Brooklyn Area Attractions:
Astroland Amusement Park
1000 Surf Ave. 718-265-2100. www.astroland.com Home of the 70-year -old Cyclone Roller Coaster; 30 thrilling rides and attractions for adults and children; open April to September. Subway: B, D, F, N to Stillwell Avenue/Coney Island.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
30 Lafayette Avenue 718-636-4100. www.bam.org America's oldest performing arts center, showcasing innovative music, dance, drama and film. Subway: 2,3,4,5,D,Q to Atlantic Avenue; B,N,M,R to Pacific Street or G to Fulton Street.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
1000 Washington Avenue 718-623-7200. www.bbg.org 52 acres of gardens and 12,000 plant,varieties; a renowned bonsai museum; tours. Subway: 2,3 to Eastern Parkway or D to Prospect Park.
Brooklyn Children's Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue 718-735-4400. www.bchildmus.org The world's first museum created expressly for kids; collection of over 27,000 objects including natural history specimens and an exceptional doll collection. Subway: 3 or 4 to Kingston Avenue or A to Kingston Avenue/Throop Avenue.
The Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street 718-254-9830 www.brooklynhistory.org Closed for renovation until 2002; call about special programs and walking tours. Subway directions: M,N,R to Court Street; 2,3,4,5 to Borough Hall.
Brooklyn Museum of Art
200 Eastern Parkway 718-638-5000 www.brooklynart.org Second largest collection in the U.S.; acclaimed Egyptian holdings; cutting-edge contemporary pieces; blockbuster exhibitions. Subway: 2 or 3 to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum.
Brooklyn Public Library
Flatbush Avenue & Eastern Parkway (Grand Army Plaza) 718-230-2100 www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org Fine local history materials and family programs in an impressive Art Deco building. Subway: 2 or 3 to either Grand Army Plaza or Eastern Parkway/BrooklynMuseum.
Deno's Wonder Wheel Park
1025 Boardwalk and West 12th Street 718-372-2592 www.wonderwheel.com 25 rides including the Thunderbolt, classic carousel and the landmark Wonder Wheel; Subway: B,D,F,N to Stillwell Avenue/Coney Island.
New York Aquarium
Surf Avenue & West 8th Street 718-265-FISH www.nyaquarium.com. Oldest aquarium in the country is a state-of-the-art home to beluga whales, sharks, walruses and dolphins. Subway: D or F train to West 8th Street.
The New York Transit Museum
Boerum Place & Schermerhorn Street 718-243-8601 www.mta.nyc.ny.us/museum Museum houses 100 years of transit lore, including vintage cars and antique turnstiles, in a decommissioned 1930's subway station. Subway: M,N,R to Court Street; 2,3,4,5 to Borough Hall.
Prospect Park
95 Prospect Park West 718-965-8999 www.prospectpark.org Designed by Olmsted and Vaux, this 526-acre oasis houses an historic carousel, Lefferts Homestead Children's Museum and NYC's last surviving forest. Subway: 2 or 3 to Grand Army Plaza, D to Prospect Park or Parkside, F to 15th Street/Prospect Park.
Prospect Park Wildlife Center
450 Flatbush Avenue 718-399-7339 www.wcs.org/zoos/wildlifecenters/prospect park. Interactive,state-of-the-art wildlife center for kids with more than 160 animals, including baboons, wallabies and prairie dogs in naturalistic habitats. Subway: D train to Prospect Park.
Where to Stay:
Accommodations in Brooklyn are quiet, friendly, and frequently less expensive than Manhattan.
Hotels
Comfort Inn-Brooklyn
8315 Fourth Avenue 718-238-3737 or 800-228-5150 www.comfortinn.com Newly-renovated hotel in residential Bay Ridge; free deluxe continental breakfast buffet; free local phone access. Valet parking available for a fee.
NY Marriott-Brooklyn
333 Adams Street 718-246-7000 or 888-436-3759. www.marriotthotels.com/nycbk New 374-room hotel located in Downtown Brooklyn, near historic Brooklyn Heights. Features 10 suites, 75 guest rooms specifically designed for the business traveler and a health club. Near ten major subway lines and minutes from downtown Manhattan.
Bed & Breakfasts
In Brooklyn? Yes! The proprietors of Brooklyn's b&bs boast some of the most beautiful brownstone and row houses around!
Baisley House
718-935-1959 www.brooklynX.org/tourism/baisleyhouse Restored, 1853 Victorian Brownstone rowhouse in Carroll Gardens, lovingly cared for by its owner - a culinary artist, interior decorator and award-winning garden designer. Convenient to F train. Rates: $85- $205 per night; includes a continental breakfast; weekly rates available.
Foy House
718-636-1492 21-room Edwardian house located in Park Slope minutes from train and within walking distance of many of Brooklyn's key attractions. Rates: $70-$107 a night; 2-night minimum. Weekly rates available. No smoking.For International Visitors
Homestay New York
718-434-2071 www.homestayny.com Affordable lodging in fine Brooklyn homes for international tourists. Rates $80-$120 (single), $90-$130 (double); includes breakfast and dinner prepared by your host, information packet, 7-day unlimited-ride MetroCard.
Where to Eat
From beer to bagels, from dim sum to delis-Brooklyn is a food-lovers delight. Each neighborhood is filled with cuisines from many countries -- be adventurous. Below are some of Brooklyn's gastronomical institutions:
Junior's Restaurant
386 Flatbush Avenue Extension (corner of DeKalb Avenue) 718-852-5257 or 1-800-958-6467. Best known for its cheesecake and overstuffed deli sandwiches. Subway: D,M,N,Q,R to DeKalb Avenue.
Lundy Bros. Restaurant
1901 Emmons Avenue 718-743-0022 A Brooklyn landmark for over five decades, Lundy's is still serving up generous portions of the superb seafood that made it world famous. Subway: D or Q to Sheepshead Bay, then take the B4 bus to Emmons Avenue.
Pete's Downtown Restaurant
Two Water Street718-858-3510 www.petesdowntown.com. Hearty Italian specialties, along with a great view of the Manhattan skyline. Subway: A or C to High Street; 2 or 3 to Clark Street.
The River Cafe
One Water Street 718-522-5200 www.therivercafe.com First class dining with a stunning view of Manhattan skyline. American continental. Subway: A or C to High Street; 2 or 3 to Clark Street.
Tours
By land, by foot and by water - the variety of ways to tour Brooklyn keeps growing, from nature walks and boat rides to cemetery strolls and trolley trips. Call for reservations!
Braggin' About Brooklyn
718-297-5107 www.brooklynX.org/tourism/braggin Explore sites associated with 400 years of Brooklyn's rich African-American history including important stations of the Underground Railway; Saturdays at 10am and 2pm or by appointment.
Brooklyn Attitude Tours
718-398-0939
www.brooklynX.org/tourism/brooklynattitude Four-and six-hour tours include behind-the-scenes visits to ethnic neighborhoods, picturesque brownstone-lined streets and the seaside communities of Coney Island and Brighton Beach. Saturday or by appointment. (Tours available in English, French and Italian.)
Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon Street 718-875-4047 www.brooklyn-usa.org Formerly the City of Brooklyn's City Hall. Free tours of the 1848 Greek Revival building, now the office of Brooklyn's Borough President, are offered every Tuesday at 1pm.
Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment (BCUE)
718-788-8500 www.bcue.org. Nature, architecture and history tours of Brooklyn. Call for brochure. Dorothy B. VIII Pier 6 at Emmons Avenue, Sheepshead Bay 718-646-4057 www.dorothyb.com Cruise by the Manhattan Skyline/Statue of Liberty on a 3-hour evening tour aboard this 90-foot luxury supercruiser. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30pm during spring and summer. Half-day family fishing trips go out each morning. (Rod, tackle and bait are included in fee) Reservations required.
Walking Tours of Hasidic Crown Heights
Hasidic Discover Center, 305 Kingston Avenue 718-953-5244 or 1-800-838-TOUR www.jewishtours.com Described by the Associated Press as "a blend of Talmudic seriousness and borscht belt humor," this 4-hour tour of Crown Heights' orthodox Hasidic Jewish community visits places normally closed to the general public Sundays at 9:30 am.
Day Trips
The mile stretch of Atlantic Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and the water is home to more than 30 antique shops, over three dozen restaurants, and one of the largest Middle-Eastern communities in New York. For a free guide send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Town & Country, 352 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217. Subway: 2,3,4,5, D, Q to Atlantic Avenue; B,M,N,R to Pacific Street; A,C,G to Hoyt Street-Schermerhorn Street. Bargains galore can be found at any of the over 200 shops located in Downtown Brooklyn's Fulton Mall (718-852-5118), including world-famous Macy's. The shopping district is located on Fulton Street between Adams Street and Flatbush Avenue. Subway: 2,3,4,5 to Borough Hall; M,N,R,Q to DeKalb Avenue. You'll hear very little English when you walk along Brighton Beach Avenue in Brighton Beach - also known as "Little Odessa." International markets offer adventures in food shopping. Contact the Brighton Neighborhood Association (718-891-0800). Subway: D or Q to Brighton Beach. Van Brunt St. www.mta.info
