New York Dearest
The guide, $35
A street · on two New York Dearest lists

DUMBO

Worth it. Home to trendy shops, great eateries and an overall easy-going vibe, this is the only place you want to be on a warm spring night.

Antonina Pattiz
Antonina PattizFrom my guide to DUMBO

Everything I’ve written about DUMBO. It’s on two of my lists, Best things to do in New York City and My favorite photo spots in New York City. I also wrote a whole guide to it, DUMBO guide, the best part of Brooklyn nobody tells you about. First, what I go for, what to know and when to go.

  1. DUMBO guide, the best part of Brooklyn nobody tells you about
  2. Best things to do in New York CityWorth it
  3. My favorite photo spots in New York CityWorth it

Before you go

What I go for

One of my favorite things to do in DUMBO is just walk the waterfront. Start at the Manhattan Bridge, walk along the water through Brooklyn Bridge Park, and end up at the Brooklyn Bridge.

From DUMBO guide, the best part of Brooklyn nobody tells you about
Good to know

Things to do in DUMBO Brooklyn, from the famous photo spot to the best pizza and where to actually spend your time in this tiny waterfront neighborhood.

From DUMBO guide, the best part of Brooklyn nobody tells you about
When to go

In summer, this place is packed with locals having picnics, kids running around, and couples doing that thing where they stare at the skyline together.

From DUMBO guide, the best part of Brooklyn nobody tells you about
Worth it. Been? Say if you agree.

Every list it’s on

Worth it
What I wrote thereFold it away

Sandwiched between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, DUMBO is one of the coolest areas in the city to explore. But like most neighborhoods in NYC, DUMBO wasn’t always trendy.

This used to be an industrial mecca full of monolithic warehouses. Indeed, it was here where many notable inventions occurred, such as the cardboard box (admittedly this was an accidental invention), Brillo pads and tin cans.

Landlords were having a hard time renting warehouses and office space, so they opened them up to tenants on the cheap (which attracted artists in hordes). But word got around, and over time, DUMBO became one of the hippest parts of town, the area was built out over the past 15 years and is a joy to explore.

Here’s some cool places to check out while exploring DUMBO.

  • Time Out Market (grab drinks at the roof top)
  • Admire Jane’s Carousel (hand-carved wooden carousel built in 1922)
  • Take a photo at Washington & Water St. (very famous photo spot)
  • Stroll Brooklyn Bridge Park for some of the best views of NYC.
Read it on the list
Worth it

DUMBO is in the acronym for a beloved New York City neighborhood; Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.

What I wrote thereFold it away

DUMBO is in the acronym for a beloved New York City neighborhood; Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. In fact, this is one of the most visited areas in New York City, and one of the top Instagram spots in New York City. Home to trendy shops, great eateries and an overall easy-going vibe, this is the only place you want to be on a warm spring night.

Read it on the list

Where it is and what’s near

Worth it, within a ten-minute walk
Open it on my map
Nearby on my lists
Best of New York 2026, New York Dearest
On The Best of New York

I put DUMBO on my best list

Get the digital sealRequest a window decal

Missing something?

Seen a closure, a price that moved or a better one next door?

Tell me. The answer lands on this page.

Tell me

The letter

One email a week when New York changes. A place closes, a date lands.

One a week at most. Unsubscribe in one click.