New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [273]
Fodor’s Choice | Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
Stretching from Orange Street in the north to Remsen Street in the south, this esplanade provides enthralling views of Manhattan. Find a bench and take in the skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge—an impressive 1883 steel suspension bridge designed by John Augustus Roebling.
To your left is Governors Island, a former Coast Guard base that’s now become a prime picnic and summertime festival destination for locals. Below you are the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway and Brooklyn’s industrial waterfront of warehouses, piers, and parking lots.
A greenway initiative is moving forward in a bid to build a 14-mi waterfront park for pedestrians and bikers. The first 6 acres of the park opened in March 2010 at Pier 1, including the park’s first waterfront promenade and a playground. Pier 6 opened in June 2010, and Pier 1 got another 3.5 acres of parkland in August 2010. The plan is to complete the entire park by 2013. For updates, check the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Web site at | www.brooklynbridgepark.org. | Subway: 2, 3 to Clark St.; A, C to High St.
Brooklyn Historical Society.
Housed in an 1881 Queen Anne–style National Landmark building (one of the gems of the neighborhood), the Brooklyn Historical Society displays memorabilia, artifacts, art, and interactive exhibitions. Upstairs, an impressive library—which contains an original copy of the Emancipation Proclamation—is invaluable to researchers. | 128 Pierrepont St., at Clinton St., Brooklyn Heights | 11201 | 718/222–4111 | www.brooklynhistory.org | $6 | Wed.–Fri. and Sun. noon–5, Sat. 10–5 | Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Borough Hall; A, C, F to Jay St.; M, R to Court St.
Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims.
Built in 1849, this Protestant Congregational church was a center of abolitionist sentiment, thanks to the stirring oratory of Brooklyn’s most eminent theologian and the church’s first minister, Henry Ward Beecher (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin). Because it provided refuge to slaves, the church was known to some as the Grand Central Depot of the Underground Railroad.
Though the architecture of this brick building may seem simple, it was enormously influential on subsequent American Protestant churches. Three Louis C. Tiffany stained-glass windows were added in the 1930s. In the gated garden beside the church a statue of Beecher by Gutzon Borglum (who later sculpted Mount Rushmore) depicts one of the slave “auctions”—publicity stunts wherein church members purchased the slaves’ freedom. A fragment of Plymouth Rock is in an adjoining arcade. | 75 Hicks St., at Orange St., Brooklyn Heights | 11201 | 718/624–4743 | www.plymouthchurch.org | Services Sun. at 11; tours by appointment | Subway: 2, 3 to Clark St.; A, C to High St.
Transit Museum.
Step down into a 1930s subway station, where you’ll find more than 60,000 square feet devoted to the history of public transportation. Interact with the collection of vintage trains and turnstiles, sit behind the wheel of city buses, and laugh over old subway advertisements and signs. The gift store is a great place for N.Y.C.-theme souvenirs. | Boerum Pl. at Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn Heights | 11201 | 718/694–1600 | www.mta.info/museum/ | $6 | Tues.–Fri. 10–4, weekends noon–5| Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Borough Hall; A, C, F to Jay St.; M, R to Court St.
WHERE TO EAT IN BROOKLYN HEIGHTS
Henry’s End.
$$ | AMERICAN | At this nearly 40-year-old neighborhood favorite, the casual decor belies the quality of the food and wines. Wild game such as elk, kangaroo, and ostrich take center stage during the Wild Game Festival in the late fall and winter months; seasonal seafood and foraged vegetables star in the springtime. | 44 Henry St., near Cranberry St., Brooklyn Heights | 11201 | 718/834–1776 | www.henrysend.com | AE, D, DC, MC, V | No lunch | Subway: 2, 3 to Clark St.; A, C to High St.
Noodle Pudding.
$$ | ITALIAN | The name is bad, but the food is great at this cozy restaurant serving the