Last Updated on November 24, 2023 by Natalia
Discover the best views of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of New York City’s most famous landmarks. Opened in 1883, it connects Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn and was the first bridge built across the East River. The bridge is an architectural masterpiece, and a walkway across the bridge gives you up close views of this iconic structure. There are a variety of great viewpoints of Brooklyn Bridge around New York, most of which are easily accessibly via the subway. This guide covers the best views of Brooklyn Bridge from both Manhattan and Brooklyn!
Best views of Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Walkway
Some of the best views of the Brooklyn Bridge can be found by walking on the bridge itself. A convenient walkway leads across the bridge, allowing you to see this architectural wonder up close.
From the Brooklyn side of the bridge you get a particularly great view of one of the suspension towers and the Lower Manhattan skyline. There are similar views throughout the walk, although at the times the suspension cables do affect the view. Thankfully towards the end of the bridge the cables are no longer in the way and you can enjoy this wonderful view without any obstruction.
You can start your journey from either the Manhattan or Brooklyn side of the bridge, with the views varying depending on the way you are facing – so make sure to check out the views behind you too! The Brooklyn Bridge walkway is 1.3 miles long, and it takes around 30 minutes to walk from one side to the other.
As one of New York’s iconic attractions, it’s hardly surprising that the bridge can get quite busy. To capture the best views of the Brooklyn Bridge without the crowds, consider visiting early in the morning or in the evenings on a weekday. These times tend to be quieter, which means you can get some better photos of the Brooklyn Bridge without other tourists in the way!
Access to the bridge is convenient from both sides of the river thanks to a number of subway stations less than a 10-minute walk from the bridge. Nearby stations in Manhattan include Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, Chambers Street, and Fulton Street, and the nearest subway stations in Brooklyn are High Street and York Street.
Plymouth Street
Plymouth Street, located in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood, offers a unique perspective of the Brooklyn Bridge. The neighbourhood is best known for the iconic Dumbo Manhattan Bridge view – a stunning viewpoint with one of the Manhattan Bridge’s suspension towers perfectly framed by the buildings on Washington Street.
A short walk from this famous viewpoint you can enjoy a similar view of the Brooklyn Bridge from Plymouth Street. From here you get a view of one of the bridge’s suspension towers framed between buildings on your left and the Brooklyn Bridge Park on your right.
It may not be quite as impressive as the iconic Manhattan Bridge view from Dumbo, but it’s still a lovely view of the Brooklyn Bridge. Considering it’s right by the Dumbo viewpoint, it’s definitely worth the short walk to Plymouth Street to enjoy the view.
Plymouth Street is easily accessible from High Street and York Street subway stations, with both being less than a 10-minute walk away. Make sure to visit the famous Dumbo viewpoint during your visit too, as it offers one of the best views of the Manhattan Bridge!
Pier 35
Pier 35 boasts an incredible view of the Manhattan Bridge, with the iconic Brooklyn Bridge in the background. The pier’s location on the Manhattan side of the East River provides a unique Brooklyn Bridge view from Manhattan, from which you can admire both of these impressive bridges at once.
At first glance your eyes will immediately be drawn to the towering Manhattan Bridge, which at its closest point is just 250 metres from Pier 35. Look beyond this iconic bridge though for one of the best views of the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, made even better thanks to the Lower Manhattan skyline in the background.
One of our favourite things about Pier 35 is the swinging benches, which are a great place from which to enjoy the view. Simply take a seat and swing back and forth whilst soaking in the view of these famous bridges.
As there are only a few swings, it’s not always possible to sit on one – but that doesn’t stop you enjoying the views. If you visit early on a weekday morning you may be lucky enough to have this spot all to yourself, in which case you won’t have to wait to get on one of the swinging benches!
Given the brilliant view, it’s hardly surprising that Pier 35 is one of the best photo spots for both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge. Wander around the pier to enjoy different angles from which to take photos and to soak in this incredible view.
Pier 35 is easily accessible by taking the F train to the East Broadway subway station. From there it’s just a 5-10 minute walk to the pier to enjoy this amazing view of both the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
True to its name, Brooklyn Bridge Park provides some of the best views of Brooklyn Bridge. There are brilliant views of the bridge from various spots around this lovely waterfront park, making it the perfect place to enjoy a walk with a view!
One of the best views in Brooklyn Bridge Park is found at Pebble Beach. This small beach offers a stunning view of Brooklyn Bridge, with the Lower Manhattan skyline serving as the backdrop.
It’s personally one of our favourite views of the Brooklyn Bridge, and there are plenty of great spots on the beach and nearby to get some amazing photos! Click here to find the exact location of Pebble Beach on Google Maps!
Elsewhere in the park, you can find amazing views of the Brooklyn Bridge from the promenade at Pier 1. As well as the amazing views of the iconic bridge, Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park is also a brilliant lookout point for views of the Lower Manhattan skyline. Click here to see the location of Pier 1 on Google Maps!
There are benches at both of these brilliant viewpoints in the Brooklyn Bridge Park, so you can sit and admire the incredible views of the bridge. The Pebble Beach area only has a few benches, but there is plenty of space to sit on the steps leading down to the beach.
While you’re in the park, take the time to walk around and discover the lovely green spaces. As you wander you will undoubtedly get more views of the Brooklyn Bridge, so it’s a great place for a stroll!
The closest subway stations to Pebble Beach and Pier 1 are York Street and High Street, both of which are less than a 10-minute walk from the Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Domino Park
Brooklyn has a number of great parks to discover, one of these being the waterfront Domino Park in Williamsburg. The park offers a unique vantage point with views of three of New York’s famous bridges – the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Williamsburg Bridge.
Admittedly it is a distant view of the Brooklyn Bridge, but it does give you a different perspective and a great panoramic view of these iconic bridges. The prominent view is of the nearby Williamsburg Bridge, which is also impressive in its own right.
This brilliant view is best viewed from the park’s waterfront pathway, from which you can also enjoy views over to Manhattan. Make sure to wander around more of the park to discover green spaces, a water feature, sports courts, and more. Besides the park you can also see the historic Domino Sugar Refinery, which at one time was the largest sugar refinery in the world!
Domino Park is accessible by subway, with the two nearest stops being Marcy Avenue and Bedford Avenue. Both stations are around a 15-20 minute walk to the park, so you can explore some of Williamsburg on your way there.
Housesitting
Housesitting in New York City is a different way to get some of the best views of the Brooklyn Bridge. A number of apartment buildings in both Manhattan and Brooklyn have rooftop terraces with unique views of this historic bridge, but of course these areas are for residents only.
Thankfully though, in some instances it is possible to stay in these apartments buildings by housesitting for one of the residents. Housesitting involves caring for the homeowner’s pets, normally cats or dogs, in exchange for staying in their home free of charge. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement, and can help massively reduce accommodation costs when staying in New York!
Of course you do need a bit of luck to get a housesit with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge, but it’s definitely possible! The best option is to sign up to the Trusted Housesitters platform, as there are normally a number of new housesits in New York to apply for every day.
A Trusted Housesitters annual membership starts from as little as $129 USD, which is less than a night in most hotels in New York anyway! Better yet, it’s possible to housesit almost anywhere through the platform, with housesits available worldwide!
Housesitting not only offers the potential for unique views of the Brooklyn Bridge, but also allows you to have an authentic experience living in Brooklyn or Manhattan. It’s a great way to save on your travels, and is a useful tool if you are able to find housesits that work for you!
Click here to find out more on the Trusted Housesitters website!
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