The famous shot
Washington Street between Front and Water Streets frames the Manhattan Bridge dead-center between two rows of historic buildings — one of the most photographed street views in New York, and busy with photographers and couples doing engagement shoots most days with decent light. Go early morning on a weekday if you want the empty-street version.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
DUMBO sits at the northern end of a long waterfront park that runs along the East River, with Jane's Carousel (a beautifully restored 1922 carousel housed in a glass pavilion) and some of the closest, most direct Manhattan skyline views available from Brooklyn.
What's there beyond the photo
St. Ann's Warehouse, a well-regarded experimental theater; a growing tech and startup office presence that's changed the neighborhood's daytime population significantly; and a small but strong food and coffee scene, largely priced for the tech salaries now based here.
Getting there
The F train (York St) drops you closest to the water; the A/C trains (High St) are a short walk. The NYC Ferry also stops directly in DUMBO, with a particularly scenic approach.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
The 85-acre waterfront park running along DUMBO's western and southern edge is one of the best urban parks built in the US in the past two decades — a former industrial waterfront converted into lawns, sports fields, playgrounds, and a small beach, with Manhattan's skyline directly across the river as the permanent backdrop. Pier 1 has the main lawn and the best Manhattan views; Pier 6 to the south has the beach volleyball courts and a natural playground. Jane's Carousel, a beautifully restored 1922 merry-go-round in a glass pavilion on the water, is open daily and costs $2 per ride — one of the better-value experiences in a neighbourhood that has otherwise priced up considerably.
Eating and drinking
DUMBO has a small but good restaurant scene concentrated on Water Street and the surrounding blocks: Grimaldi's Pizzeria (coal-fired, old-school, perpetually lined up) is the most famous name, though locals often prefer the nearly identical Juliana's next door for shorter waits. Time Out Market New York on the DUMBO waterfront collects a rotating roster of New York food vendors under one roof — a useful all-options-covered lunch if you're visiting with a group that can't agree on one place.
Getting there
The A/C trains (High Street station) and the F train (York Street) serve DUMBO. The NYC Ferry connects the waterfront to Wall Street and other Manhattan stops. DUMBO is walkable from both Brooklyn Heights and the Brooklyn Bridge's Brooklyn-side landing — a natural circuit from the bridge walk.