Itineraries for Your Trip to New York City
2 Days in Brooklyn for First Timers
For a long time, Brooklyn stayed in Manhattan’s shadow—but not anymore. These days, the borough has become an international byword for all things cool. With seemingly endless boutiques from independent designers to browse, world-beating restaurants and bars to savor, vibrant street art to explore, and a thriving cultural calendar, Brooklyn is on most New York City travelers’ to-do lists for a reason.
I’m certainly one of them. I was lucky enough to spend a couple of years living in Brooklyn, and though I’ve since decamped to London, I return as often as I can to soak up its one-of-a-kind energy. Take it from me: Two days in Brooklyn is still enough time to get a taste of the borough’s best.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a pizza-themed walking tour.
From scorching summer highs to snowy winter lows, Brooklyn is a seasonal destination—pack according to the forecast.
Your first morning in town is the perfect time to start with a showstopper: the Brooklyn Bridge, an icon of 19th-century engineering and a city symbol. On a morning walking tour, trek partway across the bridge—and capture the spectacular views overlooking Lower Manhattan and the New York Harbor—before exploring waterfront neighborhoods like Dumbo and Brooklyn Heights. Don’t worry about breakfast: Pick a 2-in-1 tour that also includes nibbles.
If there’s anything Brooklyn is known for, it’s its edgy, cooler-than-cool persona—and there are few better ways of getting introduced than by setting off on a street art-themed walking tour. Head off the tourist trail and venture east to the hip and gritty Bushwick neighborhood, the borough’s graffiti hub and hipster central. Following your guide, you can spot works from notable artists and admire the ever-changing urban canvas.
Once you’ve explored above ground, dedicate your evening hours to charting the New York subway—in a way that even most Brooklyn commuters never experience. After returning to Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn, embark on a behind-the-scenes subway tour to feel like a real NYC local. You’ll learn the story of the iconic public transit system, spot artworks, and visit abandoned stations.
Manhattan’s Central Park gets so much attention that it’s easy to forget it’s not the only green space worth exploring in New York City. Another is Brooklyn’s expansive Prospect Park—and a morning walking tour is a wonderfully immersive way to begin your second day in the borough. Spot top landmarks like the Brooklyn Public Library, explore its water features and forests, and enjoy a peaceful break from the hubbub.
You can’t visit Brooklyn without eating pizza—and lots of it. Once you’ve worked up an appetite with a morning park stroll, embark on a lunchtime tasting tour of the best this food-loving borough offers. In addition to the pizza slices, try other Brooklyn classics, from bagels to coffee and beyond.
Now that you’ve got all those carbs as a base layer, it’s time to indulge in one of Brooklyn’s other longstanding specialties: craft beer. On an evening beer crawl, you visit several locals-loved breweries that have helped put the borough’s beer scene on the national stage. In between, learn about the brewing process, rub shoulders with locals—and toast to a successful trip to Brooklyn.
