Brooklyn is New York City’s most populous borough, and for good reason! There are so many reasons to move to Brooklyn, from world-class eateries to the feelings of community in each unique neighborhood.
This up-and-coming borough has quickly risen to become a top New York City destination!
Over the past couple of years, Brooklyn has transformed into the hottest, trendiest spot in the entire city, causing an influx of young families, young professionals, hipsters, and artists to take up residence in neighborhoods like Bushwick and Williamsburg. When most outsiders think of living in New York City, they picture the excitement and luxury of living in the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, but Brooklyn has so many attributes to offer that make it a world-class destination in and of itself.
1. Rooftop Views
Brooklyn is without a doubt the best borough to live in for uninterrupted views of the night sky and Manhattan across the East River. Though Manhattan views are spectacular, it’s too difficult to see the full breadth of Manhattan due to the abundance of skyscrapers blocking the view. Brooklyn allows residents and visitors uninterrupted views of the skyline. If residents or visitors make their way up to a rooftop bar or terrace, the views of Manhattan are unbeatable from anywhere else.
2. It’s the Hip Place to Be
Do you like beards, craft coffee, man buns, and making fashion statements? Though many consider Manhattan to be the center of New York’s universe, 67% of New Yorkers consider Brooklyn to be the hippest place in the city! Trendy boutiques, lively music venues, and independent artisanal coffee bars line Brooklyn’s streets in abundance.
3. Sense of Community
Many New York City neighborhoods have become so gentrified that they don’t even have a sense of community anymore. While Brooklyn hasn’t been immune to this change, they have been able to maintain their diversity and personality. All of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods have a distinct history and personality. Some of them have maintained their ethnic personality as well! Many of Brooklyn’s Italian neighborhoods still maintain their heritage and flavor.
4. Less Pretentious Nightlife
Even though Manhattan nightlife is top-notch and swanky, sometimes you just want to go to a dive for cheap beers and billiards. Brooklyn has a young, lively nightlife scene that is more reminiscent of a divey college town bar than a high-class Manhattan drinking establishment. You can have an exciting and lively night out without needing to worry about pretentious Manhattan bouncers making sure you have the right type of shoes on for their overrated, overpriced “rooftop bar.” Brooklyn has better rooftop views anyways!
5. Room to Breathe
It is more common in Brooklyn for apartments to have some sort of shared outdoor space, whether a backyard or rooftop. Here in Brooklyn you can still be part of all of the action of New York City but also have the option for a more relaxing, laid back atmosphere. The parks here are less crowded, there is more green space, and everything is just a little less congested out here.
6. Community Events
In Brooklyn, the community organizes all different types of free events, from Mermaid Parades to the weekly open-air food market in Prospect Park called Smorgasburg. All of these events are the perfect place to go if you want to mingle with people from your neighborhood and become more ingrained and rooted in the community you live in. A sense of belonging to a greater community improves your motivation, health, and happiness.
7. Foodie Paradise
Brooklyn is truly on the cutting edge of gastronomy. It is a borough that truly caters to the foodie in all of us. Smorgasburg is the largest weekly open-air food market in America, attracting 20,000-30,000 people to Brooklyn each weekend to eat from 100 local vendors. The food is outstanding and highly diverse, with ethnic flavors you may otherwise never get the chance to try. The setting is right in beautiful Prospect Park, across the East River from the magnificent Manhattan skyline. DeKalb Market Hall is another Brooklyn foodie destination. It is a 60,000 square foot food hall with 40 vendors, some of which are classics, some newcomers, and some of which are extremely trendy Brooklyn eateries, such as Bushwick’s ultra-hot Bunker and Southern-flavored Carroll Gardens eatery Wilma Jean. Something all NYC foodies can appreciate is that at A Taste of Katz’s, they can get that famous pastrami sandwich without needing to trek to Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
