Williamsburg Visitor Map & Self Guided Tour - Brooklyn

 

This page provides information for visiting Williamsburg, Brooklyn - the neighborhood where our Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour takes place. First there is a map, and then there is a self-guided walking tour route. This page focuses on the "hip" Northside of the neighborhood.
To travel here, take the L subway line to Bedford Avenue station.

 

Map of neighborhood

 

 

Self-Guided Walking Tour Route of Williamsburg

Arrive in Brooklyn at the Bedford Avenue subway station. Exit towards Bedford Avenue. Take in the surrounding scene - it's a busy, eclectic intersection of shoppers, party-goers, friends meeting up to socialize, etc. You can check out Goorin Brothers hat shop, which has a collection of stylish headwear. Or get a snack at Martha's Country Bakery.

Walk east along North 7th Street and take the first right turn onto Driggs Avenue.

Proceed 1 block along Driggs Avenue. You will pass a huge vintage shop called Mother of Junk. Turn right onto North 6th Street. On this block you will pass the Spire Lofts - an old Catholic church which has been converted into apartments. It costs around $4000 per month to rent an apartment here! Turn left at Bedford Avenue. On the corner is Donut Plant.

 

Old church building

 

Take your time strolling along Bedford Avenue. This is the main shopping street around here. The street is lined with boutiques, fashion and restaurants. There are also usually numerous street vendors offering interesting products. As you proceed you will reach the block on Bedford Avenue between North 5th Street and North 4th Street, which is a top place to browse. Catbird is a popular jewelry shop. Soap Cherie offers handmade soaps and fragrances. And there is the Bedford Avenue Minimall which contains several shops including The Little Market in Brooklyn (a flea market featuring approximately 10 vendors).

 

graffiti on wall

 

graffiti letters on wall

 

Continue walking along Bedford Avenue past Whole Foods and the Apple Store. Turn right onto North 3rd Street.

Walk one block and pass Berry Street. On the corner is Radegast Hall, a lively German-style beer garden. On weekend afternoons there is usually live music.

Continue on North 3rd Street to Wythe Avenue and turn left. Then walk 2 blocks and turn right onto Grand Street. You will pass Devocion coffee roaster. Consider popping inside to grab a beverage and enjoy the repurposed industrial interior, which features a living green wall. Next door is Croxley's, a sports bar that offers more than 80 different beers.

Walk past Kent Avenue and you will arrive at the great new Domino Park. On this site used to be the largest sugar factory in the world. Notice large construction - the site is a huge real estate development which will contain 2400 apartments.

In the park you can enjoy the NYC skyline view and take photos. Look around for the World Trade Center, Empire State Building and various other skyscrapers. The large bridge on your left is the Williamsburg Bridge.

You can also people-watch at the diverse residents of Brooklyn who patronize the park.

 

View of riverfront park

 

Upon exiting Domino Park, walk north along Kent Avenue. Then turn left onto North 3rd Street. Walk until the end and you will reach a nice promenade along the river. Turn right and walk along the water's edge. You will reach the North 5th Street pier.

 

graffiti on wall

 

graffiti letters on wall

 

Continue walking north and you will pass the NYC Ferry. This can be taken to DUMBO and Downtown or Midtown Manhattan. Exit out to North 6th Street, and then walk one more block to North 7th Street.

On Saturdays is food market Smorgasburg within Marsha P. Johnson State Park on the left (closed in winter). It contains 100 vendors offering hot tasty food.

Continue straight on North 7th Street. On Saturdays and Sundays is Artists & Fleas market. It contains 100 vendors offering handmade goods and artisanal crafts.

 

graffiti on wall

 

graffiti letters on wall

 

Turn right onto Wythe Avenue. You will pass National Sawdust, a cool venue for classical music. Turn left at North 5th Street.

Walk one block straight. Look out for a new mural by local artist Isabelle Ewing, and a large squirrel by famous Belgian artist ROA. Please do not enter the gate!

Turn left onto Berry Street and walk 1.5 block, then turn around for a large mural by Faith 47. Then backtrack and turn right onto North 6th Street. You will pass Le Labo perfumery and SEA Thai restaurant.

Turn right onto Wythe Avenue. Walk straight for 3 blocks. You will pass popular Cafe Mogador, and Heatonist hot sauce shop (pop in to sample many spicy flavors!)

At North 10th Street you will pass the Williamsburg Hotel, which features the large Water Tower Bar (cleverly disguised as a rooftop water tank) and a rooftop swimming pool. You can detour left and walk to the end of the hotel, then look inside the all-glass corner rooms to spy on the people inside (look out for the shower in the 2nd window from left). Then return back to Wythe Avenue. You can also detour further on North 10th Street to Kah Kow artisanal chocolate factory. They are an artisanal purveyor of Dominican chocolate. Grab a free sample!

Now continue on Wythe Avenue in the same north direction and you will pass the Wythe Hotel. This building was originally constructed in 1901 as a German barrel factory. They offer a rooftop bar too.

 

Hotel building

 

Hotel in Brooklyn

 

Walk another block towards North 12th Street. On your right is the Brooklyn Brewery (tasting room open at 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends). Then there is Brooklyn Bowl, and the William Vale Hotel. Feel free to take a rest in the Vale Park one level up. You can also go up to the rooftop bar and enjoy the Manhattan view with a nice beverage.

 

Mural with a beer-related theme

 

tall new building

 

Turn right onto North 12th Street. Then make a left and cross the plaza beneath the hotel. Make a right turn onto North 13th Street. Then make a right turn onto Berry Street. You will pass several rotating mural artworks. Then turn left onto North 12th Street.

On your left is McCarren Park. It's a fairly large park that contains various sporting facilities and a gigantic public swimming pool.

Turn right onto Bedford Avenue. Walk straight for several blocks. Look out for murals by Jorit Agoch, Eduardo Kobra and more.

You have returned back to the subway!

 

 

Additional Nearby Williamsburg Options

 

Hasidic Jewish District

Walk to nearby South Williamsburg for the famous Hasidic Jewish community. Although it is located very close to the "hipster" district, the Jewish area is extremely different!

Directions: Walk south on Bedford Avenue. After approximately 15 short blocks, turn left onto Division Ave. Then turn right onto Lee Avenue.

Lee Avenue is the main shopping street. You will encounter many religious kosher businesses. This district continues approximately 1 kilometer along Lee Avenue.

Nearby businesses to visit: Gottleib's Deli - an old fashioned European Jewish delicatessen. Kaff's Bakery - kosher bakery offering many classic European & New York treats.

To return to Manhattan: take the J or Z subway line from Marcy Avenue station. Or take the G line at Flushing Avenue station, and transfer to another line for Manhattan.

View Our Guide to Hasidic Jewish Culture (Beliefs & Practices)

 

Hasidic Jews walking on street

 

School buses parked in front of synagogue

 

 

Bushwick Collective Graffiti & Street Art

Just 15 minutes by subway will take you to one of the most famous graffiti mural districts in the USA! The Bushwick Collective and surrounding streets contain dozens of beautiful street artworks.

Directions: take the L subway line an additional 6 stops away from Manhattan, to Jefferson Street station.

View Our Guide to the Bushwick Collective Street Art & Graffiti

 

mural of a man's portrait

 

woman standing in front of mural of dog

 

 


Enjoyed this Williamsburg Map? Make a charity donation

This map is provided for free. To show appreciation, please donate to the following nonprofit agency which supports low-income Brooklynites: St. Nicks Alliance. Your donation will support affordable housing, educational programs and job training. They serve Williamsburg and surrounding areas. Thank you in advance!

 

 

Copyright Jeffrey Stirewalt 2019. Under no circumstances is this material to be copied, sourced, referenced, reproduced etc. Any breach of this copyright will be pursued aggressively under the Digital Millennium Act and through all possible legal channels. But please share this and link to it!

 

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