What to See and What to Skip in Brooklyn

— -- Manhattan may get the lion’s share of attention from visitors to the Big Apple, but its sister borough just across the East River is quickly becoming a traveler lure all on its own.

Brooklyn is a distinct destination, marked by vibrant neighborhoods and a thriving scene for cultural and culinary artists. Throw in Brooklynites’ unique breed of hospitality, and this is suddenly a detour worth taking.

Here are a few ideas for the Brooklyn first-timer.

Skip the Hotel, Stay at a B&B

The recent hotel boom here has made Brooklyn a bargain alternative to Manhattan. Dozens of new properties have opened in just the last few years; the 5-Star William Vale and IHG’s EVEN Hotels Brooklyn both opened their doors in August while 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge will start welcoming guests in February 2017. You’ve got a handful of hotels, including a Marriott and a Sheraton, that’ll put you super close to the Brooklyn Bridge. For what’s often a more personal touch and authentic taste of Brooklyn, remember that there are dozens of bed-and-breakfast options here, too. These cozy stays put you in the heart of specific neighborhoods and -- with open pet policies and home-away-from-home amenities like kitchens -- can be ideal for longer stays.

Skip Downtown, Visit the ‘Hoods

Downtown Brooklyn is a bustling shopping district and this borough’s central hub. But Brooklyn’s charm is really defined by its close to 30 diverse neighborhoods, each one a unique visitor and foodie experience. “All of Red Hook is very cool and you can spend a day just walking around,” says my colleague Stephen Aviano, director of photography at Travelzoo’s Manhattan-based headquarters. “Take a water taxi there.” Among his favorite grub spots are: Brooklyn Crab, Sunny’s Bar and Hometown Bar-B-Que, which “some say is the best barbecue in the country,” he adds. Aviano also recommends noshing in the Carroll Gardens area, including the hip, brick-walled Frankies 457 Spuntino and Michelin-rated Take Root, a contemporary American eatery “with two employees and just 12 seats, where you can get an intimate chef’s tasting menu.”

Amy Schildwaster, a public relations account executive who works in Manhattan, lives in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood. She likes cruising 7th Avenue in Park Slope. “It has some of the best restaurants and bars in the area and runs parallel to the park, so it is a great place to head for food,” she says. “American Cheez is a personal favorite of mine -- they have trivia and board games, and with every beer you get your own personal pizza!” Schildwaster also heads to Prospect Park for Smorgasburg, a food truck fair open spring thru fall. “The best and weirdest Brooklyn has to offer,” she says. “Think foot-long mozzarella sticks and sushi burritos.”

Check out bookshops in Cobble Hill, scope out Polish meat markets in Greenpoint, shop boutiques in Kensington, marvel at the architecture in Sunset Park and find your inner kid in Coney Island.

You Get the Best Views Here

“There's no better view than the Manhattan skyline, but you can't really see it from Manhattan,” says Travelzoo’s public relations manager Cat Jordan, a U.K. transplant who now calls Brooklyn home. “In Brooklyn Bridge Park, the view is spectacular -- from Lady Liberty all the way up to the Empire State, you can take it all in. Sunsets and sunrises are amazing -- the buildings reflect the light.” The revitalized park is a favorite with cyclists and garden enthusiasts, and it’s full of special experiences, from St. Ann’s Warehouse, a groundbreaking theater inside a transformed tobacco warehouse, to the original Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. Parking is very limited, so get here by subway, bus, ferry or water taxi. For more great views -- from Manhattan to Staten Island to the Verrazano Bridge -- descend on Sunset Park’s hilly terrain.

Skip Central Park, Visit Prospect

The same team that designed Manhattan’s landmark Central Park created Brooklyn’s much quainter Prospect Park, a 600-acre haven marked by beautiful landscaping, Brooklyn’s only lake, baseball fields and a slew of recreational activity options. You’ll also find the Prospect Park Zoo here, offering close-up views of more than 400 animals in exhibit environments that mirror their natural habitats. Schildwaster also likes the Carousel, located in the park’s Children’s Corner. “Its 53 magnificent horses ride alongside a lion, a giraffe, a deer and two dragon-pulled chariots,” she says. The Carousel dates back to 1912 and was restored in 1990. And as you leave Prospect Park, be sure to visit the adjacent Brooklyn Botanical Garden, a beautiful 52-acre collection of gardens and thousands of plants.

Skip MoMA, Visit the Brooklyn Museum

MoMA may be a cultural epicenter in Manhattan, but the Brooklyn Museum “is really progressive and never crowded,” Jordan tells me. “Neat art in a cool building.” The Brooklyn Museum is actually the third largest museum in New York City and home to more than 1.5 million works of art. It’s open Wednesday through Sunday and anyone 19 and under gets in free. “The Brooklyn Museum is right next store to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and there are package deals to see both,” adds Schildwaster. “And the Brooklyn Public Library is just down the street, and it is free!” Also check out the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the New York Transit Museum downtown.

Skip the Garden, Hit the Grange

Brooklyn Grange is a remarkable example of urban farming at its best, spanning 2.5 acres across two rooftops in the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard. It’s 12 stories above the ground, so the views are spectacular. But it’s the output that really wows: 50,000 pounds of organically grown produce every year and, thanks to their 30-plus beehives, hundreds of pounds of honey. If you want to visit, plan ahead, since 45-minute tours ($10) are offered only on Mondays and only May through October.

Skip the Mini-Bar, Head to the Winery

Calling all oenophiles! Brooklyn Winery is a boutique urban wine producer that produces everything from bubbly to chardonnay to syrah to cabernet franc. Reserve your spot ahead of time for a one-hour winery tour and tasting, and then spend some time pairing your favorite glass or bottle with some grub at the onsite bar. While Brooklyn Winery sources its grapes from all over the country, Red Hook’s focus is on New York, bringing in grapes from the North Fork of Long Island and the Finger Lakes upstate; these guys make about a dozen varieties of wine, as well as grappa. Rooftop Reds is aiming to keep its grape source uber local -- on the rooftop. They took over a 15,000-square-foot rooftop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2015 and are growing a variety of grapevines inside dozens of state-of-the-art planters; tasting room hours change seasonally.

Skip the Wine, Sip at the Distillery

If you’d rather sip spirits, visit one of several small-batch distilleries that call Brooklyn home. Van Brunt Stillhouse, in Red Hook, sources wheat, rye and corn from upstate New York farmers to make four distinct whiskeys, along with rum and moonshine; the tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday and tours should be booked in advance. And in Williamsburg, New York Distilling Co. produces several gins, offers free tours on Saturdays and serves up killer cocktails (and welcomes dogs) at The Shanty. Also check out Breuckelen Distilling, Kings County Distillery and Greenhook Ginsmiths.

Skip the Cyclone, Find Other Games

Just because you don’t have time to visit Coney Island -- home to the famous 1927 Cyclone rollercoaster -- doesn’t mean you can’t play. Karyn Ravin, the president of Maletzky Media, a boutique PR firm in Manhattan, heads to Brooklyn for other fun and games. She recommends practicing your shot at Gotham Archery, a 7500-square-foot facility with 30 lines. First-timers have to take the one-hour intro class ($40) while experienced archers can hone their skills in a separate dedicated area. Ravin also recommends playing a few games of shuffleboard in Gowanus at The Royal Palms, a 21-and-over facility with 10 courts, two bars and a rotating lineup of DJs and food trucks; shuffleboard lessons here are free.

Gabe Saglie is Senior Editor for Travelzoo, which features exclusive deals to and in all of these destinations at www.travelzoo.com.