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This in no way is a comprehensive guide of all the places to visit or things to do in DUMBO, NYC but only a recommendation to spend a fun evening with your friends or loved ones.
NYC DUMBO Neighborhood
DUMBO stands for Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass which is nestled between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge on the Brooklyn side. As soon as you enter DUMBO, you will feel the Brooklyn vibe which is hard to describe in text. DUMBO is known for its stunning views of the city, food, and cobblestone roads.
Evening Guide
I am listing a step-by-step evening guide for DUMBO because it has worked out very well for me on numerous occasions where I was able to have a chill evening with my friends and family.
But this in no way means you have to follow the same evening guide in the same order.
What might interest me, could be dull for you. As such, please feel free to take in whatever you think will be the most fun for you!
A. Harriet’s Rooftop
Let’s kick things off with alcohol and sweeping views of the city. This will be a great introduction to DUMBO.
Harriet’s is located at the top of 1 Hotel and serves really good cocktails which you can sip in while enjoying the New York City skyline.
I would recommend going in the afternoon because it is usually empty and you wouldn’t have a queue to get in.
Understanding it’s New York City and the weather is not always accommodating, you can also enjoy cocktails indoors in the 1 Hotel.
B.1 Old Pier 1 of DUMBO
Old Pier 1 is one of the top photography locations in Brooklyn. It provides an amazing view of the city skyline where you can stop and take multiple photos. You will only meet photographers with tripods here.
And that’s the thing I love about this location is that not many people know about this spot.
B.2 Pier 1 or Brooklyn Bridge Lookout
If you’re not interested in the above location, you can visit the more touristy and photographed Pier 1. This is a beautiful spot where you can take in similar views of the city and Brooklyn Bridge. This is more of a selfie or a group photo spot.
Pro tip: If it’s summer, definitely eat ice cream at Ample Hills. If it’s not, it is still ice cream (:
C. Juliana’s or Grimaldi’s in DUMBO
What’s New York without a slice of pizza? And luckily, DUMBO hosts the two most famous New York pizzerias – Juliana’s and Grimaldi’s. There is a long back story to the pizzerias and their rivalry, which you can read here.
I personally enjoy both the pizza’s, so I would recommend going to the pizzeria with the shortest queue. Please note that these places are cash only.
D. Empire Fulton Ferry Park or Jane’s Carousel
After pizza, head over to Empire Fulton Ferry Park (you can also search for Jane’s Carousel). The park is literally between Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge which lets you take in the DUMBO scenery. One of the top Instagram locations.
As you walk towards the Fulton Ferry Park, you can enjoy the cobblestone streets, graffiti walls, warehouses turned into quaint coffee shops and just the general DUMBO vibe.
You can also walk towards Main Street Park (image below) by the river and get to the rocks. I love to sit here and just enjoy the day.
E. Washington St. and Water St. in DUMBO
Another famous Instagram spot. I do not believe it has a name yet but you can find this photography location at the junction of Washington Street and Water Street in DUMBO. I love how the Empire State Building perfectly aligns with the Manhattan Bridge arch surrounding it with a couple of red-brick buildings and cobblestone roads.
Pro tip: If you need coffee or some amazing cookies, head over to One Girl Cookies. I cannot recommend it enough.
F. Brooklyn Bridge
If you have followed this NYC guide for DUMBO step-by-step, it should probably be evening by now. It’s time to head back to Manhattan. And the best way to do this is to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn Bridge walk in the evening is beautiful. You get to see the Statue of Liberty and walk towards to Manhattan while viewing the skyline in front of you.
After the photography location mentioned above, walk straight towards Washington Street and Prospect Street junction until you see the small entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge photographed as seen in the image. This is a shorter route to get on the bridge.
The walk itself is a 20-30 minute walk to Manhattan and you’ll end up in the Financial District.
Pro tip: If you don’t want to be yelled at, stay away from the bike lane.
There you have it – my complete guide to DUMBO, NYC.
If you want to stay back in Brooklyn for the evening, you can do complete this guide in the reverse order and you will end up on the rooftop bar for sunset (Bullet A). Not bad, eh?
Honorary Mentions
There are a lot more things to do in Brooklyn outside of DUMBO and you can make them part of your DUMBO trip.
You will have to Uber or take the subway to these locations though, as they are a bit further away from DUMBO. But nevertheless, here are my favorites-
- Clover Club: It is one of my absolute favorites and also, part of my speakeasy guide. They have a huge cocktail menu and the bartenders are knowledgeable.
- Leyenda: This bar is right opposite the Clover Club and offers good cocktails and food options.
- Lucali: If you love pizza, you’ve definitely heard of Lucali. Mark Iacono owned Lucali offers one of the best slices New York City has to offer. They take no reservations and the restaurant opens at 5 pm. So, obviously, you have to show up at 4 pm and try to put your name on the list for the same day. If you’re lucky, you will get a table. It’s a cash-only restaurant.
There you are – that’s the complete guide for DUMBO in NYC.
If you like this guide, feel free to check out my East Village guide and Chelsea guide as well!
