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Tips for First-Time Brooklyn Visitors

If you’re a first-time Brooklyn visitor, you’re in for a fun, exciting vacation. Before you get there, prepare yourself with a few helpful tips, which will aid you in getting around smoothly and choosing the right times to visit the spots you want to see.

 Tips for first time visitors to Brooklyn.

Tips for First-Time Brooklyn Visitors

Don’t Rely on Taxis

Nervous tourists in Brooklyn and the other boroughs often hail taxis every time they want to get around. Meanwhile, the subway is an inexpensive and convenient way to travel through NYC. Yes, taking a taxi to your Brooklyn hotel in the middle of the night is a smart move, but when you want to get from one part of Brooklyn to another in the afternoon, the subway is your best bet.

Walk With Purpose

Meandering isn’t something people do in Brooklyn. Everyone in the city walks fast, because most of them have somewhere to go. Locals get annoyed when big groups of tourists are walking slowly and taking up the entire sidewalk. Map your walking routes before you start walking so you don’t have to stop in the middle. If you want to look at something, avoid standing in the middle of the sidewalk and step to the side so others can pass.

 Tips for first time visitors to Brooklyn, New York.  Enjoying the nightlife in Brooklyn.

Dine and Dance Late

People in NYC eat dinner late and go out even later. Think 7 p.m. is an okay time for dinner? That’s only true if you’re hitting the theater, and honestly, most people wait until after the show to eat. So get your dinner reservations for around 9 p.m. and plan to go out drinking and dancing after that. After all, Brooklyn clubs are open until the wee hours of the morning, and nobody is going to be there if you show up at 9:30 ready to dance.

Check Museum Times

Brooklyn is full of amazing museums, like the Brooklyn Museum, the City Reliquary, and the Coney Island Museum. Avoid showing up without checking museum times in advance, though. Sometimes museums have strange hours, like being closed one day of the week or changing up the schedule due to holidays. Plus, you might be missing free admission days and times if you go without checking first. The Brooklyn Museum, for example, is free the first Saturday of each month from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Icy Brooklyn Museum

Book Bus Tours

Nothing feels more touristy than taking a tour, especially one on a bus. But you’re a tourist, and it’s okay to act like one. This is your first time in Brooklyn, and taking a tour will give you insight into the city’s history, architecture, and more. So be a tourist and enjoy yourself, no matter how silly you might look sitting atop one of those buses. Try one of the hop-on, hop-off bus tours, which allow you to get off and explore when you want to.

The big city can be overwhelming, but it’s not scary if you’re prepared. Planning ahead of time, like getting dinner reservations and show tickets, is very helpful in keeping your trip stress-free. Enjoy Brooklyn!

 

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