Looking for something to do in Brooklyn?
Sure, you can walk across the Brooklyn Bridge just about any time. Or ride the roller coasters at Coney Island. But if that's ho-hum, and you're looking for an interesting destination for a date or family outing, then consider these unusual, fun ideas.
Some are seasonal; some require advance reservations. All will be memorable!
1. Twilight Tour: Electric Boat and Bat Tour in Prospect Park (Summer)
Funky, quirky, and fun: a summertime boat ride in Prospect Park's big lake (called Lullwater), with wine and snacks beforehand at the elegant old Boathouse. After the boat docks an official naturalist takes you on a guided bat tour. Talk about memorable.
2. Chocolate Making at the Mast Brothers Factory (Year-round)
They look like something out of the 18th century, these fastidious fraternal chocolate makers. Make an appointment for a tour and see how their sweet stuff is made.
- Also nearby: Brooklyn Brewery tours
3. Attend Gateway to Nations, NYC Native American Heritage Celebration (June)
Bookmark this for June: New York City's biggest pow-wow. Yes, that's for real. This highly rated event includes traditional dancing, arts, food and crafts. There's also film, educational workshops, and more. It's a full-on celebration of Native American heritage, right in Brooklyn, sponsored by the nonprofit Redhawk Native American Arts Council.4. Hop Aboard Historic Greenwood Cemetery Trolley Tour (Year Round)
OK, a date to a cemetery may seem a little ghoulish—until you hop aboard the cheery trolley and start listening to the amazing tales spun by Green-wood historian Jeff Richman. Plus, Green-wood is gorgeous—and in the spring time boasts a show of flowering cherry trees every bit as lovely as the much busier Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Book ahead to get your seat on the trolley.
5. Paddle a Canoe on the Gowanus Canal-So what if it's a Superfund Site?
Take a self-guided canoe tour on the Gowanus with the highly respected group, Gowanus Dredgers. The polluted Gowanus might well remind you of the old Beach Boys song, Don't Go Near the Water. But the mission of this stalwart, homegrown environmental-community activist group reads as follows:
The Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club intends to contribute to transforming a dilapidated, historically significant estuary into a self-sustaining, environmentally friendly and healthy waterfront to be enjoyed and treasured by current and future generations."
As for your canoe trip, Brooklyn will look quite different from the water! No reservations, but get there early and check the website for availability.
6. Follow Amelia Earhart to Floyd Bennett Field (Year Round)
Bet you've never been out to Aviator Sports (3159 Flatbush Ave., (718) 758-7500) which happens to have not one but two huge ice rinks. Aviator is located at the old Floyd Bennet Field house.This area was the site of New York's first airport and opened in 1931. Legendary avators Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughe took off from Floyd Bennett Field. Today it's part of Gateway National Recreation Area.
The rink's often crowded, but there's a full Chelsea-Piers style sport complex here.
If ice skating's not your preference, climb up to the top of the petite, historic control tower and terminal at Floyd Bennett Field, now a visitor 's center. You'll get a great view of Jamaica Bay—and feel light years away from the city.
7. Bike the Brooklyn Navy Yard (Spring, Summer, Autumn)
There's something special about going into a place that's usually off limits. That'd be the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a combo historical site, creative incubator, and environmental lab. For a date that he or she won't forget, take your tootsie on a bike tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
