With an abundance of things to see and do, Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, is a treasure trove of attractions and activities and figures high on the bucket list for people seeking to travel new places.

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Barely a few km away from Manhattan, Brooklyn is the City’s most populous borough.

Named after the Dutch village of Breukelen, Brooklyn is a fascinating destination to visit and an exciting place to live in. For a variety of tourists ranging from the history geeks to the leisure-seekers, it offers a range of delightful options. Here are some attractions of Brooklyn.

Home to some of NYC’s most famous attractions, Brooklyn is a delight for any travellers looking for new attractions. Amongst the most attractive quarters of Brooklyn are Bedford-Stuyvesant and Park Slope. Both are lined with late 19th- and early 20th-century brownstones and are the historic districts of the town. The architecture buffs will surely want to explore these places.

Culture vultures should check out the Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Academy of Music. While nature lovers can marvel at urban green spaces like Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden that is famous for its springtime cherry blossoms.

The Prospect Park is a wonder of nature in the middle of the City. It was designed by the famous Olmsted and Vaux, the same landscape architects that were responsible for Central Park.

Brooklyn for foodies

Brooklyn has thousands of restaurants to satisfy the appetite of food enthusiasts seeking to sample culinary delights from all over the world. It also has a rich variety to cater to vegetarians.

From the Michelin-starred spots like Aska to hipster cafés like the vegan Vspot to family-owned ethnic food eateries, including Asian and Latin food in Sunset Park, Polish food in Greenpoint and Caribbean delights in Flatbush, Brooklyn has it all.

There’s excellent pizza by the slice in virtually every neighborhood, and barbecue is now a Brooklyn fare too, with outstanding BBQ joints like Hometown and Pig Beach. Brooklyn also earned eight James Beard nominations this year (annual awards presented by the James Beard Foundation to recognise culinary professionals in the United States), including for Ursula in Crown Heights and for a rebirth of the historic steakhouse Gage & Tollner.

All night long

Brooklyn is also a haven for the fans of live music as the city is home to thousands of clubs and restaurants where live music is played regularly. Whether a fan of indie rock concerts, guitar-playing folk singers, or pulsing dance clubs, Brooklyn has a nightlife for all.

Sugar Hill Supper Club in Bed-Stuy has a live DJ as well as jazz and blues. In Bushwick, Brooklyn Made is a new venue for rock and indie music.

Barbès in Park Slope is a tiny bar with an eclectic calendar featuring jazz, world music and more. In Williamsburg, Skinny Dennis is a honky-tonk bar for country and roots music, while Brooklyn Steel and Music Hall of Williamsburg are acclaimed rock clubs.

Warsaw, located in a ballroom in the former Polish National Home in Greenpoint, might be the only club where visitors can rock out while eating blintzes and kielbasa.

Haven for LGBTQ+

Brooklyn has always been a welcoming place for every group of people, including the LGBTQ+. Whether they are walking down the street holding hands, marching in a Pride parade or raising families.

And when it comes to partying, Brooklyn’s gay bars and dance clubs rival any in the City, hosting drag shows, karaoke, comedy and, not to forget, fabulous dance parties.

Venues include C’mon Everybody, a music and live arts space in Bed-Stuy; Ginger’s Bar, a friendly lesbian bar in Park Slope; Xstasy Bar & Lounge, which gets a Latino crowd in Sunset Park; and Metropolitan and Macri Park in Williamsburg. In Bushwick, nightspots include Happyfun Hideaway, a tiki disco dive bar; Mood Ring, an astrology-themed bar; The Vault dance club; and House of Yes, where patrons get a “consent talk” at the door plus themed shows like Dirty Circus and Cirque Nouveau.

Neighbourhood:

Brooklyn is the most populous borough in NYC with 2.7 million people living in more than 75 distinct communities. Here are some of those neighbourhoods:

The Brooklyn Bridge:

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a thrill worthy of any bucket list. When it opened in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world and an engineering marvel. With its soaring Gothic arches and delicate fretwork of cables, it is a work of stunning beauty.

Brooklyn Heights:

In Brooklyn heights, strolling the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, hanging out at the Brooklyn Cat Cafe, or stopping by the Plymouth Church, a center of anti-slavery activism in the 19th century is a must. The side streets here are lined with stately 19th-century homes, while Montague Street is home to shops like the Tango boutique, City Chemist, which is known for luxury beauty products and Montague Jewellers.

Dumbo:

Dumbo is short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. There is a famous spot for selfies at the intersection of Water and Washington streets, where the Manhattan Bridge’s rectangular arch is framed by old brick warehouses. Other Dumbo attractions include Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jane’s Carousel and Brooklyn Flea, an outdoor vintage market held on weekends from April to October. Expect a line to get into Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, and don’t miss the treats at Jacques Torres Chocolates.