Things to Do in Red Hook Brooklyn: Waterfront Gems

Red Hook is a waterfront neighborhood in south Brooklyn with the laid-back feel of a seaside town. If you come to New York often, this is one of those places that will give you a whole new angle on the city.

This maritime neighborhood holds on to its industrial look in its cobblestone streets and warehouses. It speaks of a retro New York that disappeared long ago.

These days plenty of visitors come looking for a fun day out. Red Hook has filled up with trendy restaurants and bars, a handful of museums and owner-run boutiques, plus views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.

It's also the only spot in New York where you can look the Statue of Liberty straight in the face, rather than at her back like everywhere else in the city.

Had you noticed that New York's most famous statue has her back to Manhattan? That's right, she was installed facing France, her country of origin 🗽.

What to see in Red Hook

Red Hook was a working port for years, used mainly by its dockworkers. You'll find dozens of traces of that era along its streets and piers.

One of its most famous residents was Al Capone, who spent time in this south Brooklyn neighborhood before moving to Chicago.

Red Hook is home to Latin American and Italian American communities, along with retired dockworkers. But over the past few decades plenty of professionals, young families and entrepreneurs have arrived and gradually changed the neighborhood's profile.

That's how the old Red Hook warehouses turned into restaurants, bars, art galleries and cutting-edge boutiques.

You can also visit independent distilleries that offer tastings and guided tours. All of this along Van Brunt Street, the main drag of one of the most interesting Brooklyn neighborhoods.

This peninsula in southern Brooklyn was a port area until recently, and its old piers still stand as witnesses. At one point big ocean liners docked here (there are projects to bring them back).

Today the neighborhood is changing with the construction of big stores and condos and the arrival of bars and restaurants. In fact, the fabulous New York IKEA store is one of them, and for me at least, the perfect excuse to visit Red Hook every time I'm in town.

Many people see this transformation as a good thing, since at one point in its history Red Hook was considered a dangerous New York neighborhood, which is no longer the case.

IKEA Brooklyn

As I mentioned, the arrival of the giant IKEA Brooklyn store marked a turning point in Red Hook's modernization.

To build the Swedish chain's iconic blue box, historic buildings were demolished and a pier was turned into a parking lot. From my point of view it was worth it (I love IKEA, so I'm not sure my opinion counts for much 😉)

Read up on how to get to IKEA from Manhattan and you'll see the fastest and most fun way is by ferry ⛴️. At that link I tell you where to catch it, plus schedules and prices.

Bourdain's favorite New York neighborhood

Fans of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations -😭- will remember an episode where he meets up with his wonderfully odd colleague Andrew Zimmern at a bikers' bar in Red Hook.

In that episode Bourdain drops the nugget that this Brooklyn neighborhood is one of the last corners of New York where you can have a beer at 11 in the morning.

Waterfront Museum

I'll admit I still haven't managed to visit this museum housed inside a historic barge, because its hours are pretty unpredictable. Here's the link to the museum's website with all the details for visiting.

Art festival in Red Hook

Another of Red Hook's draws, besides its no-frills bars, is the Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival, an annual summer festival with music, dance, theater and poetry for the whole family.

Pop culture in the neighborhood

I'll close with three cultural references:

• H. P. Lovecraft‘s 1927 story «The Horror at Red Hook» takes place on these streets.
• It's also the setting of «A View from the Bridge» by Arthur Miller (Marilyn Monroe's last husband).
• Joey Gallo was born in Red Hook, the mobster Bob Dylan sings about in «Joey» from the album Desire.

How to get to Red Hook in Brooklyn

Like Staten Island, Red Hook is one of the few places you can't reach on the New York subway.

That's not a big deal, since the B61 bus line is very efficient (you can catch it at the Carroll Street station on the F subway line).

If you're interested in visiting Red Hook, budget extra time for getting there. The upside is that the bus ride takes you through New York's gray zones, those spaces changing use right before your eyes.

You can also get to Red Hook on the NYC Ferry's South Brooklyn line, which has a stop in the neighborhood.

Address

Peninsula south of Downtown Brooklyn

Getting there

Subway F to Carroll Street, then transfer to the B61 bus