Williamsburg
Home to all things hip, Williamsburg is known for its eclectic shops, street art, and waterfront parks. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find some surprises, too.
Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
The Basics
One of Brooklyn’s oldest roads, Flatbush Avenue is where Brooklynites live, eat, shop, socialize, and relax. Stores, restaurants, landmarks, parks, and historical neighborhoods line the four-lane avenue, from the East River in the north to Rockaway Peninsula in the south. Don't miss highlights such as Prospect Park, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum, Grand Army Plaza, and the 1920s-built Kings Theatre. Flatbush's innumerable eateries serve everything from Caribbean to classic American food.
Explore the avenue’s sights, shops, and restaurants on foot; and turn off to delve into old-school neighborhoods such as Park Slope, Flatbush, and Ditmas Park, where the streets are flanked with brownstones and colonial-inspired mansions. Take a walking tour of Flatbush Avenue and its Flatbush district for in-depth and informed look at the area, and are ideal for history and architecture buffs.
Things to Know Before You Go
Flatbush Avenue is an ideal place to experience one of New York’s most authentic and historical districts.
The avenue is accessible for strollers and wheelchair-users.
Wear comfortable shoes: Exploring the area and its parks involves serious walking.
How to Get There
Visiting Flatbush Avenue from Manhattan is easy by subway. Stations dot the its length: If you aim for its northern end, catch the B or Q lines and alight at Seventh Avenue near Prospect Park. Alternatively, to explore central Flatbush, disembark at Cortelyou Avenue. Frequent buses run to central Brooklyn from Manhattan. If you drive, look for paid street or lot parking.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
Flatbush Avenue is busy day and night, so don’t expect a peaceful stroll unless you dive into its parks and residential quarters. In summer, it’s best to explore starting in mid-morning, browsing the shops and finishing with lunch at one of the many restaurants.
Must-Do Activities on Flatbush Avenue
Don’t miss Prospect Park: Brooklyn’s answer to Central Park offers shaded footpaths, lakes, copses, and a small zoo. It's particularly beautiful in fall. A walk around nearby Park Slope reveals vintage stores and hip restaurants hidden along streets of elegant brownstones. As a finale, make for Junior’s on the junction of DeKalb and Flatbush avenues to savor one of its famous cheesecakes.
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- Prospect Park
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Brooklyn Museum
- Jewish Children's Museum
- Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch (Central Library)
- Grand Army Plaza
- Brooklyn Children's Museum
- Green-Wood Cemetery
- Barclays Center
- Sunset Park
- Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
- Sunset Park
- Carroll Gardens
- Brooklyn Tabernacle
- New York Transit Museum