Brooklyn Bridge and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden
Travel Tips

Brooklyn Bridge and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Irecently travelled to New York with a friend and her family. Over the next few weeks, you can find out what my best bits were along with some tips and tricks if you’re planning a trip to NYC soon!

On our first proper (and rather jetlagged) day in New York we decided to see the Brooklyn Bridge and even on a rather dull day, it still looked every bit as iconic as the photos suggest. In fact, I thought the weather made the structure look fantastic, set on a backdrop of moody grey clouds the bridge looked enormous and very striking.

(Did you know, by the way, that according to Netflight’s ‘New York Minute’ article, there’s 544 bridge crossings in New York every single minute? Crazy!)

We made a start on the 1,825m walk from the Manhattan side of the bridge, dodging joggers and cyclists at regular intervals. You get incredible views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn and the soundtrack of cars and horns from the road below give the whole thing a distinctly New York feel.

I love the lines that the suspension cables make (not just because they make wonderfully symmetrical Instagram photos!). When you’re on the bridge you feel encased by the cables, like you’re part of it for the brief time you’re walking the well-trodden boards.

Once on the other side we made our way down to DUMBO, a neighbourhood in Brooklyn that stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, and where you can get some amazing shots of the New York City skyline.

We made our way through Brooklyn Bridge Park towards the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, a little slice of peace in the bustling city. At $15 (about £12) for one adult, which I thought was very reasonable, you get to meander through 52 acres of greenery.

There are several speciality gardens including the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden and Rose Garden, plant collections, including a herb and vegetable plot and the Steinhardt Conservatory; which houses a Bonsai museum, three climate-themed plant pavilions and an aquatic house and orchid collection.

My particular favourite was the Shakespeare Garden because they had planted flora and fauna that have appeared in the writers’ plays and sonnets. Little boards are placed by each plant to tell you what it is with a quote of where it’s used in Shakespeare’s work.

Brooklyn Botanical Garden tips and tricks

  • Make sure to check the opening hours as they change for summer and winter. It is also closed on Tuesdays all year round.
  • If you visit during summer opening hours, make sure to check out the speciality gardens early on as they start to close at around 17:30.
  • If you or someone in your party is a student, make sure you have ID! Student admission is only $8 (around £6).
  • If you’re trip is during winter opening times (December-February), admission is free on weekdays.
  • You can combine entry to the garden and Brooklyn Museum with an Art and Garden ticket which is $25 (around £19) for an adult and $16 (around £13) for students (note both must be visited on the same day).
  • You can check out all opening times and admission prices on the Brooklyn Botanic Garden website.

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