Introducing DUMBO

The picturesque sliver of land 'Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass' was once one of Brooklyn’s best-kept secrets. In this neighborhood, inevitably known as DUMBO, the warren of cobblestone streets are edged with humble steel-frame and brick factory buildings – one of which produced a rather life-changing invention: the cardboard box.

From the 1970s, the biggest discoveries here were made by artists who turned the old factories into expansive lofts with airy ceilings and abundant light. Today, artists still comprise 20 per cent of the neighborhood, but there are far more affluent New Yorkers, as well as a new kind of innovator: the tech startups.

And so, in addition to the sweeping views of Manhattan gloriously flanked by the Brooklyn Bridge’s Gothic archways and Manhattan Bridge’s dusky blue steel towers, the Brooklyn Bridge Park now offers free wifi.

Sundays find the brick ruins of the Tobacco Warehouse brought to life with artisanal food purveyors and gastronomes for the seasonal food fair, Smorgasburg. Both the young and young-at-heart delight in the lovingly restored 1920s merry-go-round known as Jane’s Carousel, perched by the East River.

And when the rest of the city beckons, there are several ways to heed the siren’s call: any one of three subway lines, the ferry that crosses over to Wall Street and Governors Island, or any of two bridges offering spectacular views all the way to Manhattan.

Distances to airports

By car (without traffic): JFK – 30 mins | LaGuardia – 20 mins

Distances to Manhattan

By subway: Soho – 20 mins | Times Square – 30 mins | Central Park – 30 mins