed in the Manhattan Bridge’s archway.

Grab a “Maple Shay” coffee at iconic Brooklyn Roasting Coffee Company. There’s a tiny shop right on Washington Street or pop over to their headquarters at 25 Jay Street.

On the walk over, you can check out Powerhouse Books, Brooklyn’s beloved independent book store, 37 Main Street, and walk under the iconic archway. On Saturdays in the fall and Sundays in the summer, this is where the Brooklyn Flea Market resides. https://brooklynflea.com/markets/dumbo

Front General Store, 143 Front Street, is a fun stop for cool accessories. AND if you walk towards the water from Brooklyn Roasting, you’ll find one of the cutest strolls in Dumbo. A tiny path nestled amongst evergreens on the East River, here you’ll find incredible views of the Manhattan Bridge and the Financial District across the way.

Follow the path along the water and you’ll see grassy knolls overlooking the carousel (a fun place to picnic or watch the sunset) and the famous Empire Stores (originally a coffee warehouse) now home to cute shops & restaurants: West Elm, JCrew Men, Feed, Cecconi’s, SoHo House and the TimeOut Market. Fun Fact: this is the first ever West Elm store and their headquarters are still based upstairs! AND if you need to pack a picnic basket, Forager’s on Front Street is great. They have THE best guacamole around.

The TimeOut Market is an easy spot to grab food or snap some epic photos. The second floor has great views and a Juliana’s sister restaurant (if you don’t want to wait in the dreaded long lines for the eatery on Old Fulton Street).

Out on Water Street, you can stop by one of my favorite shops, “The Modern Chemist”, for cute souvenirs and fun odds and ends. They have an adorable secret patio out back that’s perfect for a tiny siesta. Up the street, you’ll find Butler (another cute pastry/coffee shop) https://www.butler-nyc.com/ and Plaza M Nail Salon (if you’re suddenly in the need of some midday pampering). https://www.plazamspa.com/

Walk around St. Ann’s Warehouse and in front of Jane’s Carousel, built in 1922. There are steps and benches for THE best people watching in Dumbo. Here you’ll see engagement, quincinera, bridal, retail, contortionist photo shoots happening—along with picturesque views of ferries, tugboats and sailboats cruising along the East River.

Continue to head down Water Street and you’ll find Luke’s Lobster for a quick and truly yummy bite (I HEART LOBSTER ROLLS). Ample Hills Ice Cream is in the cute lighthouse nearby and then follow the path to where the ferries depart. Here you can grab a boat ride across the river or to fun spots like Williamsburg (for Smorgasburg) or Red Hook. Fun Fact: Walt Whitman wrote poems about this view (back when it was known as Fulton Landing).

OR you can keep walking and see incredible views of Manhattan or the Lady herself, the Statue of Liberty! From here you grab a blanket and picnic in this scenic spot or head over to 1 Hotel Brooklyn and walk through their gorgeous lobby that smells DIVINE (thanks, Le Labo candles!) and maybe hit their Harriet’s rooftop and lounge bar for a bevvy and more breathtaking views.

If you’re not ready for the day to end just yet, you can rent Citi Bikes (on old Fulton Street) and bike through Brooklyn Bridge Park. They’ve built out the different piers: handball, rollerskating, basketball, etc., trees, sculptures, cute views and a soccer field. This is where Pilot usually resides, a fun boat/bar/restaurant on the water. https://pilotbrooklyn.com/

OR if you wanna stay in sweet Dumbo for drink and din-din, you have lots of options. Grab a drink at Superfine, a quirky bar with a pool table and one of the world’s coolest wrap-around bars. Olympia Wine Bar is fun for a glass of vino. Westville has solid American fare and a cute outdoor patio. Celestine has an uh-mazing mezze tray and the best views around.