My friend Leslie, her cousin Kelsey, and I explored the side of Brooklyn in New York that I’ve actually never really seen up close (Dumbo, Brooklyn) and the experience was humbling. During April in the Northeast, you can expect unstable, different weather patterns. It’s usually more colder here with some snow still occurring in the month and lots of rain. I mean, April showers do bring May flowers, right? The other day, we were lucky to finally get a taste back of summer by experiencing a sunny 80° weather and I knew I had to take advantage of it.
Wow, ALSO, this is my 100th post ever made on this blog! Who knew I would write that many things on here? Insane! Writing makes me happy and even happier to share these stories with you. 😉
As a girl born in New York but raised in New Jersey but had most of her family reside in New York, the state has always been so close to my heart. I was a little more familiar with Queens but I’ve never really explored by this part of New York’s Five Boroughs of Brooklyn and it was something I never really went out of my way to.. until my friend wanted to show me it since she grew up around here.
Dumbo, Brooklyn
We first checked out Dumbo, Brooklyn. This place, as I was told, used to be nothing like it is now — a city that is now worth millions of dollars for people to live in. The city does not consist of the brownstones you’ll see in other parts of Brooklyn and it’s not the luxurious glass condos and apartments like you’ll discover in Manhattan but its history is rich in the industrialization of America.
Dumbo (also known as ‘Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass’) used to be full of old factories and warehouses that was converted into luxury living spaces, art galleries, theaters, and places that would bridge people together towards a more living and social atmosphere. Dumbo was founded as the perfect place for shipping by Robert Gair and that’s how all those factories, warehouses, and dock storehouses were built there in the beginning and how this place developed to be one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city proves how crazy time can bring.
We came across a couple cute stores that had an array of awesome displays of things including this Japanese antique store! I’ve always been fascinated with the Japanese culture and being able to look at antique trinkets, furniture, and clothing made me feel like I was in Japan.
Brooklyn Bridge Park and Manhattan Bridge
We checked out a division of the Brooklyn Bridge Park that intersects in between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a waterfront park that are full of so many different divisions that include vistas, piers, and nature pathways and extends for a couple miles. The body of water you’ll see is the East River that shapes out like a beach by the rocks. Many people walk in and out of these pathways to get a closer look into the East River and Manhattan Bridge.
On your left side to the Manhattan Bridge, you’ll find the Brooklyn Bridge, where behind it are iconic skyscrapers and the One World Trade Center. I didn’t know the One World Trade Center (the 6th tallest skyscraper in the world) was that close to these bridges and that’s why New York is fascinating because visiting parks like this puts that into perspective for non-New Yorkers! You’ll also find a carousel that is extended out by a pier.
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the nation that connects to Brooklyn and Manhattan and is held by suspensions. The project to build this bridge started in 1869 and it was completed 14 years later. It had also became a National Historic Landmark, recognized by the United States government.
Empire Stores
One of the warehouses that were around the time that Dumbo was not popularized yet was developed to be a shopping outlet area called Empire Stores, creating greater business for tourists. This warehouse used to be for the Arbuckle Coffee company and sold it to Empire Stores in 1945. It was not completed and opened for public until 2017. A part of Empire Stores includes a small little museum, where you can learn more about its history and find things that were discovered along this part of the city.
On top of the the Empire Stores, you can get a better view of the whole scenery of the bridges, East River, and the skyscrapers and look through tunnel-shaped bricks. It’s the perfect little sight seeing place.
Alongside the Empire Stores, there’s a little park where it felt like it came from a whole different country and almost resembling ‘ruins’. I’m sure it’s more beautiful to walk around in when the plants have actually blossomed!
More things to explore in Brooklyn Bridge Park
The rest of the visit consisted of walking through the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. When you get closer to the Brooklyn Bridge, there are more green grass lawns for people to relax and sit on, ponds, vistas, and you’ll find numerous piers. The piers were made to be recreational areas where people can play numerous of sports from tennis, basketball, etc. It’s a fun place to be active with your friends and family! The Brooklyn Bridge Park is also great for picnics, biking, running around, or taking a stroll with your children… and oh, line up for ice cream.
