Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) is simply one of the finest parks in the entire city. With over 600 free activities scheduled for the coming months, you’ll never run out of things to do — and you won’t find a better place to do them. Sitting mere blocks from The Standish, the park is a major social hub for those with Brooklyn Heights homes, as well as a destination for community members seeking cultural enrichment and pursuing active lifestyles. If you’re considering the condominiums for sale at The Standish, read on for a few of our favorite suggestions for a perfect summer day (or night) at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Culture
For BBP, summer officially kicks off on Thursday, June 1st with the Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy’s annual shindig, Sunset. This year’s theme, Sunset Fiesta, delivers live music, a kids’ tent, and plenty to eat and drink. A silent auction helps raise money for the ever-expanding park and its many free public activities and programs, while lawn games provide an extra bit of fun and the opportunity to rub elbows with those who share a passion for advancing the park’s mission. Tickets are required, and prices increase at the gate, so be sure to buy early.
Film buffs will enjoy the Movies with a View series, which is celebrating its 18th season this year. These regular Thursday night screenings begin with a full pre-party, complete with a beer garden and music, as well as food from local vendors. With the theme of “Resistance,” this year’s series will feature films focused on the “issues of race, gender, protest, and triumph.” If you can, try to come out early, before the festivities and flick, to visit the array of art installations and exhibits throughout the park. One of our favorites is The Fence, a marvelous panoply of photographs from around the world.
Adventure
In recent years, NYC has seen an influx of climbing gyms with high-quality routes, good instructors, and outstanding fitness facilities to augment your training. Still, rock jocks can find it challenging to identify nearby outdoor routes that won’t get them arrested (e.g. “buildering,” which we heartily discourage). Thankfully, The Cliffs has seen fit to remedy this with the opening of DUMBO Boulders. Artfully located under the Manhattan Bridge, this outdoor bouldering cave is the only one of its kind in the five boroughs. For those not familiar with the sport, bouldering is a form of rock climbing, but on shorter routes like those found on a boulder; you don’t need harnesses, a rope, or other standard climbing equipment to join the fun. Bring a friend to spot you, and if you don’t own climbing shoes, rent a pair to maximize your performance.
However, no matter how high you climb, the water still beckons from just a few feet away, and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse’s kayak program is there to help you make the most of it. From June through August on Thursdays, 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm, and Saturdays, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, you can walk up to the boathouse between Piers 1 and 2 and check out a kayak for a free 20-minute session of paddling in the nearby embayment. All you need is a willingness to get a little wet, some sunblock, and a bit of water to drink (it gets hot out there). The boathouse runs the kayaks rain or shine but may close due to lightning or high winds, so do check the forecast before you go. And if you’ve got any cash to spare, drop something in the jar on your way out, for this program is 100% donor-funded. More dollars mean more boats, more staff, and more hours of fun for the entire community.
Team Sports and Fitness
Basketball, soccer, rugby, handball, bocce, field hockey, shuffleboard, lacrosse, and flag football — no matter what you play and whom you play with, Brooklyn Bridge Park offers both scheduled and drop-in slots to accommodate your competitive pursuits. For those looking to pop into the park for a quick pickup game, you can check out the available times for the excellent Pier 6 Beach Volleyball Courts schedule and the Pier 5 Sports Fields here. Or you may want to take up with any number of leagues that play here on the evenings and weekends. For those who are planning to start their own league or reserve a place to play, permits are easily obtained via instructions found on the BBP website.
If workouts are your thing (and we know they are), BBP hosts a variety of classes, including aerobics, dance, Zumba, Pilates, and even body combat. While these classes are sure to exercise your muscles, the unique setting along the shorefront is sure to also relax your mind. You may be thinking only about “yoga” at first, but there’s nothing like moving to show tunes in the Broadway Dance class, with good, old New York, New York as your backdrop.
