There's tons to do in Brooklyn in the summer, from running in the parks to attending a wonderful First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum. You can eat pizza in Bensonhurst, ice cream in DUMBO and calzone in Carroll Gardens. Watch firework at Coney Island, go fishing off of Sheepshead Bay, and much more.
For starters, here are some great summer activities in Brooklyn. For times and locations, see this month's Calendar of Activities. Have fun!
1. August Biking, Walking and Running through No-Traffic Streets: Summer Streets
Like the best things in life, this only happens once in awhile: NYC streets are closed to traffic so you can cycle, walk, hop, jump rope or dance from the Brooklyn Bridge all the way to Central Park. Find out where, when and (if you really don't get it) why!
2. Visit a 9/11 Memorial in Brooklyn
Life's not all a bowl of cherries. Brooklyn was profoundly impacted by the events of September 11, 2001. Go see for yourself how the borough of Brooklyn has memorialized that day and the people who lost or gave their lives on 9.11.
3. Get Cool When the Heat's Too Hot to Handle
Global warming or just a heat wave. Whatever. But sometimes New York City weather is just too hot to handle. Where to go and what to do, in Brooklyln? Actually, you've got a ton of choices, from seeing movies in your local (air conditioned) public library, to finding a beach or a pool, to window shopping at one of Brooklyn's (air conditioned) malls.
4. Attend Great Summer Concerts (Many are FREE!)
Enjoy great concerts and outdoor music in Brooklyn! It's amazing how many free musical events are held here throughout the summer. So get your calendar out and start making plans. There are at least nine major outdoor venues in Brooklyn with noteworthy concert series coming up this summer:
- Jazz at Herbert Von King Park (FREE) produced by Summer Stage
- Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park (FREE)
- Seaside Summer Concerts in Coney Island (FREE)
- Martin Luther King Concert series at Wingate Field (FREE)
- Rhythm and Blues Series at Metrotech Downtown: produced by BAM (FREE)
- Williamsburg Waterfront aka ‘East River State Park’ (prices start at about $40)
- Shore Road Park Oldies But Goodies in Bay Ridge (FREE)
Also
- May: Brooklyn Bridge Park jazz, salsa and hip hop
- June: Red Hook Jazz Festival
- July 13: Opera at Brooklyn Bridge Park (FREE)
5. Go Boating in Brooklyn! Kayack & Canoe! Or, Take a Ferry to Governors Island
You have lots of opportunities this summer to get on the water.- GO BOATING on Jamaica Bay with the Sebago Bay Canoe Club! Weather permitting, every Saturday is Open Paddle in Jamaica Bay, a National Wildlife Refuge in Brooklyn. You simply will not believe you are in the city! Check out the details of paddling on Jamaica Bay.
- Go BOATING off Brooklyn Bridge Park for free, with experts. You can't beat the views of the Brooklyn Bridge, lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty! Find out more.
- TAKE A TRIP! Governors Island makes for a fabulous weekend outing. Take the ferry from Brooklyn to Governors Island. Bring your bike, or rent a bike there , and explore this fabulous old site. The island is open on Fridays-Sundays, and special tours are offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10am and 1pm.
6. Chill at a Brooklyn Beer Hall
New York City's beer hall tradition has been revived in Brooklyn. Check out various locations, many in Williamsburg, where you can taste imported and locally brewed beers, and relax. It's summer!
7. Visit DUMBO & Bring Your Guests There!
Brooklyn residents may get sick of the Brooklyn Bridge, and even ignore the fact that there's a cool neighborhood right below it: DUMBO. If you haven't been, go. And if you are visiting Brooklyn for the summer, here's what to look for in DUMBO.
8. Watch Outdoor Movies Under the Stars
What fun it is to watch a movie outdoors on a summer evening! Brooklyn offers a wealth of summer movie watching, from rooftop screenings of indie films, to blockbuster movies shown in Brooklyn Bridge Park, to an old silent movie accompanied by a top notch orchestra, shown in Prospect Park's Bandshell. See Jurassic Park in McCarren Park!
Check out the schedule of free outdoor movies this summer in Brooklyn!
- Flicks on the Beach in Coney Island (Mondays, July 11-August 29) Free!
- Movies in McCarren Park in Williamsburg (Wednesdays, July 6-August 24) Free!
- Movies in DUMBO at Brooklyn Bridge Park (Thursdays, July 7- Sept. 1) Free!
- Outdoor Movies at Habana Outpost in Fort Greene (May 29-October 31) Free!
- Rooftop Film Series (May 22-August 29)
9. Do Coney Island: The Mermaid Parade, Cyclones Baseball Games & RollerCoasters
Coney Island is fun just about any time of year, with its rollercoasters, quirky history, and seamy-artistic settings. But the wierdest and wackiest Coney Island event of all is the annual Mermaid Parade, an all-day affair with floats, adults and kids dressed as sea monsters and mermaids and mermen, a parade of antique cars, followed by a post-parade bash at the nearby New York Aquarium.
- Find out about Coney Island's Mermaid Parade
- Ride the Cyclone and two new rollercoasters in Coney Island
- Attend a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game--on the boardwalk!
10. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge, Explore Brooklyn Bridge Park
You can do these three things in an afternoon:
- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge: Why not walk across one of the Big Apple's most famous bridges? Here's how to walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Explore DUMBOWander around Brooklyn's hip neighborhood, and the area nearest the Brooklyn Bridge: DUMBO. Take a little walking tour of DUMBO's Front Street
- Have a picnic near the Brooklyn Bridge. Discover where and what to eat near Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO.
