Red Hooked

[Selkie74]

Just back from our QM2 trip, which took us from Southampton to Quebec and back. It was all pretty good, with some highs (the Sea Days) and some lows (Sept Isles). Thanks to everyone who gave advice before we went,  so now time to give a little bit back.

If you have a day in NYC, and don’t want to book a tour, or have already had some visits to Manhattan, simply walk off the ship and into Red Hook. It’s not the most beautiful place, but it’s on the way up, and the locals are proud of their community. There’s a smokehouse restaurant which gets rave reviews, a fantastic distillery called Widow Jane, a Lobster pound, a great bakery cafe called Baked, and a key lime pie shop. Then there’s a couple of art gallery type places,  an amazing supermarket to buy all those wonderful things you can only get in the US, some old warehouse buildings, and some fantastic views of Manhattan, Liberty Island and the QM herself. And it’s all within a fifteen minute stroll. It won’t take you a whole day to look round by any means, and it won’t be to everyone’s taste, but we loved it. 

If you feel a little more adventurous and want to see more of Brooklyn, take the bus from outside the 1811 auto repair shop on Van Brundt Street, and get off at the 7th Avenue and 9th Street stop. It costs 2.75 each, and you need the exact coins. A friendly launderette opposite the bus stop will help out with change. The area round Park Slope is really great, and worth it for the beautiful brownstone houses alone. Cafes, shops, markets, Prospect Park, just a great place to wander about and no crowds at all. 

We walked back to the ship through more interesting streets and through Gowanus, which is another area on the up. It took about 45 minutes at an easy amble, and all downhill. And no worries about missing the ship, because no bridges or ferries to worry about!

[rafinmd]

Especially appreciate the note about the launderette helping out with change for the bus.

 

Roy

[Highly Sociable]

Selkie74 - many thanks for this information.

 

We are on a B2B leaving this week-end and arrive on a Sunday, so this sounds a much better option than going into New York (which we have done many times before).

 

Can you remember the name of the supermarket?

[Selkie74]

It’s called Fairway Market. Easy to find if you head South on Van Brundt. Enjoy Brooklyn!

[BklynBoy8]

BTW.....Living not that far from Redhook and enjoying shopping at Fairway, Steve's Original Key Lime Pie and Whole Food Market, Botta di Vino,  to name a few. It's a great place to hang out for a Day.

 

Even venturing to the well known neighboring area of Smith and Court Streets with it's cafes, bistros, boutiques is another interesting strolling area favored by many that reside in the Brooklyn Heights.

, 

[tv24]

We love Brooklyn and now prefer to stay there rather than in Manhattan.  So much to see and do, terrific food and coffee and so full of street life.  Makes Manhattan feel a bit dead.

[Highly Sociable]

This really sounds like a plan. We may skip over to Manhattan on the early morning ferry just to take a few photos and the come back over to Red Hook and explore.

 

Thank you everyone for your advice.

Jane

[Sikwemu]

Appreciate that. Thanks

Liz

[Underwatr]

4 hours ago, Highly Sociable said:

This really sounds like a plan. We may skip over to Manhattan on the early morning ferry just to take a few photos and the come back over to Red Hook and explore.

If your plan is to stay local to the Manhattan ferry terminal there are many sights between Battery Park (the southern tip of Manhattan, to your left as you exit the ferry pier,) and the Brooklyn Bridge to your right, including South Street Seaport a little more than halfway to the Brooklyn Bridge (worth half a morning).

 

Alternatively, if your intent is to head toward Times Square and the Empire State Building (etc. etc.) there isn't a subway station particularly close to the ferry landing in Manhattan, but if you walk to South Street Seaport and left up John Street you'll eventually be at the new World Trade Center, with many subway lines there.

[steve1young]

There's actually a subway station (Wall Street Station, Subway Lines: 2 and 3) just 5 blocks from the Manhattan pier (Manhattan Pier 11 / Wall St.); roughly the same distance from the pier as South Street Seaport.