I’ve been in a bit of a travel dry-spell, so I’ve been spending my weekends exploring my own backyard. Living in the New York area gives me plenty of opportunities to check out cool spots and locales. Check out my other backyard tourism extravaganzas to Chelsea Market, Mets’ Citi Field and the Intrepid Museum. And, oh hey, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge was one of the 26 new things I want to do while I’m 26. Two birds, one stone.
It was actually supposed to be a pretty gross, overcast and rainy day. But the day I ended up heading out to the Brooklyn Bridge with one of my friends was anything BUT gross, overcast and rainy. Instead, we were blessed with blue skies, sunshine and warmth. In other words, the perfect day for a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge!
Our Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge
Since it was such a beautiful day, we were not the only ones who decided to venture to the bridge. Walkers, bicyclists, families, tourists, individuals, you name it. They were there.
After being on the bridge for only a few minutes, we had two groups of people ask us to take their photos. In return, we got them to snap our picture. We thought we were going to get asked a bunch more times, but after the second time as celebrity photographers, we didn’t get asked again.
There are parts of the bridge that seem like only people walking are traveling across. However, if you look down, you’ll realize that pedestrians and bicyclists are far from the only ones getting from point A to point B. And, oh hey, the Freedom Tower!
The wood, the wire and the metal make the bridge unique and interesting to explore and photograph.
Not only is the bridge itself interesting to observe and explore, the bridge offers a unique view of the city. Being near the Freedom Tower and with a clear view of uptown, there were plenty of awesome photo opportunities.
When we finally got to the other side of the bridge, we read the signs: we were definitely in Brooklyn. Once we made it to Brooklyn, we turned around and started to make our long journey back.
This feels like something that should have been obvious, but before my trek to the Brooklyn Bridge, I never gave thought to where New York’s City Hall was located. After we had walked to Brooklyn and back, we found a special surprise when we walked right past it as we walked towards the South Street Seaport!
I’ve been to South Street Seaport a few times, but this was my friends’ first. The Seaport was hopping with a ton of people and live music. We walked around a bit, but couldn’t resist the urge to go and see the Brooklyn Bridge from a completely different angle.
We ventured into one of the buildings at the Seaport and we greeted with this magnificent view of the bridge. And it became immediately clear that we sure did a lot of walking that afternoon!
After a wonderful walk and some awesome pictures, right on cue, my camera died.
The Verdict
As with every adventure I go on, I like to give you the quick and dirty about my experience. The bottom line? A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge is a great afternoon activity if you’re local and it’s a fun not-so-off-the-beaten-path option if you want to explore New York, but you don’t want to spend a lot doing so.
Stars
What’s not to like about the Brooklyn Bridge? It has a beautiful view of both the city and, you guessed it, Brooklyn. It’s featured in movies and TV shows. And the architecture is pretty kickass. Oh yeah and, as you’ll see below, it’s free to do. The fun quotient and low cost of this activity make it a 5-star walk.
Cost
It’s totally free to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge; however, you may need to pay transportation costs to get there and you may want to stock up on water or other forms of hydration while you’re on your trek. There are people selling water on the bridge, but it would obviously be cheaper if you filled up your own water bottle at home.
Time Needed
I think the amount of time you’ll need to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge will depend on why you’re walking. Our journey took about 2 – 3 hours. However, we were talking, stopping to take photos, and walking very slowly due to the heat and sun. If you’re making the trek to get from point A to point B, it will likely take you much less time.
Good for…
- Bicyclists
- Walkers
- People looking to get out there and enjoy a good view of New York
- Travelers looking for a frugal way to see the city
Not Good for…
- People who have trouble walking long distances or are otherwise mobility challenged (FWIW, the bridge appeared to be handicapped accessible)
- People who like to stick to the shade (there isn’t a lot of it on the bridge)
Have you ever taken a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge? Would you do it again? Have any tips to share?
