Must-Visit Spots Near NYU’s Brooklyn Campus

NYU’s Brooklyn campus centers around the Brooklyn Commons Park, with various NYU buildings, eateries, and even a historical landmark, the Wunsch Building, a part of the Underground Railroad which later became a center for the abolitionist movement in the 19th century. The campus feels nice and compact, as all the academic buildings are very close together. At the same time, it is still very much in a big city with many popular restaurants and stores nearby.

Less than a ten-minute walk from campus is CityPoint Brooklyn, which conveniently has a Trader Joe’s, Target, and the DeKalb Food Market Hall. Also in Downtown Brooklyn is one of my favorite New York museums, the New York Transit Museum, which holds over a hundred years of transportation history. Anyone can access free tickets to the museum with a New York Public Library card.

Brooklyn Heights is directly adjacent to Downtown Brooklyn. This neighborhood is where Clark Street, one of the NYU Brooklyn Residence Halls, is located. It is one of my favorite neighborhoods to walk around and explore. There is so much to see, from the traditional brownstone homes to the Brooklyn Promenade overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Montague Street is one of my particular favorites, as it is home to iconic spots such as the first retail Häagen-Dazs store, the bookstore Books Are Magic, and the Brooklyn Cat Cafe.

DUMBO is a Brooklyn neighborhood that is about a 15-minute’s walk north of Brooklyn Commons. It’s home to the iconic photo spot under the Manhattan Bridge. Brooklyn Bridge Park is also located in DUMBO, sharing the large park with the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood. The piers have courts for sports, tables for barbecuing, and even a mini beach!

Lots of events are hosted here, from weekly movie nights during the summer, festivals, the Brooklyn Flea Market every weekend, screenings of the US Open, and other celebrations. During the winter, they set up an ice rink right under the Brooklyn Bridge!