A Travel Guide to Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is located within the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. Williamsburg sits on the northern side of Brooklyn, across the East River from Manhattan. It is easily accessible by public transportation, making it a popular destination for both locals and tourists looking to experience the dynamic energy of Brooklyn.
Williamsburg is known for its artistic and creative atmosphere, trendy shops and unique cultural offerings.
The neighbourhood has cobblestone streets, graffiti-covered walls and converted warehouses. The many street art and murals on display make the Williamsburg somewhat of an outdoor gallery that celebrates a wide variety of creativity.
If you’re looking to snag a vintage item – perhaps a unique piece of jewellery to mark your trip to NYC, Williamsburg is the best place to search. The area homes boutique shops along Bedford Avenue, where you can find all things vintage including local designer boutiques.
Flea markets and pop-up shops are another great place to shop, especially for unique vintage treasures and handmade crafts.
We spent a weekend in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and had a most enjoyable time. It’s a great place for walking, people watching, eating, and hanging out. There’s so many cafes, restaurants, and great places to eat outdoors and inside. Some nice parks, and a great waterfront overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
bonnie481 via TripAdvisor
Food culture is big in Williamsburg, from farm-to-table dining to gourmet food trucks and ethnic cuisine, the area is a foodie’s haven. Along with the wide variety of food available, Williamsburg also has a huge coffee culture. Whilst in the area make sure you check out the local artisanal brews.
Williamsburg has a bustling music scene with a hub of live music and nightlife. You can enjoy a night at a lively bar or catch a performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Take a stroll along the East River Waterfront for some stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. There are plenty of walking and biking routes around, and for breathtaking views, we suggest walking across the Williamsburg Bridge. McCarren Park is a beauty spot with open green spaces as well as sports facilities.
For more scenic views head to The William Vale’s rooftop to watch the sunset. Williamsburg has plenty of rooftop bars and waterfront spots.
How do you spend a day in Williamsburg?
If you’re visiting NYC and want a more authentic experience, away from the trappings of the usual touristy destinations, then we’d suggest a visit to Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
Some really great restaurants and stores. Definitely an area for young people to work, eat and play.
TripAdvisor user
There’s a lot to do in the area, so for a more unique holiday experience, we’d suggest:
Go to the cinema
It’s perhaps the most hipster thing you could do in this area. Go see the latest indie film playing at Nitehawk Cinema. It’s a dine-in movie theatre that offers a regular mix of independent and award-nominated films, with the occasional cult classic slotted in for the midnight showing.
The cinema offers truffle-flavoured popcorn and duck confit tacos.
The Spectacle Theater is another great option for a late-night cinema experience. The former bodega was converted into a one-room-only micro-cinema and shows super unique, hard-to-find B-movies from around the world. The cinema is completely volunteer-run, with every screening priced at just five dollars.
Eat at a local restaurant
The area is one of Brooklyn’s best-known areas for food. Here you will find excellent wine, cheese, meat and produce.
There’s a variety of foods on offer, you might want to consider the classic Peter Luger Steakhouse is a Michelin-rated one-star restaurant, whereas the Marlow & Sons serve rustic, farm-to-table cuisine.
Drink beer
We’d 100% suggest you visit the Brooklyn Brewery, a local institution that helped reinvent the beer industry in Brooklyn.
Williamsburg is home to plenty of drinking destinations including Skinny Dennis, a honky-tonk dive bar with 18 beers on draft, and Ba’sik, an underrated bar filled with locals and Radegast Hall & Biergarten, which is well-loved for its varied offerings of pretzels and sausages.
Cocktail and wine bars
If beer isn’t your thing, try one of Williamsburg’s many cocktail bars. The area has plenty of interesting cocktail bars so relax and enjoy a carefully-crafted cocktail at an atmospheric bar like Night of Joy or Fresh Kills.
If you’re a wine drinker explore some of the neighbourhood’s small wine bars like The Four Horseman, a sleek, modern spot with an expansive wine list and one Michelin star, or the intimate Sauced, which features a backyard and feels like hanging out at an old friend’s home.
Shop vintage, and artisanal, and take a stroll on Grand Street
One of the best experiences of Williamsburg is the vintage gems. If shopping is your thing, this is the area of NYC to do it. For a “find and hunt” experience, head to Awoke Vintage, where inexpensive basics mingle with designer duds. But there are other great vintage shops in the area, from funky Narnia Vintage to Monk Vintage.
Visit McCarren Park
Williamsburg has plenty of green space. McCarren Park is centrally located between Nassau Avenue, Bayard, Manhattan Avenue, and North 12th Street. It has baseball fields and basketball courts, playgrounds, running tracks, and dog-run areas. On Saturdays, try to get there between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. for the farmers market which runs year-round.
Take a cooking class
In keeping with the culture of the area – the farm-to-table ethos in this corner of Brooklyn, you can find some super interesting cooking classes, for a more unique holiday experience. Take a class at Hudson Table. You can learn how to make your own fresh pasta at home or receive an in-depth lesson on the art of pickling and canning your own condiments and toppings.
Is Williamsburg worth visiting?
For most visitors wanting to escape the usual touristy destinations, Brooklyn’s Williamsburg is perfect. It’s great for a slower pace, for some unusual shops and a slightly more unique holiday experience.
Others suggest visiting DUMBO for a more unique experience:
Thus neighborhood was a bit of a disappointment. We went on a recommendation and didn’t find it to be a quirky or interesting as we were led to believe. Disappointed we headed over to Dumbo the next day and had a much better time.
Brookvt via TripAdvisor
Another handy bit of advice:
You should know that the area we are talking about is very young and residential.
If you are interested in seeing some funky, artsy type stores, and want a casual but not rushed lunch or dinner and you feel like venturing by subway out of Manhattan, than it’s for you...
… The other neighborhood in Brooklyn, DUMBO does have restaurants with views. Bubby’s I would only recommend for breakfast or a glass of wine. The famous River Cafe is also located here with views of Manhattan, Jaque Torres famous chocolate shop, Grimaldi’s pizza, along with a couple of other restaurants, galleries and stores are here. If you’re more interested in views than little artsy stores, go to DUMBO. To me it feels richer in history.
Is $1000 enough for 5 days in New York?
In short, $1000 can be enough for four days in New York, but it requires careful budgeting. Choose budget-friendly accommodations such as Airbnbs or hostels, stick to affordable eats from food trucks and delis, take advantage of the OMNY weekly fare cap for transportation, and focus on free attractions.
Is Williamsburg an expensive area?
While not as expensive as DUMBO or Brooklyn Heights, living in Williamsburg isn’t cheap. The biggest expense you’ll need to worry about is the rent. Luckily, there are more budget-friendly options available though you can expect to pay around $2,800 for a one-bedroom apartment.
Is Williamsburg a walkable town?
Williamsburg is a very walkable city. Great City Walks (PDF) shows walking tours of varying degree of difficulty and distance throughout the city — including the College of William and Mary campus and Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area.