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chic bar just off the entrance. Rooms are opulently appointed in very modern style, with plush Italian linens, Sub-Zero freezers for ice, and more closet space than most New York City apartments. Bathrooms feature opulent marble floors, decadent sunken tubs, and enough towels to dry a small nation. There’s a state-of-the-art gym and a posh Frederic Fekkai salon for blowouts and benefit-worthy color jobs. The hotel restaurant, The Mark by Jean Georges Vongerichten, has become a bona-fide destination equally scene-worthy for well-heeled locals and neighborhood visitors alike. Pros: hip design; scene-making restaurant and bar; cavernous closet space; great service. Cons: expensive; surprisingly generic grooming products in the bathrooms. TripAdvisor: “room was beautiful,” “top-notch hotel,” “bar is very chic.” | 25 E. 77th St. at Madison Ave., Upper East Side | 10075 | 212/744–4300 | www.themarkhotel.com | 100 rooms | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, DVD, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bar, gym, spa, laundry service, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid), some pets allowed | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 6 to 77th St./Lexington Ave.

UPPER WEST SIDE

The Empire Hotel.

$ | This historic Upper West Side spot, which reopened in 2008 after an extensive redesign, offers a dizzying number of amenities. When you first enter the hotel, you’ll be drawn to the sophisticated, bi-level lobby with floor-to-ceiling silk drapes, high-back banquettes, and a dimly lighted bar. That’s before you soak up the sun and enjoy the breathtaking views from the rooftop pool and lounge area, which becomes a hot and occasionally overrun watering hole in the evenings underneath the hotel’s iconic red neon sign. Guest rooms, which are small, provide a comfortable and chic escape from the bustle of the city. A soothing palette of varying shades of brown is complemented with animal-print chairs, dark-wood accents, and luxurious amenities such as flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations, and Frette linens. Ed Brown, formerly of Sea Grill and Eight-One restaurants, runs Ed’s Chowder House on the second floor. Pros: prime location next to Lincoln Center and just blocks from Central Park; beautiful rooftop pool and bar; complimentary issues of Time Out NewYork magazine; fresh apples left at your bedside at turndown. Cons: rooftop bar brings lots of foot traffic through hotel lobby; elevators are beautifully redecorated but still feel rickety; bathrooms are nicely designed but tiny; pool is quite small. TripAdvisor: “gorgeous hotel décor,” “brilliant service,” “nicely priced boutique hotel.” | 44 W. 63rd St., at Columbus Ave., Upper West Side | 10023 | 212/265– 7400 | www.empirehotelnyc.com | 50 suites, 370 rooms | In-room: a/c, safe, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: pool, bar, restaurant | AE, MC, V | Subway: 1, A, B, C to 59th St./Columbus Circle.

Excelsior.

$–$$ | Directly across the street from the American Museum of Natural History, this well-kept spot rubs shoulders with fine prewar apartment buildings (make sure to spring for a room with museum views). The rooms feature frilly, faux-Victorian decor and cushy beds. On the second floor the hotel serves a breakfast that’s good but slightly pricey for the neighborhood. The library lounge, with leather sofas, a cozy fireplace, and tables with built-in game boards, is an unexpected plus. On the minus side is a staff that seems to be too busy to focus on customer service. Pros: unique Upper West Side location near Central Park and foodie mecca Zabar’s; tranquil environment. Cons: guests report unfriendly front-desk staff; rooms could use updating; Wi-Fi is not free. TripAdvisor: “safe neighborhood,” “old world charm,” “great location.” | 45 W. 81st St., between Central Park W and Columbus Ave., Upper West Side | 10024 | 212/362– 9200 or 800/368–4575 | www.excelsiorhotelny.com | 118 rooms, 80 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: gym, laundry service, Internet terminal, Wi-Fi hotspot, some pets allowed | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: B, C to 81st St.

Hotel Beacon.

$–$$ | The Upper West Side’s best buy for the price is 3 blocks from Central Park, 10 from Lincoln Center, and footsteps from the neighborhood’s gourmet grocery store gulch—Zabar’s, Fairway, and Citarella. All of the generously sized rooms and suites include marble bathrooms, kitchenettes with coffeemakers, pots and pans, stoves, and microwaves. Closets are huge, and some of the bathrooms have Hollywood dressing room–style mirrors. High floors have views of Central Park, the Hudson River, or the Midtown skyline; the staff here is especially friendly and helpful. In this safe, exciting residential neighborhood, the Hotel Beacon makes a nice choice for exploring a different corner of the city. Pros: kitchenettes in all rooms; heart of UWS location; affordable. Cons: rooms emphasize comfort over style. TripAdvisor: “no hotel restaurant,” “excellent rooms,” “small kitchenette available.” | 2130 Broadway, at W. 75th St., Upper West Side | 10023 | 212/787–1100 or 800/572–4969 | www.beaconhotel.com | 120 rooms, 110 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, kitchen, refrigerator. In-hotel: laundry facilities, parking (paid) | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 1, 2, 3 to 72nd St.

The Lucerne.

$ | The landmark facade of this exquisite building has more pizzazz than the predictable guest rooms, with their darkwood reproduction furniture and chintz bedspreads. Healthconscious adults can head to the gym on the top floor, with its city views, and rooms are also stocked with Nintendo systems. Service is the hotel’s strong suit, and the popular Mediterranean restaurant Nice Matin is one of the better ones on the Upper West Side, with a mature bar scene appropriate for grown-ups. The affluent residential neighborhood is filled with an impressive array of boutiques and gourmet food shops, and the American Museum of Natural History is a short walk away. Pros: free Wi-Fi; clean; close to Central Park. Cons: inconsistent room size; some guests report uncomfortable pillows. TripAdvisor: “clean and surprisingly large rooms,” “great views of Upper West Side,” “really good location.” | 201 W. 79th St., at Amsterdam Ave., Upper West Side | 10024 | 212/875– 1000 or 800/492–8122 | www.thelucernehotel.com | 142 rooms, 42 suites | In-room: a/c, kitchen (some), refrigerator (some), Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bar, gym, laundry service, Internet terminal, Wi-Fi hotspot, parking (paid) | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 1 to 79th St.

On the Ave Hotel.

$ | This tranquil Upper West Side property is also home to the Upper West Side branch of the beloved Fatty Crab; inside, the hotel is tasteful and modern, with the occasional swath of color from a red chair or green drapes. Rooms aren’t especially big in relative terms—they start at 240 square feet—but for the price, they are quite spacious. Plus, they’re outfitted with Aeron chairs, flat-screen TVs, and Trump-style black-marble bathrooms. Nickel-and-dime charges for Internet, valet parking, and the use of a minirefrigerator are a bit frustrating, however. Suites and lofts have impressive views of Central Park, and the proximity to Lincoln Center is another plus. Pros: great dining options; excellent value. Cons: small charges add up; location not ideal for all N.Y.C. visitors. TripAdvisor: “wonderful location,” “good value,” “very clean.” | 2178 Broadway, at W. 77th St., Upper West Side | 10024 | 800/509–7598 | www.ontheave-nyc.com | 250 rooms, 32 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, Internet, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, room service, parking (paid) | AE, MC, V | Subway: 1 to 79th St.

Trump International Hotel and Towers.

$$$$ | This iconic New York’s property recently underwent a massive renovation, bringing the room’s interior design and decor—much conceived with the help of The Donald’s equally famous daughter, Ivanka, in line with the rest of the property’s stellar standards for personalized service and attention to detail. The inconspicuous lobby immediately introduces you to the hotel’s fine service, which continues throughout your stay with personal assistant and concierge services. The building, a black skyscraper jutting high above Columbus Circle, presents unobstructed views of Central Park from floor-to-ceiling windows. Suites that corner the park and circle have some of the most compelling urban views in the world. Rooms and suites resemble mini-apartments, with 51-inch flat-screen TVs and Sub-Zero fridges. Personalized stationery and business cards are provided on request. The restaurant, Jean Georges, is one of the city’s finest, and for a price a Jean Georges sous-chef will prepare a meal in your kitchenette. That’s luxury. Pros: fine service; stellar views; discerning treatment. Cons: expensive; lobby could use a renovation. TripAdvisor: “prompt room service,” “wonderful hotel,” “great fitness center.” | 1 Central Park W, between W. 59th and W. 60th Sts., Upper West Side | 10023 | 212/299–1000 or 888/448–7867 | www.trumpintl.com | 37 rooms, 130 suites | In-room: a/c, safe, kitchen, refrigerator, DVD, Internet. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bar, pool, gym, spa, laundry service, parking (paid) | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 1, A, B, C, D to 59th St./Columbus Circle.

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Main Table of Contents

Getting Oriented

Top Touring Experiences

Brooklyn Heights

Dumbo

Williamsburg

Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and Boerum Hill

Fort Greene

Prospect Park/Prospect Heights/Park Slope

Coney Island and Brighton Beach

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Making the Most of Your Time | Getting Here | Fodor’s Choice | Top Experiences | Best for Kids | Nearby Museums

Updated by Anja Mutic

To put it mildly, Brooklyn is exploding. Hardly Manhattan’s wimpy sidekick, this is the largest and most populous of all the boroughs, with more than 2.5 million residents. If it were an independent city, it would be the fourth largest in the country.

Brooklyn was in fact its own city until the end of the 19th century, with its own widely circulated newspaper, the Brooklyn Eagle, its own expansive park, Prospect Park, and its own baseball team that would eventually be called the Brooklyn Dodgers.

And in 1883 it got its own bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge, which drew the attention of the entire country, essentially became the final push that would rob the borough of its city status and fuel its merge with Manhattan. The marriage of the two cities took effect in 1898, much to the objection of Brooklynites, as it was widely dubbed, “the great mistake of 1898.”

Today, for many who’ve chosen to leave the island of Manhattan behind for Brooklyn in search of more living space (although not necessarily lower rent) living here is about celebrating the borough’s diverse neighborhoods that share a down-to-earth character. Neighborly chats take place on the stoops of brownstones, family-owned businesses preserve their heritages, and people are happy to eat and drink without the see-or-be-seen scene.

That’s not to say that restaurateurs and bar owners don’t mind drawing the attention of those across the river. The dining scene here is huge—so much so that Manhattanites are more than willing to hop on the subway to come—with new eateries opening seemingly on a weekly basis.

Aside from Brooklyn’s mellow family-friendly vibe in areas such as Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Boerum Hill, added to the mix is a group described with an overly-used moniker for which there’s no other appropriate word: hipster. Hipsters here are most

strongly associated with Williamsburg, where the young artists flocked more than a decade ago, and soon after the area became known for its galleries, along with its pricy real estate to match.

It’s largely Brooklyn that has lent New York its streetwise and sincere personality, famously captured in films such as

Do the Right Thing, Moonstruck, and Brighton Beach Memoirs. As it’s continually been dubbed “the new Manhattan,” this borough now attracts visitors not only from the city’s other boroughs but tourists from far and wide as well.

Price per person for a median main course or equivalent combination of smaller dishes. Note: if a restaurant offersonly prix-fixe (set-price) meals, it hasbeen given the price category that reflectsthe full prix-fixe price. Pricesare for a standard double room, excluding 14.75% city and state taxes.

TRIP ADVISOR

Fodor’s partnership with TripAdvisor helps to ensure that our hotel selections are timely and relevant, taking into account the latest customer feedback about each property. Our team of expert writers selects what we believe will be the top choices for lodging in a destination. Then, those choices are reinforced by TripAdvisor reviews, so only the best properties make the cut.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME

The best way to enter this borough is by its most majestic bridge. Walking across the wooden pedestrian path of the Brooklyn Bridge—a classic New York experience—takes about 30 minutes, all worth it for the panoramic views of the skylines and the harbor. It’s also a great way to transition from the bustle of Manhattan into Brooklyn’s slower pace. After you exit onto Cadman Plaza, walk southwest to poke around Brooklyn Heights, a charming neighborhood of posh 19th-century brownstone homes, or walk north into the hip neighborhood of DUMBO to check out its adorable shops and stunning waterfront parks. To get to Brooklyn’s sights more quickly, take the 2 or 3 train to the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum stop. The museum, the Botanic Garden, the Children’s Museum, and Prospect Park are all close.

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GETTING HERE

To get to Williamsburg, take the L train from any 14th Street station in Manhattan to Bedford Avenue, the first stop in Brooklyn. You can reach Brooklyn Heights by the 2 or 3 train to Clark Street, the R to Court Street, or the 4 or 5 to Borough Hall. To get to DUMBO, take the F train to York Street or walk from Brooklyn Heights. The F to 7th Avenue will take you to the center of Park Slope. From there, walk uphill to reach Prospect Park or walk north on 7th Avenue to sample the shops. The hipper boutiques and eateries are two long blocks west, on 5th Avenue, best accessed on the R train to Union Street. To reach the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and Prospect Park take the 2 or 3 train to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum. Coney Island is the last stop on the D, F, N, and Q trains, and the Q or B will take you to Brighton Beach. Allow a good part of the day for these trips, since it takes about an hour to reach the

ocean from Manhattan.

FODOR’S CHOICE

The Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Coney Island

Prospect Park

TOP EXPERIENCES

Hitting the restaurants and bars in Williamsburg or along Smith Street in Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens

Screaming at the top of the Cyclone roller coaster on Coney Island

Spending an afternoon at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or Prospect Park

Taking in the Manhattan skyline at night from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Catching a show at The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)

BEST FOR KIDS

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory

Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.

MCU Park

Lefferts Historic House

New York Aquarium

Transit Museum

NEARBY MUSEUMS

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Brooklyn Historical Society

Brooklyn Museum

Coney Island Museum

C. V. Starr Bonsai Museum at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Transit Museum

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Local Landmarks and Perfect Parks | Boutique Bonanza | Epicure’s Paradise

LOCAL LANDMARKS AND PERFECT PARKS

In the midst of urban bustle, Brooklyn is full of green getaways and natural attractions. Relax like a real Brooklynite by packing a picnic lunch and heading to Prospect Park’s lush Long Meadow. Or find its hidden nooks and surprises, like the Zoo, the Ravine, and great summer concerts in the Bandshell.

Next door is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the borough’s beloved 52-acre retreat with more than 10,000 plant species from around the world. Take an unexpected detour to Green-Wood Cemetery, which dates back to 1838, where you can walk along its hills and lakes or hunt for the headstones of V.I.P.s among the R.I.P.s.

No tour of Brooklyn would be complete without a pilgrimage to Coney Island, where the boardwalk, Nathan’s hot dogs, and the Cyclone have thrilled generations of New Yorkers.

BOUTIQUE BONANZA

Manhattan is slowly being taken over by chain stores, but Brooklyn’s boutique scene is thriving. It’s easy to spend an afternoon looking at ladylike knits or punchy, bright-color sundresses, chuckling at hipsteresque home items (resin deer antlers, anyone?), or simply discovering new designers.

Start off in Williamsburg at Future Perfect, a modern- home-decor lover’s dream, then hop over to other Brooklyn spots like Catbird or Love Brigade Co-op (230 Grand St.

| 718/715–0430 | www.lovebrigade.com). In Park Slope, stroll down 5th and 7th avenues for a more sophisticated range at Bird or Serene Rose (329 5th Ave. | 718/832– 0717 | www.serenerose.com), among others.

Over in Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and Boerum Hill, hit the antiques and home-design stores as well as the handful of galleries on Atlantic Avenue, then head over to Court Street and Smith Street to combine boutique hopping with

a meal at one of the area’s many celebrated restaurants.

EPICURE’S PARADISE

Eating your way through Brooklyn is one of the best ways to experience the mix of old, new, and immigrant cultures that make the borough so vibrant. Carroll Gardens perhaps best epitomizes this mix; here 50 years of Italian heritage meet a more recent and highly acclaimed restaurant scene on and near Smith Street.

Take the F train to the Bergen or Carroll Street stop to try standout eateries like Char No. 4 or Saul, then walk off your meal along leafy Court Street, stopping at one of its bakeries for dessert. (Try Sweet Melissa [276 Court St. | 718/855–3410] for sour-cherry clafoutis; or anything from

The Chocolate Room [269 Court St. | 718/246–2600] just across the street.)

For more international adventures, head to Brighton Beach for smoked fish at elaborate Russian palaces beneath the train tracks—Primorski (282 Brighton Beach Ave. | 718/891–3111) is a classic—or browse the Central Asian eateries on Brighton Beach Avenue. Local fave Café Kashkar (1141 Brighton Beach Ave. | 718/743–3832) serves Uyghur food. In Sunset Park, wallet-friendly fare from Latin America (clustered on 5th Avenue) and East Asia (on 8th Avenue) compete for your taste buds’ time. Ba Xuyen (4222 8th Ave. | 718/633–6601) vies for the title of New York’s best Banh Mi (Vietnamese hero sandwiches), and

Tacos Matamoros (4508 5th Ave. | 718/871–7627) packs in locals for its authentic tacos and tortas.

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Exploring | Where to Eat | Where to Stay | Performing Arts

Brooklyn’s toniest neighborhood offers residents something wealthy Manhattanites will never have: a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. First developed in the mid-1800s as the business center of the then-independent city of Brooklyn, it showcases historic cobblestone streets of pristine brownstones.

In the early to mid-20th century the Heights was a bohemian haven, home to writers like Arthur Miller, Truman Capote, Alfred Kazin, Marianne Moore, Norman Mailer, and W. E. B. DuBois. In the ’80s a new generation of gentrifiers moved in, and—even with a softening real estate market— homes here are still as pricey as their Manhattan counterparts.

Much of its early architecture has been preserved, thanks to its designation in the 1960s as New York’s first historic district. Some 600 buildings built in the 19th century represent a wide range of American building styles. Many of the best line Columbia Heights, a residential street that runs parallel to the promenade, but any of its adjoining streets are also worth strolling.

On Willow Street be sure to note No. 22, Henry Ward Beecher’s prim Greek Revival brownstone, and Nos. 155– 159. These three brick Federal row houses are said to have been stops on the Underground Railroad. The skylight in the pavement by the gate to No. 157 provided the light for an underground tunnel leading to an 1880 carriage house.

Don’t miss a stroll around the leafy Pier 1, the newly expanded section of the Brooklyn Bridge Park, accessible from Old Fulton Street. And if you didn’t walk it coming from Lower Manhattan, take a stroll across the majestic

Brooklyn Bridge.