Landmarks
Brooklyn Bridge
Work started in 1870 on the first bridge crossing of the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, finally completing in 1883 - a 1,595 ft suspension bridge and, as a plaque on it says, a "structure of beauty."
Grand Army Plaza
The gateway to Prospect Park, laid out in 1870. The Soldiers and Sailors Arch was added in 1892 as a memorial to the victorious Union Army. The Plaza itself is a large traffic circle surrounded by trees; apartment buildings; the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, itself a large distinctive landmark building; and a memorial bust of President John F. Kennedy. Each June, Grand Army Plaza is the focus for the Welcome Back to Brooklyn Festival for people who lived in the borough.
The Coney Island Cyclone
Opened in 1927, the Coney Island Cyclone or the Cyclone is one of the world's oldest and still operating wooden roller coasters and was declared a New York City Landmark on July 2, 1988. It was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 26, 1991. Although in 1927 the roller coaster cost only 25 cents to ride, it now costs $10.
Other destinations
New York Aquarium
See the Districts articles for more listings.
museums and galleries
Prospect Park is home to the Brooklyn Museum, NYC's second largest art museum. Downtown is home to the New York Transit Museum. Bedford-Stuyvesant and Flatbush are home to the Brooklyn Children's Museum and the Jewish Children's Museum, which is the largest Jewish-themed children's museum in the United States. Williamsburg is home to the Hogar Collection. The Transit Museum is worth checking out and it only costs $7.
parks and gardens
Prospect Park is home to, of course, Prospect Park, designed by Olmsted and Vaux, who also designed Manhattan's Central Park but preferred their Brooklyn creation. Adjacent to the park is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a 52-acre garden that is home to more than 10,000 taxa of plants.
Marine Park is a public park that is located in the Marine Park neighborhood and surrounds the westernmost inlet of Jamaica Bay. It has about 800 acres and has a bike path, handball court, shuffleboard court and playground. The park is mainly a fertile salt marsh that is supplied with freshwater from Gerritsen Creek.