Brooklyn Bridge: How to Walk Across It

Can you walk across the Brooklyn Bridge? Of course you can! Here I'll tell you how to get to this New York icon, one of the most famous bridges in the world.

Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on foot or by bike is one of those free experiences in New York you shouldn't miss. From the bridge you get stunning views of Manhattan, and once you reach Brooklyn you can explore DUMBO, one of the most interesting New York neighborhoods outside Manhattan.

How to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a must-do in New York. The bridge's pedestrian walkway is wide and offers incredible panoramic views of Lower Manhattan and the East River.

A few years ago they also built a dedicated bike lane separate from the pedestrian path, which put an end to the accidents that used to happen.

I promise you the photos of New York from the Brooklyn Bridge will rack up the likes on your social feeds. Whether you cross by day or by night, every hour has its charm.

Worth knowing: the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most visited spots in New York, especially in high season (the summer months in NYC).

If you're not into crowds, I'd recommend going early in the morning.

And if you enjoy walking across New York's bridges, you can also walk the Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge. Few tourists know they have pedestrian walkways, though they're not as pretty as the Brooklyn Bridge's.

How long does it take to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge?

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge takes about 30 minutes, but I'd recommend budgeting more time so you can take in the panoramic city views without rushing.

How do you get to the Brooklyn Bridge?

To reach the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, get off at the City Hall subway station (4, 5 or 6 lines) or Chambers Street (J or Z lines). From there, walk east until you reach the entrance to the bridge's pedestrian walkway.

From Brooklyn, you can get onto the Brooklyn Bridge from the DUMBO neighborhood. The closest subway station is High Street-Brooklyn Bridge (A or C lines).

The entrances to the bridge's pedestrian walkway are clearly marked, and you'll also spot them because there are always plenty of people heading on and off the walkway.

What to see in Brooklyn

Once you get to Brooklyn  I'd suggest visiting the DUMBO neighborhood and strolling through Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of the best places to photograph the Lower Manhattan skyline.

DUMBO used to be an industrial neighborhood, and in the nineties it turned into an upscale residential district thanks to the arrival of artists, young professionals and tech companies.

From its streets you can take one of the most famous photos in New York: the view of the Manhattan Bridge framed between the neighborhood's classic red brick industrial buildings.

For that shot, head to the corner of Washington Street and Water Street.

The name DUMBO comes from the initials of «Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass,» a nod to its location beneath the overpasses of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges.

After spending a few hours in Brooklyn, you can head back to Manhattan by ferry from the DUMBO NYC Ferry terminal.

You could also take the ferry farther up the river to check out Williamsburg, another trendy Brooklyn neighborhood.

This ferry ride up the East River passes under New York's most important bridges, so it's a great chance to marvel at their structures.

Now, if you're short on time, the fastest way back to Manhattan is taking the subway.

History of the Brooklyn Bridge

Of the 3 bridges linking Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Bridge is the most important.

This mnemonic trick will help you tell them apart: BMW, which lines the bridges up from south to north: Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge.

The Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883 after 14 years of construction. At 1,825 meters long, it became the longest suspension bridge on the planet at the time.

It also broke ground as the first bridge suspended by steel cables, a decisive leap forward in 19th-century engineering.

Its sheer size was also unimaginable back then, producing an effect similar to what Gothic cathedrals produced in the 13th century.

For many experts, this mega structure helped New York become the great city it is today. It was the great symbol of progress, not just for the city but for the whole United States.

This neo-Gothic bridge was built so well that it's still standing and used daily by thousands of cars, cyclists and pedestrians.

You can read more about the story of its construction on the bronze plaques set beneath the bridge's towers. A spot which, by the way, is one of the best viewpoints in Manhattan.

The tragic past behind the Brooklyn Bridge's construction

Beautiful as it is, the story of this neo-Gothic marvel is pretty grim, with dozens of deaths to its name along with other tragedies.

For starters, it was built by around 600 immigrant workers who had to work in extremely dangerous conditions, especially those laboring inside the wooden caissons assembled underwater to build the tower foundations.

More than 20 of them died from decompression sickness, or «the bends.» And that's without counting the accidents that happened while assembling the steel cables at great heights.

The bridge's own engineer, Washington Roebling, was left bedridden by decompression sickness, supervising the work from the window of his Brooklyn apartment with the help of his wife, who acted as his link to the builders. On Wikipedia you'll find more stories behind its construction.

During your walk you'll probably spot some of those brave workers who repair the bridge every day to protect it from salt air and the passage of time.

Total acrobats!

The Brooklyn Bridge on screen

In the movies, much like the Empire State, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the first targets for Godzilla and any other monster, alien invader, meteor or terrorist.

So many films shot in New York have featured the Brooklyn Bridge that there's no point listing them.

There is one scene I love remembering, though: the final scene of Scorsese's Gangs of New York, a New York timeline in which the bridge endures through the years. That's the Brooklyn Bridge for you, the 19th century catapulted into the 21st.

Closest subway stations

Manhattan
Subway 4, 5, 6. City Hall station
Brooklyn
Subway A, C. High St station