21 Unique Things to Do in Brooklyn
Are you looking for something unique to do in Brooklyn?
Brooklyn has incredibly unique shops, restaurants, neighborhoods, and people. Whether you live in Brooklyn, visit often, or are planning your very first trip to Brooklyn, there is something fun on this list for every interest.
Most people know about walking over the Brooklyn Bridge, and lots of people even know about getting pizza and ice cream before walking over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan (for the best views), but there is so much more to Brooklyn.
Head deeper into Brooklyn on your own or on a tour and check out some of the unique things to do in the diverse neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
I lived in Brooklyn for more than a decade and it continues to be my absolute favorite place to be.
Keep reading to find out the best unique things to do in Brooklyn.
Unique Things to Do in Brooklyn
Instead of New York Cheesecake, try Steve’s Key Lime Pie
While Brooklyn is well known for Junior’s Cheesecake, it isn’t the only delicious dessert in town. For a little slice of Key West in Brooklyn, try Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies.
Visitors can get whole key lime pies, smaller key lime tarts, or a frozen slice of chocolate-covered key lime pie.
Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies is located in Red Hook near the waterfront.
Play Shuffleboard Indoors
While Florida is on your mind with the key lime pie, it is time to play shuffleboard. Royal Palms Shuffleboard sounds like it belongs on the beaches of Florida, not in Brooklyn.
This shuffleboard court is inside and includes a DJ and tropical drinks. Walk-ins are welcome, and there are even league nights at Royal Palms Shuffleboard in Gowanus.
Join a Bocce Ball League
Whether you want to join a bocce ball league or play for an hour, there are options for both in Brooklyn.
Union Hall has both a league and bocce courts available for walk-in guests. Union Hall is a multi-level bar, restaurant, and concert venue on the north end of Park Slope.
Floyd NY, also has a bocce league and walk-in bocce available. Bocce is free to play and always available unless it is during league play. Floyd NY is on the border of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, though rumor is they are moving to Carroll Gardens.
Go Underground and Learn about the New York City Subway System
Did you know that there are hidden subway stations in Brooklyn? View the oldest subway station in Brooklyn, find the hidden stations in Brooklyn, and view public art in the subway stations throughout Brooklyn on the Subway Secrets and Hidden Stations Walking Tour.
To learn more about the New York Subway System, head to the Transit Museum. The Transit Museum is located inside a subway station in Downtown Brooklyn.
Visiting Brooklyn in the summer? Sign up for a nostalgia ride on a vintage train.
Find a Secret Subway Exit Hidden as a Brownstone
58 Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights looks just like the other brownstones it is attached to, but no one lives there. The building is a New York City subway vent and serves as an emergency exit.
Have you thought about having a photo shoot while you are in New York City? Check out NYC Photo Journeys to get matched with a professional photographer. You can book a photo shoot or even a private tour + photo shoot throughout the day.
Use code MAKEMOREADVENTURES for $10 off.
Explore Brooklyn by Bicycle
Biking in Brooklyn on your own might seem a little scary, and if that is the case, join in on a bike tour of Brooklyn for a unique way to get around the borough.
For those who want a shorter ride, check out this 10-mile, 2-hour bike ride over the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge and visit the waterfront neighborhoods.
Want to ride deeper into Brooklyn? The Half-Day Cycling Tour visits 25 of Brooklyn’s unique neighborhoods and includes both breakfast and lunch.
There is even a Beer Tasting Bike Tour of Queens and Brooklyn that includes biking to multiple craft breweries. Tastings and vouchers for a complimentary beer are handed out on the bike tour, and participants are welcome to purchase cans and growlers for later consumption, but no additional beer can be purchased and consumed on the beer-tasting bike tour.
Learn the Art of Graffiti
There are options for those who wish to learn about graffiti and those who wish to make their own.
Bushwick is well known in Brooklyn, but it isn’t a place that most visitors have on their must-see list. Bushwick is off the beaten path even for those who live in other Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Known for its unique art scene, Bushwick, Brooklyn, is full of street art. Join the Brooklyn Street Art Walking Tour to learn about the history and culture of street art in Bushwick.
Those inspired to make their own graffiti can attend a Brooklyn graffiti lesson. The result of your graffiti lesson is available for you to bring home, which makes for the perfect, unique Brooklyn Souvenir. Even kids can participate in this off-the-beaten-path art workshop.
Instead of the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center, Check out the Christmas Lights in Dyker Heights
Of course, check out the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center too, but after that, get on the subway and head to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn to see the incredible Christmas Lights.
You can wander around Dyker Heights on your own or join in on a tour. There are options for both bus tours around the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights and walking tours. Generally, the walking tours are less expensive as they begin in Brooklyn and don’t include transportation.
Find the best bus, walking, and private tours of the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights!
Drink at a Winery While Looking at the Statue of Liberty
While the grapes aren’t grown in Red Hook, the wine-making process from grape to bottle is completed at Red Hook Winery on Pier 41 in Brooklyn.
Book a tasting and try 6 of Red Hook Winery’s wines while learning about the history of the winery and background on the wines from a sommelier. Charcuterie plates and other snack items are available for purchase.
Enjoy the cheese and wine with a view of the river and the Statue of Liberty.
Tour a Whisky Distillery
Learn about the process of making whisky on a tour of Widow Jane in Red Hook. The tour ends with a whisky-tasting flight.
Try a Bunch of Brooklyn Restaurants and Bakeries
Brooklyn has an incredible amount of delicious restaurants and bakeries, and it is impossible, even for Brooklyn locals, to try them all. Food tours are a great way to be able to learn about a unique neighborhood and have the opportunity to try many different food items in just a few hours.
Food tours are available all over Brooklyn. Some are neighborhood-specific, while others focus on one type of food.
Those who wish to learn more about the neighborhoods on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge can sign up for the Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO neighborhood food tour. Other Brooklyn neighborhood food tours include a tour of Williamsburg with Mexican, Polish, and Oklahoma BBQ food stops and a food tour of Brownstone Brooklyn with tastes of Middle Eastern, Italian, and New American cuisine on Court Street and Smith Street.
Head to South Brooklyn on the Coney Island and Brighton Beach food tour. On this tour, not only will you get to see the Amusement Park at Coney Island, but you will also taste New York classics such as Nathan’s hot dogs and pizza. Plus, Brighton Beach is a neighborhood filled with unique Russian shops and restaurants, as well as Turkish and Uzbek restaurants.
While the Hasidic walking tour of Williamsburg isn’t necessarily a food tour, there are food stops on this unique tour in Brooklyn. Visitors will learn about the Jewish area in Williamsburg and taste delicious kosher food.
Brooklyn food tours allow both locals and visitors to learn more about the unique neighborhoods.
Pizza is not unique in Brooklyn, but a pizza walking tour is. Not only will visitors be able to taste different types of pizza in Downtown Brooklyn, but they will also be able to go behind the scenes, meet restaurant owners, and learn about the pizza-making process.
If you would rather make your pizza, there is a Brooklyn Pizza Making Class that includes a dessert pizza.
The Guided Walking Tour of Brooklyn’s Donut Scene stops at multiple donut shops in Brooklyn’s unique neighborhoods.
Learn Circus Tricks
Have you always wanted to fly high on the trapeze? Head to Trapeze School NY for trapeze lessons and to learn other circus tricks.
Go on a Scavenger Hunt
Solve clues and puzzles while exploring new (or frequently visited) Brooklyn neighborhoods on a scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts are a fun way to tour a city, and Brooklyn has options when it comes to choosing a scavenger hunt.
Take an app lead tour at a time that works for you. The app starts when you want and gives you clues to solve as you wander through Brooklyn. For other app-led tours, check out When Elephants Roamed, 3 Quest Challenge, Zombie Scavengers, or Wacky Walks.
Planning a party or team-building event? Watson’s Adventures has a bunch of unique scavenger hunt options all over Brooklyn. From a woman-focused scavenger hunt at the Brooklyn Museum to Coney Island to the Brooklyn Skyline at Sunset, and even scavenger hunts for kids, Watson’s Adventures has a fun day in Brooklyn for every kind of interest.
Prefer to eat your way through a scavenger hunt? Sign up for a Mystery Picnic through AmazingCo. AmazingCo has mystery picnics for couples, groups of friends, and families. Each group can start when they want and solve clues and puzzles to find the next food stop. After collecting all of their food, AmazingCo suggests a picnic spot to enjoy the bounty.
Explore 478 Acres of Art, History, and Nature
Maybe you haven’t ever thought of touring a cemetery, but Greenwood Cemetery is worth a wander.
Visitors can enter Greenwood Cemetery for free daily and can walk around on their own. Tours are also available. There are trolley tours and walking tours throughout Greenwood Cemetery. Greenwood Cemetery also hosts concerts.
Greenwood Cemetery is home to many famous athletes, artists, and authors. The gravesites vary from basic to ornate and are extremely unique. Keep your eyes out for the “spritz cookies” gravesite, which includes what looks like an open recipe book with the spritz cookie recipe engraved on top of the gravestone.
Statues, pyramids, and mausoleums are included throughout Greenwood Cemetery, along with the beautiful hills and views of the city.
Greenwood Cemetery has multiple entrances, but the main entrance is located by South Slope in Greenwood Heights.
Learn a New Skill
Brooklyn presents unique opportunities to learn new skills. Brooklyn Brainery offers courses taught by local experts in many different topics, including woodburning, glass etching, cooking, and history classes. Currently, some Brooklyn Brainery courses are offered in person while others are offered online, which means participants don’t even need to be in Brooklyn for these unique opportunities.
Throughout Brooklyn, there are many classes available, including the opportunity to make yourself a unique souvenir. Some of these classes include neon sign-making, vegan soap-making, and making chocolate truffles.
Not sure what kind of class you want to take? Brooklyn has an incredible amount of unique workshop options. Check out Class Bento to view various workshops around New York City.
Tour a Farm on a Brooklyn Rooftop
The world’s largest rooftop soil-based farm is spread across 3 rooftops in Brooklyn. Brooklyn Grange produces over 100,000 pounds of produce each year.
Tours of the rooftops are available, as are classes and events on this unique Brooklyn rooftop. For those looking for a unique party venue, Brooklyn Grange hosts weddings, dinners, and cocktail parties.
Yoga classes are held at Brooklyn Grange, as are workshops on beekeeping, art, and farming.
Listen to a Concert on a Floating Barge
Bargemusic is exactly what it sounds like: music played on a barge. The barge is located at Fulton Ferry landing by the Brooklyn Bridge, and concert-goers can listen to music while looking at the Manhattan Skyline and the East River.
Visit a Dutch Farmhouse from the Revolutionary War
The Old Stone House now sits by J.J. Byrne Playground in Park Slope. While the Old Stone House was built using some of the original materials, it is a replica of the Dutch Farm House that had an important role in a battle during the Revolutionary War.
Now, the Old Stone House is open to the public as a museum. Workshops and other events are held at the Old Stone House.
Tour the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Brooklyn Army Terminal
Once an active shipyard for the US Navy, the Brooklyn Navy Yard is now home to more than 450 businesses. Tours are currently running at the Navy Yard, including a Past, Present, and Future Tour, World War 2 walking tours, and architecture and infrastructure tours.
For those who want to head down to the Brooklyn Navy Yard but are not on a tour, there are public spaces open, including a museum in Building 92, as well as shops and restaurants in Building 77.
Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Point also has a tour. The Brooklyn Army Terminal was once the largest military supply base in the USA and is now an industrial park with more than 100 businesses.
Relax at a Russian Bathhouse
If you are looking for a unique and relaxing way to spend the day, a Russian Bathhouse is the place to be.
Pretend like you left Brooklyn with a trip to Brooklyn Banya, a Russian Bathhouse in Kensington, south of Prospect Park. Spa treatments are available, and the bathhouse has a pool, jacuzzi, steam room, and both a wet and dry sauna.
The restaurant at Brooklyn Banya is currently closed, but check their website for up-to-date information.
More options for Russian Bathhouses in Brooklyn include Mermaid Spa in Seagate and Russian Bath of NY in Sheepshead Bay.
Go to the Museum of Food and Drink
The Museum of Food and Drink moved to DUMBO in 2024.
That’s right, a whole museum dedicated to eating around the world is located in Brooklyn.
MOFAD offers workshops both online and in person.
Unique Accommodations in Brooklyn
The Box House Hotel, Greenpoint
An old factory turned into a unique loft-style 3-star accommodation in Greenpoint, Box House Hotel is anything but a standard hotel room.
Some of the rooms are apartment-style with a kitchenette and a fold-out couch, and some of the rooms at The Box House Hotel have terraces and views of Midtown Manhattan.
Every room at The Box House Hotel has unique and original artwork.
All guests have access to a fitness center, sauna, business center, and laundry facilities.
Nu Hotel, Boerum Hill
A 3-star hotel on Smith Street, Nu Hotel is in a great location close to multiple subway lines, shops, and restaurants.
Nu Hotel is a small, pet-friendly hotel with a continental breakfast, a fitness center, and a small business center.
The rooms are unique at Nu Hotel, with a Brooklyn-themed twist.
Many of the rooms at Nu Hotel are artist-designed and include amazing murals.
Some of the rooms include bunk beds and even hammocks.
Akwaaba Mansion, Stuyvesant Heights
Want to stay in a 1800s Victorian Mansion during your trip to Brooklyn?
Akwaaba Mansion is just 15 minutes from Manhattan and is such a unique bed and breakfast in Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn.
There are only 4 guest rooms at Akwaaba Mansion, and some of the rooms include a jacuzzi. Akwaaba Mansion has a TV and a Game room as well as a library.
A southern-style breakfast is included, as is afternoon tea.
Akwaaba Mansion is currently ranked #1 for bed and breakfasts in Brooklyn on TripAdvisor.
Pod Brooklyn Hotel, Williamsburg
As the name suggests, the 3-star Pod Brooklyn Hotel has small rooms and plenty of common spaces, including courtyards and rooftops.
Some of the rooms at Pod Brooklyn have bunk beds and desks, and all of the rooms are en-suite and private.
Pod Hotel Brooklyn is perfect for visitors who want to spend their time exploring Brooklyn, not sitting in their hotel room.
Unique Brooklyn FAQ
As a former Brooklyn local, this answer is completely subjective! Lots of Brooklyn locals tend to stay in Brooklyn, specifically in their neighborhood.
Most Brooklyn locals have a favorite bodega, coffee shop, bagel shop, and restaurant that they eat at least once a week.
Explore the Brooklyn Museum, walk through Prospect Park and the Botanical Gardens, or play at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Enjoy the nightlife in Williamsburg, on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, or in Gowanus.
Currently, Williamsburg is considered the “hippest” area of Brooklyn. There is a large nightlife scene in Williamsburg, and Williamsburg is known for its hipsters.
The Brooklyn Bridge is probably the most well-known Brooklyn attraction. The Brooklyn Bridge connects Brooklyn Heights with the Financial District in Manhattan.
Brooklyn is made up of many unique neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are what make Brooklyn unique.
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