Not every excursion has to cost a lot of money or time. Since we try to keep a strict monthly budget our fun money sometimes gets exhausted on one particular afternoon activity, and thus we need to be creative and plan local outings for the rest of the month. NYC is full of free attractions, but also some fantastic architecture, so we have been playing tourist quite a bit since we moved here. Fortunately for us we live near the Brooklyn Bridge, which is a frequented NYC attraction. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most iconic aspects of New York and one of the most recognizable bridges in the country. Visiting the Brooklyn Bridge provides you with an afternoon of exercise, history, incredible photos, and an overall fun little outing.

From the bridge you are able to see Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the State of Liberty. We met a couple of friends on the Brooklyn side and then slowly made our way across. The bridge is around a mile long, and we took about 45 minutes to cross it since we stopped for quite a few photos. The Brooklyn side of the bridge is much more calm, but the Manhattan side is full of tourists and vendors, so just be prepared. On the Brooklyn side of the bridge, it leads to Cadman Plaza, a large park, and the neighborhoods of Dumbo, Vinegar Hill, and Brooklyn Heights, so you can always add a Brooklyn neighborhood exploration to your bridge outing. Additionally, the earlier you visit the better, because the bridge becomes extremely crowded. We definitely recommend going before noon, but it wasn’t too bad until around 1:30ish. So grab a couple friends or go on a romantic outing and enjoy the city views!