The Brooklyn Bridge: The Best Way to Enjoy This Architectural Marvel

If you visit New York City, you may fall in love with it. It’s expensive, but there’s no denying the cultural opportunities that exist for every visitor. No matter what you like to see or do, you can find something that perfectly matches your interests in one of the boroughs. 

For instance, if you like architecture and grandeur, you may want to check out the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s stunning and iconic. More than 100,000 vehicles use the Brooklyn Bridge daily, and thousands of individuals walk across it as well.

You can have a taxi or Uber driver take you across the bridge, either from the Manhattan to Brooklyn side or vice versa. If you go from Manhattan to Brooklyn, you will find yourself in DUMBO, a trendy area with coffee shops and specialty stores. If you go from Brooklyn to the Manhattan side of the bridge, you’ll find you’re very close to Wall Street, Little Italy, and Chinatown.

Let’s talk about some ways you can enjoy the Brooklyn Bridge if you visit New York City and want to get a closer look.

You Can Enjoy It from Afar

You can look at the bridge from several parts of the city. For instance, if you go to Governor’s Island, you can see the Brooklyn Bridge in its entirety from the State of Liberty. 

When you look at it from that angle, you can see the sweeping curves and the many details that make this such an awe-inspiring piece of engineering. Even so many years after the builders finished it, it’s truly enough to take your breath away. 

However, driving across the bridge or looking at it from some distance away can’t give you the full effect. That’s why you should walk across it to really appreciate it.

Walking Across the Bridge

If you decide to walk across the bridge, first, you must pick a side from which to start. To get to either side you can have an Uber or taxi drop you off, or else you can take the subway. That’s much cheaper. 

Let’s say you start on the Brooklyn side and start heading toward Manhattan. You will see several signs in DUMBO directing you to the pedestrian walkways.

Once you get out onto the bridge, you will start to follow the walkway. There’s one on either side. You can sometimes see cyclists whizzing by you as you go. Other times, you’ll see power walkers. 

If you’re ambling along, make sure to stay out of the way of faster traffic. It’s usually obvious as you walk across who’s a tourist and who’s a local. The locals won’t stop and stare at the city. They’ve seen it before. 

It Takes Longer Than You Think

When you start out, you might think to yourself that it couldn’t possibly take very long to walk across a single bridge. That’s an enormous bridge, though. Only when you’re about halfway across might you realize its true mass and length.

It might take you half an hour to cross the bridge if you walk briskly. It may take you an hour or more if you don’t hurry. 

You should prepare by bringing a bottle of water with you. That’s particularly true in the summer. If you’re crossing the bridge in hot weather, it’s best to go earlier in the day before you’re in a position where the sun can beat directly down on you.

What About if You’re Afraid of Heights?

If you’re afraid of heights, then maybe walking across the bridge won’t appeal. It’s true that you’re hundreds of feet over the water, and that might intimidate you. 

You should know, though, that there’s a chain-link fence on one side of each of the two pedestrian walkways. It’s tall and curves inward at the top. 

It’s to stop anyone from jumping off. Even if you wanted to, climbing over that fence would challenge you, unless you’re an acrobat. 

You’re in very little danger as you walk over the bridge. Also, you don’t have to look down when you’re walking across it. The whole thing feels very solid. It’s not like it sways alarmingly or anything like that.

You can sometimes run into performers at about the halfway point. You may see jugglers or a man with a python who will let you take a picture with it. By the time you get to the other side, you might feel tired, but exhilarated as well.