Find beautiful and inspiring locations throughout Brooklyn, New York
There’s basically no hiding it, I love Brooklyn. As a (proud) Brooklyn native, I pretty much find it hard to find another place quite like my hometown. I’m sure I’m biased, but this borough has tons of amazing places to discover, both tourist attractions and well hidden gems deep in Brooklyn. No matter how long I’ve lived in Brooklyn, I’m still constantly finding inspirational places and locations that keep me motivated to grow not only as a creative artist, but as a person.
Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Before Brooklyn Bridge Park transformed into the beautiful tourist attraction that it is, there was the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Situated above the almost always congested BQE, the promenade is a strip of a park, lined with benches, that has the perfect view of Lower Manhattan. Every inch of the panoramic views from the promenade is inspirational in my point of view. Visit during the day to see just how close you are across the East River from places like the One World Trade Center or Ellis Island. Come at night to be dazzled by the never ending lightshow that is the Manhattan skyline.
Brooklyn Academy of Music
BAM, which stands for Brooklyn Academy of Music, is one of the favored venues for live performances not just in Brooklyn, but throughout all of New York City. If you’re looking to enjoy exciting concerts or plays, BAM is the perfect location to spend an evening. There’s plenty of programs for both adults and kids, which makes it a great place for the whole family to be inspired by the arts.
Williamsburg
There’s a reason why all sorts of creatives have called Williamsburg home. This utmost trendy neighborhood, granted is completely different than what it used to be just a decade or two ago, is one of the most visited neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Streets are lined with one restaurant after another, one boutique store after another, and it’s whole perimeter seems to radiate with inspirational creativity.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
I get it, Brooklyn isn’t necessarily the place that people consider when they think of experiencing nature. But they also might have never visited the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Spring is of course the best time of the year to stop by for a visit, especially during the annual Cherry Blossom festival. Within the garden’s expansive grounds, get lost in a whole other world entirely and easily get inspired by the natural beauty that exists in the heart of Brooklyn. One of my closest friends even had her wedding in a field of blue bells and it still to this day was one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever seen.
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an art lover’s paradise. It is a vast museum, and is the second largest in New York City, only after the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. There are 1.5 million pieces in its massive collection. There’s everything from ancient Egyptian art to European and modern art. It’s a wonderful place to spend an afternoon and get inspired by renowned artists.
If you step aside from the trendy factors that have attracted visitors to Brooklyn in the past few years, you’ll see that there’s so much of the borough that cultivates creativity and inspiration. A great deal of my book, Home in a Hundred Places, takes place in a variety of Brooklyn neighborhoods. While I was writing this story, I didn’t only think of my own experiences growing up in Brooklyn, but I also pictured the way the streets flow, the way the East River laps against the shores on the borough, and how there is always a feeling that the next best thing is about to happen.