Style + Design Trip Ideas building outdoor road metropolitan area City street Town landmark urban area neighbourhood human settlement Architecture lane Downtown cityscape metropolis infrastructure facade waterway nonbuilding structure
Trip Ideas

11 Things to Do in DUMBO

Brooklyn's renaissance is no more apparent than in DUMBO—or Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass— where new restaurants, art galleries, and hotels are popping up alongside century-old river barges and retired factories. Not sure where to start? Read on for our 11 top things to do in DUMBO, from vintage shopping to classical music concerts and rock climbing.

See recent posts by Siobhan Reid

Trip Ideas tree outdoor building property outdoor structure plant roof real estate Garden Patio pergola house Balcony table landscaping
Trip Ideas chair indoor table floor room window restaurant interior design dining room furniture ceiling Lobby living room Dining several
Trip Ideas chair table outdoor real estate outdoor structure apartment roof Patio condominium tree water restaurant Deck
1

Have a meal at Cecconi’s  

This waterfront restaurant might just be the coolest new restaurant in New York City—and not just because of its jaw-dropping location on the Brooklyn waterfront, where it overlooks the East River and the Manhattan Bridge. We also love its eye-catching interiors (think: tufted velvet sofas, high archways, hand-blown glass chandeliers, exposed brick walls) and bustling outdoor patio, where pretty young things come to bask in the sunlight and sip on strawberry rosé spritzes. On the menu are modern day Italian classics like himachi crudo with citrus and Sicilian pistachio and spaghetti with Maine lobster and saffron—plus, plenty of wines and beers on tap. The restaurant is the first Brooklyn outpost of exclusive members-only club Soho House, so it goes without saying that the people watching is pretty outstanding too.

Trip Ideas sky outdoor Architecture structure building water tower block City recreation facade
2

Reach for the sky at Dumbo Boulders 

Previously, New Yorkers had to go all the way to Brooklyn Boulders, in Gowanus, to get their climbing fix. But thanks to the 2016 opening of DUMBO Boulders (the largest outdoor climbing gym in North America), locals and visitors can hone their skills while taking in picturesque views of New York’s skyline. The daily admission fee for the gym is just $9, which includes shoe rentals, and the walls are short enough that climbers don’t require a harness. Just be sure to check the forecast before heading out; the gym closes in inclement weather.

Cocktail at The 1 Rooftop, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
Trip Ideas floor Living indoor room window living room property furniture home interior design table estate porch wood cottage Design real estate farmhouse outdoor structure window covering condominium dining room area decorated
Boutique Hotels Trip Ideas table cup coffee Drink beverage
Hotels Trip Ideas indoor bed room hotel window wall floor Bedroom property ceiling estate cottage Suite interior design real estate home furniture farmhouse decorated containing
3

Bed down at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

Never in Brooklyn has a hotel had as much buzz as the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Here, you’ll find a certain tranquility often lost in urban hotels, thanks to its waterfront address by Brooklyn Bridge Park. Rooms are luxuriously spacious and bring in the borough’s eco-conscious sensibility with moss gardens, hemp-blend mattresses, a color palette defined by textures and materials rather than paint or wallpaper, and hour-glasses that time your showers. Living walls in the lobby create the ideal retreat from city life, a rooftop bar with fire pits and a lounge pool is the neighborhood’s hottest summer hangout, and floor-to-ceiling window views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the city, and Lady Liberty mean you’ll never have a bad view.

RELATED: Best New Hotels in New York City

Trip Ideas amusement ride Carousel amusement park horse indoor tourist attraction horse like mammal park recreation horse harness
Trip Ideas outdoor person crowd amusement park park tourism outdoor recreation amusement ride plaza group pedestrian ice rink several
Trip Ideas cup coffee table Drink mocaccino frappé coffee glass pint us latte pint glass flavor caffè macchiato irish cream cortado dairy product iced coffee flat white coffee cup latte macchiato café au lait Dixie cup tableware plastic
Trip Ideas product product design flavor several
Trip Ideas person indoor standing furniture window table
Trip Ideas cup coffee beverage flat white caffè macchiato latte cortado espresso coffee milk food Drink café au lait ristretto cappuccino cuban espresso white coffee caffeine mocaccino doppio pastry coffee cup flavor wiener melange milk dessert
5

Get buzzed at Brooklyn Roasting Company 

A perfect day in DUMBO starts with an espresso and flaky pastry at The Brooklyn Roasting Company, an industrial-chic café set inside a former warehouse on Jay Street. If you feel like jazzing up your coffee order, try the Maple Shay, a maple-infused iced coffee with two shots of single origin Colombian espresso. The café has free WiFi, lots of seating, and plenty of outlets, so it’s also a great place to catch up on work and answer emails.

RELATED: NYC's Best Coffee

Trip Ideas indoor exhibition interior design floor flooring art gallery art exhibition hall loft several
6

See cutting-edge works at Art in General

This non-profit art gallery was a Tribeca stalwart for more than thirty years before relocating to a ground-floor gallery in DUMBO in 2016. An incubator for young and emerging talent, it has featured artists whose work has gone on to be included in the Whitney Biennial and exhibited at such major institutions as MoMA, the New Museum, and the Tate Modern. Currently on view: a commissioned work by New York-based artist Mary Walling Blackburn, and artist residencies including Hungary’s Gábor Kristóf and Vietnam’s Lê Thuận Uyên.

Trip Ideas wood still life
Trip Ideas stall vehicle tree plant
Trip Ideas indoor interior design retail
7

Vintage shop at Front General Store 

As the East Coast birthplace of hipsterdom, Brooklyn has its fair share of great vintage shopping. Our go-to place to stock up on vintage threads? Front General Store, which specializes in men’s and women’s clothing from the 1920s-1960s. Here, you’ll find everything from old military jackets and vintage Yohji Yamamoto to beaded necklaces and perfectly worn-in Levi 501’s. It's a dazzling array of old and new, so be prepared to spend a few hours rifling through the racks.

Trip Ideas person musician Music indoor orchestra people classical music performance musical instrument accessory musical instrument group music director bowed string instrument musical ensemble string instrument cello composer concert band bowed instrument

Photos courtesy of Etienne Frossard

8

Catch a classical music show at Bargemusic 

A 100-foot-long former coffee barge is an unlikely setting for classical music. But at Bargemusic, it’s all a part of the experience. Moored at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, the floating concert hall offers some 200 performances of chamber music annually, with views of the East River and beyond. This summer, bring the family to “Music in Motion” every Saturday at 4 pm. Along with a one-hour performance, the event also involves a post-show Q&A with the musicians.

Buildings City Trip Ideas building outdoor neighbourhood road street urban area sidewalk Architecture Courtyard walkway way alley Downtown
Buildings City Nightlife Scenic views Trip Ideas building outdoor sky water metropolitan area skyline River cityscape geographical feature scene metropolis landmark skyscraper urban area human settlement horizon night reflection Downtown evening dusk tower block background Harbor distance
City Hip Living Modern Trip Ideas floor indoor chair room furniture living room curtain interior design wood home Design window covering table flooring seat
Bedroom City Hip Hotels Modern Trip Ideas indoor room wall window floor bed hotel property Living Suite ceiling living room interior design curtain home furniture real estate condominium estate cottage Design apartment window covering decorated flat
9

Get some shut-eye at Dazzler Brooklyn

Dazzler is a new boutique spot opened at the intersection of DUMBO, Fort Greene and Brooklyn Heights. Inside, you’ll find 174 chic rooms, with Carrara marble bathrooms, an inviting breakfast nook, and a small gym (not that you’ll need it with all the walking you’ll be doing). But the hotel’s real showstopper is its laid-back indoor/outdoor beer garden, which pours local craft brews and lagers.

Budget Trip Ideas person woman people outdoor food wedding ceremony rehearsal dinner meal female
Budget Trip Ideas food dish sandwich produce cuisine vegetable half close meat
Trip Ideas person grill cooking material barbecue griddle meat
Trip Ideas food dessert macaroon petal organ baking human body several arranged

Photos courtesy of Smorgasburg/John von Pamer

10

Search for treasures at Brooklyn Flea

Brooklyn Flea started in Fort Greene in 2008, but the popular, year-round market has since expanded to multiple BK locations including DUMBO. Every Sunday, 75 vendors display their wares underneath the Manhattan Bridge, providing locals and tourists with a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. Our editors have scored treasures including designer leather purses, rare watches, kitchenware, hand-knit scarves and priceless antiques.

Trip Ideas indoor interior design restaurant

Photos courtesy of Mitchell Wojcik

11

Discover a great new read at PowerHouse Arena

A Brooklyn institution, PowerHouse Arena is a large bookstore and event space known for hosting hot-ticket literary talks with the likes of Paul Auster, Jennifer Egan, Jonathan Franzen, and Salman Rushdie. The airy, high-ceilinged shop stocks a range of reading matter, from literary classics and NYT bestsellers to fine art and photography collections. We dare you not to spend an entire afternoon here.

Want More?

Comments

comments

All products are independently selected by our writers and editors. If you buy something through our links, Jetsetter may earn an affiliate commission.