New York is not just Manhattan! For a decade, Brooklyn has become the neighborhood to explore during a trip to the “Big Apple”. The proof by five.

Across the East River, New York’s largest borough is also the closest to Manhattan, easily accessible by subway or boat. A mosaic of diverse neighborhoods, Brooklyn lines up picturesque 19th century houses, alternating with old industrial buildings that have been stylishly rehabilitated. The neo-industrial style was born here! The hipster movement also emerged in Brooklyn in a great cultural proliferation, coupled with inevitable gentrification. But whether it’s a movie set, a street art scene or a festive meeting place for trendy night owls, this bustling borough – at the forefront of New York trends – always keeps an eye on the spectacular Manhattan skyline.

DUMBO, iconic movie set

A legendary view of the seventh art. The Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn, location of the movie poster for Once Upon a Time in America. ERIC MARTIN

Abbreviation for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, DUMBO is a former industrial district on the water’s edge, spanned by the massive silhouettes of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge, which subways and cars cross with a thunderous din. A fantastic cinemascope atmosphere, which we find in Once upon a time in Americapartly filmed here by Sergio Leone in 1984.

Since then, the brick warehouses lined with cobblestone streets have been converted into upscale boutiques, restaurants, apartments and lofts, with breathtaking views of Manhattan. But the street corner chosen to illustrate the film poster remains emblematic! At the corner of Water Street, Washington Street runs towards an openwork bridge pier of the Manhattan Bridge, in which the Empire State Building appears. Tea best photo ever !

Also read Vertigo in sight! The 10 Most Spectacular Bridges in New York

Brooklyn Heights, time capsule architecturale

Brooklyn Heights is known for its picturesque old houses, such as the famous “brownstone”. auseklis – stock.adobe.com

Change of scenery ! Perched on its mound, Brooklyn Heights is a charming little chic and quiet residential neighborhood, built in the 19th century and flanked to the west by a panoramic promenade renowned for its anthology sunsets over Manhattan. The few tree-lined streets reveal a staggering number of picturesque old houses, all different, in so-called federal, neoclassical, neo-Gothic, Queen Anne, Shingle styles; built of wood, brick, or the red sandstone typical of New York constructions of the time, the famous brownstone houses. And at the foot of the neighborhood, Brooklyn Bridge Park, a pleasant recreational area along the East River which overflows to the north into DUMBO, allows for a quiet stroll without taking your eyes off the forest of Manhattan buildings.

Also read What to see, what to do in Brooklyn: 10 activities not to be missed

Williamsburg, village hipster festif

View from the Williamsburg Hotel. ERIC MARTIN

Absolute symbol of the gentrification of Brooklyn, this former industrial district on the East River is experiencing a new lease of life, driven by a population of unusual residents, the famous “bourgeois-bohemians”, baptized hipsters in the 2000s. A lifestyle closely linked to clothing habits recycling vintage, a physical appearance where beard, mustache and tattoos are required, consumption patterns favoring organic, local, carbon-free… The ambition being to live outside the system, well, until At a certain point !

For the traveler, this very trendy neighborhood conceals shops selling old vinyls, second-hand clothes and all kinds of “Made in Brooklyn” products, trendy restaurants and bars, where New Yorkers descend in the evening to have a good time in a beautiful fraternal and festive atmosphere! And to dive into the crucible of this “counterculture” which has spread widely today, why not live there? Because Williamsburg has some beautiful hotels with well-designed designs, all with this view of the Manhattan skyline that makes us dream so much.

Read alsoHoxton Williamsburg Hotel in Brooklyn, the expert opinion of Le Figaro

Bushwick, empire du street art

The slightly dilapidated atmosphere of Bushwick inspires graffiti artists around the world. jonbilous – stock.adobe.com

Fleeing soaring rents in Manhattan, then Williamsburg, avant-garde artists migrated east to Bushwick, the last affordable refuge in a myriad of warehouses and industrial workshops, surrounded by high barbed wire. Here, the somewhat dilapidated atmosphere inspires graffiti artists – sometimes of international reputation – who regularly cover the walls with giant, colorful and very photogenic frescoes, orchestrated by the association The Bushwick Collective. An astonishing discovery to learn about this art in its own right and which, at the end of September, continues with a visit to the artists’ studios during the Bushwick Open Studio. But gentrification is advancing, ruthlessly, already transforming the face of the neighborhood, which is seeing small residential buildings go up, but also restaurants and bars. Because Bushwick now also attracts night owls looking for trends.

Read alsoThe 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge facing New York, the expert opinion of Le Figaro

Coney Island, New York beach

Luna Park, an iconic vintage amusement park bordering Coney Island beach. travelview – stock.adobe.com

Get your swimsuits on! All the way south of Brooklyn, Coney Island has its long, popular beach of light sand, bordered by a pleasant boardwalk. Between two invigorating swims, we perk up by devouring hot dogs from Nathan’s Famous, a house opened in 1916 and known all the way to the White House! Before climbing the roller coaster at Luna Park, this iconic vintage amusement park bordering the beach and widely celebrated by American cinema. Just like Little Odessa, an exotic Russian-speaking neighborhood filmed by James Gray in the 1990s and adjoining the eastern end of the beach.

2024-01-23 13:00:00
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