The Right Side of the River
So Much To See. So Much To Do.

Experience Brooklyn's sights and culture during a relaxed two-hour neighborhood stroll. Become immersed in Williamburg's laid-back boutiques, eateries, and restored lofts turned art galleries.

Take in a scene that's setting global trends, encounter innovative small-businesses, creative architecture, and vibrant street murals as you're presented with a one-of-a-kind view of New York City's iconic city skyline.

Learn about Brooklyn's legacy as a hub of immigration, manufacturing, and beer brewing. Listen closely to our tour guide for insider information about today's current events. Discover the story of how its culture, identity, and future are being shaped. Oh—and don't forget about a sweet visit to the local artisanal chocolate factory!

By the end of the day, you will have experienced the pulse of one of the most sought-after places in the world and gained insight into its booming popularity. But most importantly, you will understand why Brooklyn is so exciting to explore. 

To learn more about "The Best of Brooklyn" walking tour, complimentary to guests of The Williamsburg Hotel, check out the Brooklyn Unplugged Tours website and plan your adventure today. 

Tackle a winter day snowbird-style: transport yourself to Miami, even if it’s just for pretend. Sip tropical cocktails, nibble on Cuban food, and play shuffleboard like an old-timer at Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club in Gowanus. You can even book a cabana party to reserve a court to yourself with a beverage package.

Also in Gowanus, try your arms (and legs, core, glutes, and more) at indoor rock climbing at Brooklyn Boulders. A day pass gives you access to walls for traditional climbing as well as bouldering. The friendly staff will give you a safety intro, and you don’t even need a partner—just rely on the auto-belay machines for a safe climb and descent. But the spirit of camaraderie abounds in the climbing scene, so you may make a friend or two.

If you’re looking for a game that requires less of a financial commitment, head to Union Hall in Park Slope for a game of bocce over beers in this cozy, book-lined bar.

And right here in Williamsburg, take some clay for a spin with an introductory ceramics class—or a sip and spin class—at Choplet Studio on Grand Street.

If you’re seeking a heavy dose of the holiday spirit, it’s time for you to take a trek on the D and M trains to experience the famed Dyker Heights holiday lights.

For the eighth year in a row, a 3.5-hour holiday bus tour is offered almost every day of the month, so you can witness the neighborhood in full illumination from a comfortable seat (with hot chocolate and a cannoli, too!) The families in the area take decorating to the next level: expect 30-foot toy soldiers and full-blown nativity scenes. If you want to go rogue and stroll the area independently, focus on the blocks from 11th to 13th Avenues (also known as Dyker Heights Blvd) and from 83rd to 86th St.

If you want to stay local, grab tickets to the Brooklyn Ugly Sweater Holiday Bar Crawl right here in Williamsburg. Dust off those vintage wool pieces and join New Yorkers for a ticketed evening of music, drink specials, and giveaways in a bar crawl that starts on Grand Street.

Walking and biking tours abound from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge. Some of them will have you crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, while others will have you eating your way through town.

We recommend tackling Brooklyn in chunks. Fort Greene thrives in the fall, where the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market comes alive with crisp apples, hearty root vegetables, and freshly poured hot apple cider. Surrounded by brunch spots, you can plan a whole day around Fort Greene Park.

Red Hook is particularly accessible by bike thanks to wide lanes and low traffic. From there, you can take a stroll through the cinematically picturesque Greenwood Cemetery. Around Halloween, the great looming trees and sculptural tombstones are truly in their element.

East River State Park: Check out Smorgasburg every Saturday morning, or head to this grassy open space in the late afternoon for a stunning sunset over the Manhattan Skyline. Just south, you’ll find the N 5th Street Pier, where you can catch the ferry to Manhattan.

McCarren Park & Pool: Go for a stroll before 9 am on weekdays to catch the spectacle that is a leash-free hour for the local pups. Or head there in the afternoon with a blanket to snooze or picnic under the broad-leaved trees that surround this neighborhood hub. For extra refreshment, swim some laps or make a splash at the famously clean McCarren Park public pool, which is open daily from 11 am – 3 pm and again from 4 pm – 7 pm.

WNYC Transmitter Park: Head north into Greenpoint for another angle of Manhattan’s skyline at this 6-acre waterfront spot. There is a long, walkable pier that juts out into the water, where you can really catch a breeze.

Over 100,000 cultural trendsetters will flock to North Brooklyn (comprised of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Bushwick) for an urban festival that exposes the future of music, innovation, and creative content. Now in its tenth year, the Northside Festival will gather over 300 bands and 150 speakers across a constellation of 30 venues from June 6-10. Experience music and inspiration from the expansive McCarren Park to the most intimate boutique venues. Bedford Avenue will be transformed into a block party during the weekend of the festivals, so stroll over for some pop-up fun.

If you want to venture further for quirky festivity, look no further than the Mermaid Parade to be held June 22 on Coney Island. This celebration of ancient mythology and honky-tonk seaside rituals showcases over 3,000 creative individuals from all over the five boroughs and beyond, and is considered by some to be the grand opening of the summer. Come check out the flow of bedazzled mermen and mermaids, dripping in DIY oceanic details.

This Friday, April 5, the 11th annual Brooklyn Folk Festival will kick off three days of blues, folk, jug band, and Americana music in Brooklyn Heights.

Recover from rocking out by perusing the Oddities Flea Market, just a mile north of the Williamsburg Hotel in Greenpoint. On April 6, explore an eclectic selection of items across three floors of Brooklyn Bazaar: unusual jewelry, medical ephemera, obscure decor, and even taxidermy.

Wind down from all of that eccentricity with the Bloody Mary Festival on April 7. This Park Slope festival claims to offer the craftiest and most creative Bloody Marys from the Lower East Side to Greenpoint.

Stick around or return the following weekend for the Springtime Park Slope Art Exhibit and Sale, to take place Saturday & Sunday, April 6-7 and 13-14 at the Ossam Gallery. Paintings, watercolors, prints, collages, photographs, ceramics, and sculpture by local artists will all be for sale.

“Black in Brooklyn”: On February 23rd, you can take a trolley tour through Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, where notables like Susan Smith McKinney Steward, the first female black doctor in New York State and Brooklyn-born artist Jean-Michel Basquiat have been laid to rest.

The Arts and Dr. King in Harlem: Explore Harlem and enjoy the 10th annual exhibition and sale that celebrates African-American art in all its forms. The opening reception includes a champagne toast and live jazz, and the event runs from February 14-17th. While in Harlem, check out the "Crusader: Martin Luther King Jr." exhibition at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Support Black Female Comedians: At the Knitting Factory right here in Williamsburg on Metropolitan Ave., you can crack up with three supremely funny ladies at 9 pm every Sunday of the month. Don’t miss a free stand-up show from Marie Faustin, Sydnee Washington, and Aminah Imani.