Things to Do in DUMBO Brooklyn: What’s Worth Your Time

DUMBO was an industrial stretch of Brooklyn on the East River that changed for good when artists, architects, and designers turned its warehouses and factory buildings into lofts and offices with terrific views of the Manhattan skyline.

It's another New York neighborhood named with an acronym, in this case: Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. It stretches between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge.

Don't skip it. The best part is that it's easy to reach from Manhattan, and you can walk there across the Brooklyn Bridge. Highly recommended stroll!

What to do in DUMBO

DUMBO is the Brooklyn neighborhood you land in when you walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (again, you really do need to walk it!).

If bridges are your thing, you can also make your way to the base of the Manhattan Bridge, where there's a small park. Seeing the bridges of New York up close never gets old.

Take the famous Manhattan Bridge photo

I'm sure you'll want to snap the iconic DUMBO photo, the one that frames the Manhattan Bridge perfectly between the neighborhood's classic red brick industrial buildings. For that, head to the corner of Washington Street and Water Street.

Since I know you enjoy these details: that framing became famous thanks to the poster for Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America (1984).

Once you've got the shot, wander the streets full of upscale boutiques, galleries, and plenty of tech startups.

You'll notice DUMBO is a textbook example of how New York neighborhoods get gentrified, the same thing happening right now in Washington Heights (as you'll know if you've seen the musical In the Heights).

Visit Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park runs along the East River bank, stretching south from the Brooklyn Bridge. This park is a must in summer, though honestly I recommend it any time of year 😉

The views of Lower Manhattan from here are stunning, and you'll come away with some of your best photos of New York.

The park is a great Manhattan viewpoint, but it also has other lovely things going on, like Jane's Carousel, a restored antique merry-go-round housed in a glass pavilion so you can ride it year-round.

If you're desperately hunting for free internet, this is a good spot. Remember there's now free Wi-Fi in New York's parks. Just fill out a quick sign-up form and voilà.

Where to eat in DUMBO

Brooklyn's history was baked by a lot of Italians, so you can enjoy their traditional cooking in this neighborhood.

But before we get to the pizzerias, let me point you to one of DUMBO's newer food destinations: the Time Out Market, a food hall with stalls from famous New York chefs and restaurants at more affordable prices.

When you visit this food market inside Empire Stores (55 Water Street), a century-old building, head up to the fifth-floor rooftop for fantastic views of Manhattan across the river.

You can check out the food stalls on the market's website.

Brooklyn pizzerias

DUMBO has restaurants that famous guidebooks rave about (you'll spot them by the endless lines of tourists waiting to get in).

That's the case with the pizzeria Grimaldi's (19 Old Fulton Street), which in our experience wasn't out of this world. Its «originality» comes down to a menu faithful to Italian recipes, which won't feel groundbreaking to Europeans or Latin Americans who grew up close to that heritage.

Ice cream and chocolate

Beyond meals, there are plenty of more «American» options for anyone with a sweet tooth, like the excellent ice cream at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (corner of Old Fulton and Water Street), or the pancakes and pies at Bubby's, beloved by locals (corner of Main and Plymouth Street).

Another one not to miss: the outstanding chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate at Jacques Torres Chocolate (66 Water Street), which will never match the famous Chocolatería Ginés in Madrid, but makes an excellent attempt.

Art galleries

If you're into art, you'll find dozens of galleries here, with the Dumbo Arts Center among the best known.

If you're in town in late September, don't miss the Art Under the Bridge Festival, organized by the Dumbo Arts Center, where emerging artists interact with visitors in public spaces.

If you're chasing the new artistic scenes that abound in New York, you should also explore Williamsburg and Long Island City in Queens, a trio of neighborhoods at the epicenter of New York's artistic avant-garde. As you've probably figured out by now, Manhattan's cultural energy has definitively shifted to Brooklyn and Queens.

DUMBO's famous lofts

The idea of bright, spacious, minimalist lofts, a New York invention, was born from students and artists looking for cheaper rent. Today it's become a cutting-edge, luxurious architectural style with imitators all over the world.

DUMBO is full of them, so get ready to sneak peeks at those gorgeous interiors through the windows.

Other attractions nearby

You can't leave DUMBO without visiting the Brooklyn Heights Promenade in neighboring Brooklyn Heights. It's one of the best Manhattan viewpoints, perfect at sunset when the city lights start coming on.

If you want to keep exploring Brooklyn neighborhoods, walk the charming cobblestone streets of residential Vinegar Hill too.

—

Address

DUMBO sits between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge, extending north from there to Vinegar Hill.

Getting there

Subway A, C. High St station
Subway F. York St station

You can also get there on the NYC Ferry, which has a DUMBO stop (East River Route and South Brooklyn Route)

Map