Life in Brooklyn: 9 Things You Should Know

The Brooklyn Borough of New York City was founded in the seventeenth century. Indeed, it was a busy city in its own right until the late nineteenth century when it became one of New York City’s Five Boroughs.

Brooklyn is undoubtedly worth visiting to see famous attractions like Brooklyn Bridge, Prospect Park, and Coney Island. It is also worth visiting to sample some of the best pizzas in the country. And once you have spent time in Brooklyn, you might decide to live there.

If you’re considering moving to the borough, here are nine things that you will want to know.

1. The Climate Can Be Cold in the Winter, But the Summers Can Be Warm

As you will see, there are many great reasons to live in Brooklyn. But you should be prepared for the cold weather that lasts much of the year.

The winters can be cold, snowy, and windy, with temperatures that can drop as low as 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, the climate tends to be warm and sunny between mid-June and late September, with temperatures sometimes entering the nineties.

2. Brooklyn Is Made up of Ten Neighborhoods

Each neighborhood in Brooklyn has a distinct vibe and feel. The ten neighborhoods all have plenty of amenities and strong communities. Indeed, Brooklyn is well known for its friendly people and sense of community, so it’s an ideal place to live whether you’re a single professional or you have a family.

But the cost of living varies from one neighborhood to another. So, make sure you research each neighborhood to find out which one would be your ideal location to move to.

3. Properties in Brooklyn Are Affordable But They Vary a Lot in Price

Whether you decide to rent or buy a property in Brooklyn, you’ll be able to find a home that is more affordable than in Manhattan. But of course, property prices still vary greatly in the borough of Brooklyn.

Fort Greene is one of the most affordable neighborhoods, Park Slope is pretty expensive, and Greenpoint is ideal for young professionals who are looking for studio apartments.

4. Getting Around Brooklyn by Public Transport Is Easy

While it’s easy to get around Brooklyn by car, street parking can be tricky because there’s no permit system in place.

Furthermore, car accident injuries are common in Brooklyn, so if you do intend to drive in the borough, make sure you take extra care; especially around notorious accident hotspots like South Fourth Street and Belt Parkway.

If you are injured in an auto accident, you should schedule a free consultation with Brooklyn car accident lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers to determine whether you can claim compensation to cover things like medical bills and lost earnings.

Many people in Brooklyn get around without using cars, though, as the borough has an excellent public transport system. It’s easy and cheap to get around Brooklyn by using the New York City subway. There are 170 subway stations in Brooklyn.

You can also easily get around the borough by bus. There are 55 bus routes in Brooklyn.

It’s simple to get around by cab or bicycle, too.

5. There Are Loads of Options for Dining Out in Brooklyn

You will not be short of places to eat out in Brooklyn. Furthermore, because the borough is a melting pot of different cultures, you will come across a wide variety of restaurants providing international cuisines.

For instance, in Crown Heights, you can enjoy Jamaican jerk chicken, in Sheepshead Bay, you can sample tasty baklava, and in Sunset Park, you can try authentic dim sum.

New restaurants, diners, and food trucks pop up all the time in Brooklyn, so there’s always somewhere different to dine.

6. There Are Also Loads of Options for Shopping in Brooklyn

From high-end shops to artisan stores, there’s no need to venture further than your local neighborhoods to find everything you need.

Shopping in Brooklyn can be a lot of fun, too. Whether you want to rummage through the stock at thrift stores or try specialty cheeses from Brooklyn’s fine cheese shops, the borough is ideal for shopping.

Some of the best places for shopping include City Point, Fulton Mall, and Atlantic Terminal.

7. Brooklyn Is Home to Some Amazing Museums

If you’re looking for cultural things to do in Brooklyn, there are a number of museums on your doorstep.

They include the Brooklyn Museum, which is the third largest museum in New York City and houses more than 1.5 million works of art, the New York Transit Museum, which features a collection of restored trains and has rotating exhibitions, and the Museum of Food & Drink, which you will want to check out if you’re a food lover.

8. Brooklyn Is Home to Lively Nightlife

You won’t be short on places to go out in the evening. If bars and clubs are your thing, head to areas like Williamsburg, Red Hook, Crown Heights, Greenpoint, and Park Slope.

And if you prefer watching live music, Brooklyn has plenty of venues, no matter what your taste.

The Music Hall of Williamsburg is great for catching rising-star indie bands, Elsewhere, which is a huge converted warehouse, gets the crowd going with live DJ sets, and Saint Vitus is one of the best places around for rock, metal, and experimental heavy music.

There are many excellent movie theaters in Brooklyn, too. Some of the best include Alamo Drafthouse, Cinema Warsaw, Film Noir Cinema, Alpine Cinema, and Nitehawk Cinema.

9. Brooklyn Has a Variety of Sporting Venues

If you want to watch or play sports in Brooklyn, there are lots of choices.

When it comes to sporting venues, some of the best include Barclays Center, which is home to the Brooklyn Nets, Maimonides Park, which is a minor league baseball stadium, and Aviator Sports and Events Center, which provides a number of sports with different leagues playing, including football, basketball, ice hockey, ice skating, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, and gymnastics.