Best outdoor activities in Brooklyn
Moving to Brooklyn soon? Great choice! You’re going to live in a big city and take all the advantages of it, while also enjoying time spent outdoors. There are so many outdoor activities in Brooklyn and options are endless. That’s one of many reasons why two and a half million of its residents love this NY borough. Here’s a list of some of the best outdoor activities you could take part in while in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Bridge Park

If you want to enjoy fantastic views of downtown Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge Park is where you need to be. The park is situated next to the famous bridge, it spans 1.3 miles and covers 85 acres along the waterfront. What to do at the Brooklyn Bridge Park? There are a lot of outdoor activities in Brooklyn to enjoy, from just walking around at green spaces, to roller skating, to spending time with your kids at children’s playgrounds and much more. You should not miss Jane’s Carousel, a merry-go-round that has 48 carved horses you could ride. It’s located in a glass pavilion and is a favorite spot in the park for many, children in particular. It was built in 1992 and it’s very popular today as well.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
This is probably the favorite place in town for many. It’s located in the center of Brooklyn and covers 52 acres. Brooklyn Botanic Garden was founded some 100 years ago and to this day it has not lost anything of its appeal – for both tourists and residents. Right after moving to Brooklyn, you will most likely feel like a tourist for some time. You will want to discover the city just like a proper tourist would do and you surely will not want to miss the beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Garden. This place is a true oasis at the heart of the city and that’s one more thing that makes it so special.
If you take a walk around the garden, you will find out that garden’s paths span over ponds and creeks, that there’s much of lush forestry and that there are so many various plants. The garden is very family-friendly and there’s a Children’s Garden, where kids can grow vegetables, flowers and herbs, taking the opportunity to learn about nature and plants. Visitors also love visiting the Fragrance Garden and if you’re a lady I’m sure you can relate. Another popular attraction is the Herb Garden. On top of all of this, there are some near-by museums, so you could plan some outdoor activities in Brooklyn and some culture exploring altogether.

Marine Park & Salt Marsh Nature Center
This is such a great place if you’re looking for a getaway from a bustling city. It spreads on 530 acres of grassland, so you can imagine what a great time you could spend there. If you’re a bird watcher, that’s even better. But even if you’re not, there are plenty of outdoor options to choose from, such as kayaking and biking. The Salt Marsh Nature Center offers a lot of different outdoor activities and you could come to have fun while in Brooklyn with your family or friends. On top of that, there are live entertainment events and the Marine Park calendar is packed with various activities. People also head to the Marine Park when they want some great photos and the place is known as a very popular backdrop for wedding photography.
Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk
Coney Island is a super popular destination in NYC and beyond, in the whole country. It’s that popular not so much because of the beach, but because of its history. It probably won’t take you long after you’ve moved to Brooklyn to come and visit Coney Island – unless it was a local Brooklyn move, in which case you’ve already visited this place many times. You’ll find the largest number of people in the summer over there, but it’s definitely not a deserted place in the off-season either. People come to take a stroll down the Boardwalk, play some arcade games or ride the popular Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster, that’s almost a century old. New York Aquarium is just near-by – we know it doesn’t belong to the list of outdoor activities in Brooklyn, but it certainly helps when another attraction is within the close proximity. Abe Stark Skating Center is also close and it’s a place you should not miss to visit in the wintertime.

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival
If you’ve forgotten by some chance that you should be celebrating life when living in Brooklyn, here’s a great festival to remind you of that fact. BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival takes place in Prospect Park in the summer and hosts numerous live performances. It’s known as the NYC longest-running outdoor arts festival. It’s been there for almost 40 years and the admission is free. So come to join the party!
What are some other outdoor activities in Brooklyn you could enjoy?
The list is never-ending, quite literally. Here’s what else we have picked for you:
- Go for a free kayaking, it’s a great fun in the hot summer days.
- Take a bike tour and explore the city even more.
- Try a walking tour – yes, you can actually walk in New York City, how amazing is that?
- Check some public pools in the city and enjoy your summer.
- Visit some farmer’s markets while in Brooklyn.
- Go and explore some of the islands near-by.
- Have you ever considered to go camping in Brooklyn? Oh, you should!
- Watch an outdoor movie under the night sky and…
- Make sure not to miss some of the famous rooftop bars in New York City. They are plenty as Brooklyn has its fair share of the outdoor rooftop bars.
The list doesn’t end there, there’s so much more to do and enjoy while in Brooklyn. The best part is, living in Brooklyn combines a life in a big city and so many outdoor activities. If you’re thinking of moving to Brooklyn, don’t hesitate, that will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. So pack your belongings, get them onto the truck (it won’t be you doing this actually) and come over here. Brooklyn is such a fun place to be!