2 Best Sights in New York City, New York

“A drive-through cathedral" is how the journalist James Wolcott once described the Brooklyn Bridge—one of New York's noblest and most recognizable landmarks—perhaps rivaling Walt Whitman's comment that it was "the best, most effective medicine my soul has yet partaken." The bridge stretches over the East River, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. A walk across its promenade—a boardwalk elevated above the roadway, shared by pedestrians and cyclists—is a quintessential New York experience, and the roughly 40-minute stroll delivers exhilarating views. (Cyclists mainly use a lane on the vehicular level below.) If you start from Lower Manhattan near City Hall, you'll end up near Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO; you can also take the subway to the Brooklyn side and walk back to Manhattan. From midday through early evening, the narrow path gets very congested, especially when the weather is nice. Head here early in the morning to find the magical quiet hours.

Most visitors cross the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, but you'll get better views traversing the span from the Brooklyn side. It's a surprisingly long walk (more than a mile) that normally takes about 40 minutes, but the exhilarating views are worth the exertion. No need to look out for cyclists; a separated bike lane on the vehicle road has made the pedestrian walkway much more pleasant. The bridge is most magical and quiet in the early morning, but if you don't mind the crowds, it's worth making the trip at sunset in summer, when the lights of Manhattan come to life. There are two pedestrian access points for the bridge on the Brooklyn side: at the intersection of Tillary Street and Adams Street, and another in DUMBO from a staircase at the underpass where Cadman Plaza East intersects Prospect Street.