Brooklyn NY sightseeing

My wife and I are going to spend a few days in Manhattan this summer. We will be staying in Lower Manhattan (Financial District) and will be visiting the new 911 museum.
We have never visited Brooklyn and would welcome suggestions for touring the Brooklyn neighborhoods, preferably by bus/van/car in order to avoid extensive walking. This will be a mid-week visit.
Thanks for any ideas you may be able to provide.

Don Appleton

Here you go Don.

I would suggest rethinking the vehicle approach. Even midweek, parking is at a premium and a lot of the prettier Brooklyn streets are too narrow for “tour buses” to maneuver down.

Opt for at least bicycles. But walking is definitely the best bet.

Don, you can spend multiple days in Brooklyn.

Several things to do that are close together:

Grand Army Plaza area Intersecting streets are Flatbush Ave and Eastern Parkway.
Brooklyn Museum of Art - 60 - 90 minutes. And around the corner so to speak is
Brooklyn Botananical Gardens - 60 - 90 minutes. Across the street is
Prospect Park Zoo + Prospect Park.

On 7th Ave at Flatbush Ave, there are stores and restaurants for shopping and eating. These are nice areas these days. In the 60’s, not so much.

Take the train to the Grand Army Plaza stop (on the 2 or 5 train) or, take the train to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum 2 or the 5 train .
Depending on where you’re coming from in the city (Manhattan) will dictate where you change trains (if necessary).

That alone is a day depending on how you do it.

If you were to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (it’s about a mile), you’ll see great views of Manhattan. When you exit the bridge, make a right into Brooklyn Heights. Walk along Montague Street towards the water. You’ll see Manhattan from the Brooklyn side. This neighborhood was the oldest town in the city of Brooklyn before it joined New York City.

Another option is to take the L train to the Bedford Ave stop in Brooklyn (it’s the first stop after you leave Manhattan. The L train has easy connections along 14th street to other subway lines. Williamsburg is the new, cool/hip part of Brooklyn. Reminds me of Greenwich Village in the 60’s.

You can also train it to Coney Island (beach/amusement park/minor league team of the Mets). The Brooklyn Aquarium. If you were to walk east from Coney Island, you’ll head to Brighton Beach Ave aka Little Odessa. The el (train) runs overhead. That train also goes to the Avenue J station. DiFara’s pizza is the best. Maybe you’re read about it in the Offline forum. Check the website for hours and days off.

So much to do. Let me know when you’re in town. You wouldn’t have to break my arm to get pizza.

Dan

Take a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, some great views from the walkway that goes down the center of the bridge, above the car traffic.