It may seem difficult to put “affordable” or “cheap” and “New York” in the same sentence, but it’s possible to have a great trip to Brooklyn without breaking the bank
Tourists from all over the world arrive at The Big Apple to admire the cornerstone of western civilization and they won’t be let down by this amazing city by any means, but it won’t be a cheap trip. Is it possible to find free or cheap activities to do when discovering Brooklyn? Of course it is, just check out these options!
Brooklyn Flea
AKA “The mother of all markets”, this awesome outdoor market holds everything you can imagine and even more at very reasonable and many times cheap prices. This is the best way to go shopping and spending only a little money for clothes or furniture. The market as well as the public has grown exponentially lately and you can even have food and beverages at the Smorgasburg all-food market straight from the producer to the consumer. This amazing fair is open from April to November and when the climate becomes harsh, it goes undercover in a protected place. Oh and entrance is free, so it’s all about what you’ll buy.
New York Transit Museum
This might be a very well spent $10. The museum is entirely built inside an old 1936 real subway station and you can get on cars dating as far back as 1907. The whole museum is underground and takes up almost an entire block showing the past, the present and the future of mass public transportation and all the cultural and social technology supporting it.
Free Tour by Foot
This is another awesome option for those who want to have a deep understanding of Brooklyn led by locals who are really eager to show their city to visitors. All guides are really well informed and passionate about showing the best sightseeing experience to tourists telling interesting stories and giving insights about known and unknown facts. The tour itself is free and you can choose to award the guide after the walk, so this shall be the cheapest way to get around and learn a lot.
Building 92
This free entrance museum is entirely dedicated to celebrate the Navy Yard in all its facets. The building itself is a historic construction completely restored to offer state of the art sustainable building architecture next to real a real classic designed by Thomas U. Walter (the fourth architect of the US Capitol building) in 1857. The main exhibition is called “Brooklyn Navy Yard: Past, present and future and it brings to the common people a really close look at what happened in that waterfront, from the time of the First Nations to the uprising of the innovative industrial park, which is growing every day. This is a completely free tour that’s worth taking and will see you leave with a smile on your face.
Prospect Park Carousel
This magnificent piece was built originally in 1912 by former master carver Charles Carmel and has endured for over 100 years. The pieces in it are all original and artistically crafted as the horses have real hair and the dual dragon chariots with the golden streamline are not to be overlooked. A ride on this wonder is only $2, so it’s nothing to be scared of.
Sunset Park
As the name claims, this is officially the best place in town to see the whole of New York, I mean, it’s called ‘Sunset Park’, right? Well, just climb to the highest spot when the sun is about to hide, relax and enjoy the breathtaking sight of a red sky, the statue of Liberty, the skyscrapers lighting up slowly and the lights over the bridge’s suspension cables reflecting on the water. This is a completely amazing and free activity that will leave you with the best pictures taken ever.
Silent Barn
Now that the sun is set it’s time to go out and have some fun, and if you’re an enthusiastic rocker or maybe an indie-pop lover, or an all-around music fan who enjoys live new music and an extremely affordable ticket (usually under $10), this place is definitely for you. It is known to be the home and launching pad of many of the most promising bands in town and the vibe is absolutely great. Oh! And it’s open every day of the week.