12 Cool And Artsy Things To Do In Brooklyn NY
Have you ever dreamt about visiting Brooklyn and wondered how you could integrate yourself into its cool and artsy vibe? Well, I’m here to help! This is a list of the top cool and artsy aka hipster things to do in Brooklyn NYC. With every place, you need to know if you want to dive into Brooklyn’s alternative scene. Plus some bonus places I just found hilariously amazing. These things are definitely some of my favorite things to do in Brooklyn. So grab your beanie and start exploring!
All places mentioned are also linked in the map below.
Brooklyn Things To Do
1. Go To Brooklyn Flea
Brooklyn Flea has become one of New York City’s top attractions, offering flea markets on weekends throughout the year with a wide variety of different items. From furniture, vintage clothing, collectibles, antiques to jewelry, art and crafts from local artists and designers.
They have locations in Williamsburg, DUMBO (and Chelsea).
2. Join The Brooklyn Brewery Tour
Taste different types of beer on the Brooklyn Brewery Tour, and learn about brewing science, beer history, and their story.
You can choose between free tours and Small Batch Tours.
3. Smorgasburg
Visit the largest weekly open-air food market in America. Smorgasburg attracts thousands of people to its locations each weekend to eat from dozens of local vendors.
Founded as a spinoff of the Brooklyn Flea and titled “The Woodstock of Eating” by the New York Times. How cool is that?
4. Go And See Some Art
Art is everywhere in Brooklyn. You can admire street art in Greenpoint, visit the Brooklyn Museum or go to an art gallery. There are so many options to choose from.
5. Parks and Movies
There are so many things to do in parks, but one of my favorite things to do is watch a movie outdoors. Luckily, there are several places in Brooklyn where you can do that. Some of my favorites include Movies With A View in Brooklyn Bridge Park and Summer Movies Under the Stars in Prospect Park. The latter is also a popular place to hang out.
6. New York Transit Museum
Learn about the stories of mass transportation in the New York Transit Museum.
Soak in the old-school vintage vibes and take some amazing pictures.
7. Wash and Play
After a long trip, you may need some clean clothes. So why not go to a laundromat where you can also play games and see art? Sunshine Laundromat offers you all that and even hosts events.
8. Visit The City Reliquary
The City Reliquary is a not-for-profit community museum and civic organization with a quirky history in Williamsburgh. Its mission is to connect visitors with New York’s past and present. They feature permanent exhibits of New York City artifacts, rotating exhibits of community collections, and annual cultural events. The atmosphere alone is worth a visit.
9. Stroll Through Williamsburg And Browse The Boutiques
Book Stores:
- Spoonbill & Sugartown Books
- Quimby’s Bookstore NYC
Record Stores:
- Earwax Records
- MeMe Antenna
- Human Head Records
Vintage:
- The Attic Brooklyn, N.Y.
- The Mini Mall
- The Stone Flower
- Le Grand Strip Vintage Fashion
Jewelry:
- Catbird
- Mociun Fine Jewelry & Home
10. Partey
Dance your heart out or visit a venue at House of Yes or The Bell House.
11. Cool Coffee Shops
- Barista & the Baker
- Sey Coffee
- Daily Press Coffee and Bar
- Partners Coffee
- Devoción
- Butler
- Café Beit
- PPL
- Swallow Cafe
- Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen
12. More Food!
American Restaurants:
International Restaurants:
- Wayla (thai)
- Llama Inn (peruvian)
- LaRina Pastificio & Vino (italian)
- Tacocina (mexican)

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More Things To Explore In Brooklyn:
- Coney Island (Beach)
- Coney Island Broadwalk Art walls
- Brighton Beach
- Nitehawk Dine-In Cinema
- Shuffleboard Club
Do you know of any other (hidden) gems and things to do in Brooklyn? Share them with us in the comments below!
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