NYC has five boroughs; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island. Each borough has its significance and various tourist destinations. Here, we go to Brooklyn, next to Manhattan. It’s a great urban oasis that offers several attractions, events, eateries, and free things to do in Brooklyn, NY. You will find fascinating sightseeing, historical heritage sites, public parks, art galleries, shopping spots, and convention centers.
This borough is famous for its flavorsome food, cafes, bars, and dining spots. The most interesting fact about Brooklyn is that you don’t need to drain your wallet for fun and attractions, and you may enjoy several amusing activities and free things to do in Brooklyn.
If you’re a budget traveler, a new visitor, or a tourist, you will find various reasonable accommodations to stay in this borough as compared to Manhattan and several of the best things in New York. Williamsburg is the best neighborhood for affordable options in Brooklyn. If you want to stay away from the hustle and bustle of streets and busy traffic on Manhattan roads, this place is the best for cool vibes and an affordable stay.
21 Fun Activities and Free Things to do in Brooklyn
Let’s see great attractions, various fun activities, and free things to do in Brooklyn for kids, families, tourists, and new visitors in NYC.
1. Free Entry at the New York Aquarium
New York Aquarium is in Coney Island, Brooklyn. It is the most fantastic attraction for everyone. Kids, families, and tourists love to explore marine wildlife and wonderful ocean creatures from a closer look. This aquarium is ticketed all week, but the public can get free access on Wednesdays in evenings till night. It’s a fantastic opportunity to explore this aquarium and experience the ocean life from a close-up. It’s one of the most incredible things to do with kids in Brooklyn. This aquarium holds over three hundred marine species like seals, sharks, penguins, and various rare fishes. You can enjoy aquatic life experiences like Marine Wild Encounter and Aqua Theater Show to get a closer look at ocean creatures in the water and learn more about them from their keepers at the aquarium.
2. Stroll Around the DUMBO
DUMBO is the short form of Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. It’s a wonderful waterfront neighborhood in Brooklyn, displaying the fascinating views of Manhattan Bridge, art collections, exclusive boutiques, leading brand outlets, a flavorful culinary scene, and stunning photo ops.
The DUMBO is famous for its remarkable scenic views and the most famous street is Washington Street. You can get awe-inspiring views of the fabulous architecture of Brooklyn Bridge on this street. It’s an awesome spot for stunning views and fantastic photo clicks.
Let’s see more facts about the Brooklyn Bridge and its historical architecture.
3. Stunning Murals at the Bushwick Street Art Collections
Bushwick is a famous neighborhood in Brooklyn for its street art collectives on the walls. It’s a fabulous art collection from the creative local artists who brought their work on the Bushwick walls and the unique things. You can get a walking tour at the Bushwick streets to explore the fascinating art collectives. Various local artists spread their creativity with flushing colors to portray captivating images, alphabetic art, and stunning murals on the giant walls, and it’s free to access for the public. You can get fantastic photo clicks with these art collectives and share them with friends and family.
4. Free Access to Musical Concerts
Brooklyn has a great venue for performing arts, musical concerts, dance performances, film festivals, and other events at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This music academy hosts a free public event annually and a musical concert series in the daytime. The public has free access to musical concerts at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It is part of summer festivals in Brooklyn, and it’s one of the most interesting things for new visitors. Experienced artists, musicians, and new vocalists perform in this musical concert series to showcase their talent to the public.
5. Free Cultural Center Bric House
Bric House is the free cultural center that hosts new talent and mid-level singers, artists, and musicians presenting their creative art and craft and live performances. All of these live shows and performances are free for the public. This cultural center offers a massive art gallery with great art collections and artifacts and is completely free for everyone. They host free workshops and workspaces for new talent and artists. This cultural center has a TV studio, a media center, and a café open all the time. Some shows and live performances cost a little, but usually, most of them are free.
6. Explore Dyker Heights during the Holiday Season
Dyker Heights is a residential area in Brooklyn filled with lush green trees beside the pathway, and the residents organize the Christmas holiday season with iconic celebrations and superb characterization famous in NYC. The residents of this area decorate a giant Christmas tree around Dyker Heights with fancy ornaments, fascinating characters like Santa Claus, and sparkling Christmas lights with sweet melodies of Christmas Carol. People love to explore these celebrations during the holiday season, and they are free for the public.
7. Enjoy A Sunny Day at the Brighton Beach
Summer has hot vibes and lets you cool down to get a swim in the Atlantic Ocean. Plan a picnic on a sunny day at the Brighton Breach, and it’s free for the public in Brooklyn. Soak in the sunbeams on the soft sandy seashore, play with ocean waves, enjoy water sports, or dive into the ocean to explore marine life. Whether you are a local or a visitor, you must enjoy this Little Russia in Brooklyn. Brighton Beach Avenue, beside the seashore, has various stores and shops where you can access anything you want. Explore the American Russian Culture in this area and have fun with a great picnic at the beach. It’s the coolest thing to do in Brooklyn in summer.
8. Best Place for Study Public Library in Brooklyn
The Main Campus of the Public Library is at Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. This giant library holds great treasures, over a million books, pictures, maps, catalogs, and historical journals on different languages, art and culture, history, science, geography, and more. It’s a giant home of information and the best venue for students, researchers, writers, and bookworms. This place has stunning architecture and a beautiful Eagle sculpture that admires the great structure of the building and presents fantastic photo ops.
9. Rest, Relax, and Refresh at Domino Public Park
The Domino public waterfront park is beside the East River in Williamsburg. It’s the best free public spot for resting and relaxing, enjoying water waves and refreshing breeze, lush greenery around, and scenic views of the city skyline. People like to walk around the long pathways, do morning meditations, do Yoga and bike rides, and kids love to play at the beautiful playground.
10. Enjoy Free Movie Nights at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park is a fantastic free waterfront public space with lavish greenery. Anyone can rest and relax in this green space and enjoy fresh vibes along the waves of water. The park authority hosts free movie nights at the park, and everyone can get free access. You can grab a big popcorn pack and a classic espresso coffee while watching movies under the starlight. However, all you need to do is arrive earlier and reserve a spot to avoid long waiting in the crowds. There are food stalls, a play area, and swings for kids, and more fun for everyone.
11. The Historical Heritage Old Stone House
The historical heritage Old Stone house looks like a Dutch stone house. This historical site is located in Washington Park and is associated with the Brooklyn battles and the American Revolutionary War in the past. This old stone house offers free access to the public at weekends and also hosts exhibitions presenting art from the past war. They also host free live musical performances in various seasons in the house outdoor space.
12. Enjoy Picnic at Lush Green Prospect Park
This massive green space is free for the public, and everyone can enjoy a picnic with kids and families. This park has various playgrounds for kids, swings, games, and fun activities, food and drinks, a Zoo, an ice-skating rink, wooden benches, and a long walking pathway. Kids can enjoy the bike rides around the park. You can enjoy skating, bird watching, boating, fishing, running and walking, and practicing Yoga and meditation in the park.
13. Enjoy Free Classical Music at Barge Music
Barge Music is an organization that offers free classical music concerts for the public. It’s located at Brooklyn Bridge Blvd. The organization hosts over two hundred musical concerts and live performances around the year, which are free access to the public. These musical concerts are organized at the floating hall, which has one hundred and forty seats for the guests. Food and drinks are not permitted. However, people can ask the musicians and performers questions regarding their performances at the venue.
14. Get the Free Writing Workshops at Superhero Supply Store
Superhero Supply Store is the most stunning spot where you can shop superhero items and it’s one of the weird things to do in Brooklyn. However, this store offers free tutoring for school students and writing workshops for young ones and teens. This store sells weird and quirky superhero accessories like superhero characters and figurines, novels, costumes, masks, gadgets, toys, and superhero posters. It’s not necessary to buy an item from the store, but you have a free tour to explore strange superhero items like an antique chair used for mind reading, a wind tunnel, and a quirky apparatus.
15. Grab Some Vintage Items from Brooklyn Flea Market
You can dig out the treasure at the Brooklyn Flea Market. Grab some vintage items or some antique pieces for arts and crafts or home decorations. This massive open-air market has everything but no low-price options. Even a few antique items may be pricey. You can visit the best thrift stores for great vintage pieces, but this flea market has a vast collection of vintage and various other fun activities.
16. Brighton Jubilee Annual Festival
The Brighton Jubilee Annual Festival is organized in Brighton, Brooklyn, on the last Sunday in August every year. It’s free and accessible to the public, and people can enjoy various live performances, multiple stages for dance and live music, and several fun activities for kids and families. Several food flavors, snacks like hot dogs, sandwiches, and delicious bagel shops are available for food lovers and chilling fun rides for kids. The festival offers free access to the public. However, they need to buy tickets for various activities, food, and drinks at the festival.
17. Adam Yauch Playground in Brooklyn Heights
Adam Yauch Playground is a free park for kids and little ones in Brooklyn Heights. This playground and park are covered with lush green trees, a basketball court for kids, a lavish greenhouse, a fitness area, a dog-run space, and a fascinating lavish garden. This playground is named after Adam Yauch, a famous film producer and artist.
18. Grab a Book from the Brooklyn Book Festival
Bookworms and students can get interesting books, novels, journals, atlas, and comics from the Brooklyn Book Festival. It’s free and accessible to the public. This festival showcases the great authors' language and literature works across the nation. The festival hosts various other activities and events like live comedy performances, book reading competitions, and live musical performances.
19. Explore the Green Market Grand Army Plaza
The Green Market Grand Army Plaza is held annually at the Grand Army Plaza, entry of Prospect Park. This green market has several vendors selling fresh produce, fresh fruits, veggies, and even homemade and ready-to-eat items at affordable prices. This market is free and accessible for everyone, and you can explore lovely fresh green produce in the market.
20. Interference Archive Library in Park Slope
Interference Archive Library is in Park Slope. It’s a private collection of two famous activists Dara and Josh. It’s an activist collection of art. The art gallery also held free events, lectures, arts and crafts workshops, and various live performances. This art gallery is free and accessible to the public in the daytime from Thursday to Sunday.
21. Owls Head Public Park in Bay Ridge
Owl’s Head Public Park is a waterfront park in Bay Ridge. The park hill offers stunning views of New York Harbor, a wide dog run space, a kid’s playground, a basketball court, greenery for picnics, a fitness area, skate parks, and a spray water pool for kids. It’s a great spot for a morning walk and a long run along the water waves and refreshing breeze.
Conclusion
Manhattan is the crowded and busiest place as compared to Brooklyn in New York City. It’s home to several best restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs, fascinating spots to explore, and amusing activities for everyone. Whether you are going to an art gallery, a dining spot, a bar, festivals, events, or a public park, you must enjoy the activities in the neighborhoods. Tourists and travelers like to stay in this borough for its affordable options and comfort. It is a densely populated area, and you may find lots of low-cost and free activities.
