Brooklyn is full of major touristy gems that only the locals know about. There are small cafes, bars, parks, and pieces of history scattered all around this NYC bourough. So, if you’re looking for things to do in Brooklyn, then you’ve come to the right place.
Tourist attractions are all fine and good. But, it can get exhausting standing in a line for hours just to experience a known location for five minutes. And, wouldn’t you like to see something a little different?
Here are 9 things to do in Brooklyn that you definitely won’t see in any travel guide:
Green-Wood Cemetery
I know what you’re thinking…a cemetery, what? But, listen up! This cemetery is actually a super cool thing to see in Brooklyn. And, it’s a historical site that was first established in 1838. There are some really well-known and amazing people buried here. Go here to check out the graves of famous councilmen, journalists, artists, and military men.
Bushwick Collective Street Art
Ok, have you ever wandered around Brooklyn and stumbled upon a really awesome piece of street art? If not, we’d be surprised. Brookly is full of graffitti artists, sharing their talents with the world. And, Bushwick is at the center of all of this! So, do yourself a favor- grab a coffee and get lost on the small streets of Bushwick. We guarantee you’ll find a new favorite mural. Better get that Insta filter ready!
Dead Horse Bay
Dead Horse Bay…yeah, it doesn’t sound super pleasant. But, the truth is, you can find some beautiful sea glass here. That’s why it made it onto our list of things to do in Brooklyn. And, if you want to know a secret- the reason it’s called Dead Horse Bay is because it was originally the location of a horse rendering plant. But, hey, forget about that and fill your pockets with the plethora of glass.
Robotic Church
So, robots and churches usually don’t mix. But, somehow Brooklyn just makes anything work. This Redhook neighborhood church has been turned into a robotic orchestra thanks to Amphoric Robot Works. Each musical robot is uniquely crafted. And, they come in all shapes and sizes. One is even 15ft. tall!
Brooklyn Art Library
The Brooklyn Art Library is located in the beautiful neighborhood of Williamsburg, just over the bridge in Brooklyn. It is the home to over 41,000 sketchbooks from over 130 countries. People can sign up to receive a blank sketchbook. Once they receive it, they fill it up and send it back and it is cataloged at the library for guests to enjoy. Talk about connecting artists and art-lovers!
Coney Island Sideshow School
The Coney Island sideshow is bringing the “freak” back to carnivals. Not only can you catch live game shows here, but you can attend school, as well as their annual tattoo and motorcycle festival. They even have film screenings and a haunted house! There is just so much to do. This is definitely a thing to check out while in Brooklyn.
The Puppet Library
The Puppet Library is located in Brooklyn College. This library of painted puppets was originally in Boston, but then moved to the Brooklyn campus. It allows puppeteers to store their puppets there. And, it’s a great place to slowly wander around if you are visiting Brooklyn and have some time to spare. Every puppet is beautifully handcrafted and totally unique.
The Fake Townhouse
Have you ever heard of the fake townhouse in Brooklyn? We didn’t think so. It is situated on Joralemon St. in Brooklyn Heights and unless you knew it was fake before viewing it, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell! The sham townhouse is actually just a lovely cover for a subway ventilator. Huh, who knew?
Park Slope Plane Crash Site
In 1960 a plane crashed in the Park Slope area of Brooklyn. And, you can still see the remanants of it today. At the time, it was the deadliest plane crash to date, killing 134 people. There was one initial survivor, an 11-year-old boy from Illinois. He survived by being launched onto a soft snowbank. Though, it may be a darker tourist attraction, this is an absolute must-see thing to do in Brooklyn.
