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Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY

Photo: Benhodgson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicDate NightFree

Dumbo

Between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, around Washington St and Water St · Brooklyn, NY

Why you should go…

Dumbo stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, a former warehouse district on the Brooklyn waterfront between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The view north from Washington and Water Streets frames the Manhattan Bridge between brick buildings. You can walk Belgian block streets, catch events at the Dumbo Archway, ride the restored 1922 Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and browse the Civil War-era Empire Stores.

  • #brooklyn waterfront
  • #manhattan bridge view
  • #cobblestone streets
  • #photo spot
  • #public art

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Dumbo, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Brooklyn Bridge

    Free

    Walk the 1883 granite-and-steel icon between Manhattan and Brooklyn, 1.1 miles of skyline, harbor, and gothic arches. Free, always.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Chinatown

    Free

    Walk narrow streets like Mott, Pell and Doyers lined with dim sum halls, bakeries, shops and sidewalk food vendors.

    1.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    New York City

    Free

    The five-borough metropolis behind Broadway, world-class museums, and some of the country's densest sightseeing per block.

    1.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

    $25–$50

    Military and space history museum aboard the retired aircraft carrier USS Intrepid on the Hudson River.

    1.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    Historic

    Fraunces Tavern Museum

    Under $25

    Revolutionary War museum in Manhattan's oldest surviving building, where George Washington bid farewell to his officers in the Long Room in 1783.

    1.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Staten Island Ferry

    Free

    Ride the free ferry across New York Harbor past the Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline.

    1.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours