This Weekend in Brooklyn, NY
Nov 6–Nov 8
The borough that became its own brand.
🆓 Free this weekend
Smorgasburg – Williamsburg
Williamsburg
Every Saturday on the Williamsburg waterfront, April through October. 100+ vendors -- ramen burgers, artisanal ice cream, and whatever food trend is peaking that month. Free to enter, pay for what you eat. Manhattan skyline right across the water.
Prospect Park Audubon Center
Prospect Park
The Audubon Center at the Boathouse runs free nature programs for families -- birdwatching, pond dipping, nature walks, and animal encounters. Electric boat tours of Prospect Lake also available ($8 adults, $4 kids). The building is a restored 1905 boathouse on the lakefront. Open seasonally.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Bocce Courts (Pier 2)
DUMBO
Two bocce courts at Pier 2, free and open to the public. Bring your own bocce set or borrow one from the Pier 2 sports equipment shed (available on a first-come, first-served basis). A surprisingly social activity on the waterfront -- regulars show up on summer evenings and weekend afternoons.
Barbès
Park Slope
Intimate back-room venue with live music every night of the week. World music, jazz, Balkan brass, Latin, and experimental. Weekly residencies include Stephane Wrembel (Sundays) and the Mandingo Ambassadors (Wednesdays). No cover for most shows -- suggested donation. The musicians who play here are absurdly good for a bar this small. Mon-Thu 5pm-2am, Fri 5pm-2am, Sat-Sun 2pm-3am.
Marcy Playground Basketball Courts
Bed-Stuy
Competitive pickup basketball. Well-maintained full courts, plus handball courts and a playground. Free. Draws serious players on summer evenings and weekends. Near the G train.
Skinny Dennis
Williamsburg
New York City's premier honky tonk bar since 2013. Live country, bluegrass, and roots music every single night, usually starting around 9pm. No cover most nights. The backyard is great in warm weather but the stage is inside year-round. This is not a theme bar -- these are real working musicians with weekly residencies. Open daily 12pm-4am.
🌳 Get outside
Smorgasburg – Williamsburg
Williamsburg
Every Saturday on the Williamsburg waterfront, April through October. 100+ vendors -- ramen burgers, artisanal ice cream, and whatever food trend is peaking that month. Free to enter, pay for what you eat. Manhattan skyline right across the water.
Prospect Park Audubon Center
Prospect Park
The Audubon Center at the Boathouse runs free nature programs for families -- birdwatching, pond dipping, nature walks, and animal encounters. Electric boat tours of Prospect Lake also available ($8 adults, $4 kids). The building is a restored 1905 boathouse on the lakefront. Open seasonally.
Prospect Park Tennis Center
Prospect Park
Eleven hard courts at the Parade Ground managed by the Prospect Park Alliance. During the outdoor season (May through October), eight courts are available to NYC Parks tennis permit holders. During the indoor season (late October through early May), all 11 courts are covered by a bubble and available for hourly rental. Single-play passes are available for those without a seasonal permit.
Smorgasburg – Prospect Park
Prospect Park
100+ food vendors every Sunday in Prospect Park, April through October. Free to walk around -- just pay for what you eat. Kids get to run on the grass between bites while you try the ramen burger or whatever's new.
Prospect Park Pickleball Courts
Prospect Park
Dedicated pickleball courts at the Parade Ground in Prospect Park, part of the Parks Department's expansion of the sport across the city. Free for permit holders ($15 single-play). The courts are newer and the lines are clear. Pickup games on weekday mornings draw a regular crowd of all ages.
👨👩👧 With kids
Prospect Park Zoo
Prospect Park
Run by the Wildlife Conservation Society. Discovery Trail, barn with domestic animals, sea lion pool, nature theater. The whole thing is compact enough that a 2-year-old can actually enjoy it without getting overwhelmed. Book tickets online in advance -- required.
BLDG 92 at Brooklyn Navy Yard
Navy Yard
Free museum covering 200+ years of the Brooklyn Navy Yard -- Civil War, WWII shipbuilding, and its current life as a manufacturing hub. Interactive exhibits. Walking tours of the active Navy Yard campus also available. Best for school-age kids who like building things and asking how stuff works.
Area 53 Adventure Park
Williamsburg
40,000 square feet of ziplines, ropes courses, climbing walls, laser tag, paintball, obstacle courses, roller skating, and slides. Three hours of unlimited everything with admission. Ages 3+. The kind of place where you drop kids off and they come back exhausted.
CAMP at City Point
Downtown Brooklyn
Toy store up front, then themed play installations behind secret doors. Rotating themes -- recent ones included Bluey's House and a Slime Bar. Arts and crafts, a cafe, and a little theater. Free to walk in and browse. Downtown Brooklyn location.
Brooklyn Public Library – Central Branch
Prospect Heights
Free storytime, craft programs, STEM workshops, and a dedicated children's reading room. All 60+ Brooklyn branches run free kids programming year-round -- baby lap-sit to teen maker labs. The Grand Army Plaza building is an Art Deco landmark worth seeing on its own.
🍷 Date night
Nitehawk Cinema – Williamsburg
Williamsburg
The place that started dine-in cinema in NYC. Craft cocktails and a full food menu delivered to your seat during the film. New releases, indie films, repertory screenings. This is the original Williamsburg location -- intimate, neighborhood feel. Second spot near Prospect Park.
Jalopy Theatre & School of Music
Red Hook
A 70-seat folk music venue and school in the Columbia Street Waterfront area near Red Hook. Old-time, bluegrass, folk, country, and sea shanty music. Also teaches banjo, guitar, fiddle, and ukulele. There is a little cafe next door. The most unpretentious music room in Brooklyn.
The Bell House
Gowanus
Converted 1920s warehouse with a 25-foot vaulted ceiling. Comedy, stand-up, podcast tapings, trivia, live music, themed dance parties -- they book a little bit of everything. Separate lounge bar. The kind of venue where regulars get fiercely protective.
Alamo Drafthouse – Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
12 screens with a no-talking, no-texting policy they actually enforce. Sony 4K projection. Full food and drink menu at your seat. New releases, classic repertory, and special events. The House of Wax bar downstairs is a solid pre-show spot.
Rough Trade NYC
Williamsburg
A vinyl record store with a 250-capacity live music venue attached. Free in-store performances and signings alongside ticketed evening shows. The record selection is deep, especially for indie and electronic. The kind of place you walk in to browse and leave three hours later.
🎭 Entertainment
Nitehawk Cinema – Williamsburg
Williamsburg
The place that started dine-in cinema in NYC. Craft cocktails and a full food menu delivered to your seat during the film. New releases, indie films, repertory screenings. This is the original Williamsburg location -- intimate, neighborhood feel. Second spot near Prospect Park.
Jalopy Theatre & School of Music
Red Hook
A 70-seat folk music venue and school in the Columbia Street Waterfront area near Red Hook. Old-time, bluegrass, folk, country, and sea shanty music. Also teaches banjo, guitar, fiddle, and ukulele. There is a little cafe next door. The most unpretentious music room in Brooklyn.
The Bell House
Gowanus
Converted 1920s warehouse with a 25-foot vaulted ceiling. Comedy, stand-up, podcast tapings, trivia, live music, themed dance parties -- they book a little bit of everything. Separate lounge bar. The kind of venue where regulars get fiercely protective.
Alamo Drafthouse – Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
12 screens with a no-talking, no-texting policy they actually enforce. Sony 4K projection. Full food and drink menu at your seat. New releases, classic repertory, and special events. The House of Wax bar downstairs is a solid pre-show spot.
Rough Trade NYC
Williamsburg
A vinyl record store with a 250-capacity live music venue attached. Free in-store performances and signings alongside ticketed evening shows. The record selection is deep, especially for indie and electronic. The kind of place you walk in to browse and leave three hours later.