Walking The Williamsburg Bridge From Manhattan To Brooklyn (Stops Included!)

Want to do this scenic walk and get photos to keep? I offer private NYC photo tours and custom photoshoots through my company, NYC Photo Journeys. Both experiences also include high resolution photos to keep!

Walking The Williamsburg Bridge [Video]

Before you read any further…

Check out my walk over the Williamsburg Bridge in the video above!

You’ll learn how to do this scenic stroll over the East River, and will also snag additional suggestions beyond this blog post for your Brooklyn itinerary, as well.

Bonus: The video ends with a look at my favorite NYC rooftop bar. You’ll immediately see why I love it so much.

How Long Is The Williamsburg Bridge?

The Williamsburg Bridge Pedestrian Path is 1.38 miles, much of which offers scenic views over the East River and out toward the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines.

Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, as this doesn’t include the wandering you’ll do exploring the Lower East Side and Williamsburg neighborhoods before and after your Williamsburg Bridge walk!

Start Your Williamsburg Bridge Walk On The Lower East Side

The Lower East Side — where the Williamsburg Bridge walk begins — is known for many things, particularly its rich immigrant history.

During the 19th century and into the 20th, the neighborhood was full of tenement buildings crammed with immigrant families in poor conditions.

The Tenement Museum, a living museum with costumed interpreters, allows you to explore this. Visiting is truly a uniquely New York experience, as it tells the true story of the city.

One population that was prominent in the neighborhood during this time was Jewish immigrants, many of whom came to America to experience the American dream of freedom and gold to escape persecution and anti-semitism in places like Russia and Germany.

For this reason, I highly recommend taking in some Jewish culture at places like;

Katz’s Delicatessen: Open since 1888, this place is NOT overrated. It has an old-school cafeteria feel and you’ll be given samples as you wait for your massive pastrami sandwich, hands down the best in the city. That’s not an opinion; that’s a fact.

Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery: Not far from Katz’s is this historic 1910 knish spot, a small and simple venue offering delicious knishes made from scratch (not the frozen variety!). Along with the traditional potato stuffed dough, they showcase other varieties like spinach and cherry. Yum!

Kossar’s Bialys: Looking for something a little different to do in NYC? Visit Kossar’s, the USA’s oldest bialy factory, open since 1936. A bialy is like a bagel with no hole—instead, it has a depressed center typically with onions and/or poppy seeds—and it’s baked instead of boiled and baked.

History Of The Williamsburg Bridge

The Williamsburg Bridge opened in 1903, completely changing the demographics of its namesake Brooklyn neighborhood.

Many called it the “Jews Bridge” due to all the Jewish immigrants who walked over the bridge from their tenements in the Lower East Side to settle in Williamsburg. In fact, after this bridge opened, Williamsburg became the most densely populated place in the USA.

By 1917, the block between South 2nd and South 3rd had over 5,000 people!

It’s not surprising that air conditioning was invented in the neighborhood around this time!

Things To Do In Williamsburg, Brooklyn

The opening of the bridge truly influenced the makeup of Williamsburg.

What was once a wealthy area where “robber barons” like Cornelius Vanderbilt, Charles Pratt, and Charles Pfizer had waterfront mansions and factories, started becoming blue-collar.

Today, walking around Williamsburg, it’s hard to imagine a time of struggle, as it’s very much gentrified. The once factory-lined waterfront now showcases luxury high rises and beautifully manicured parks.

While I do feel Williamsburg has gone too far with how much it’s progressed, I’ll admit I do enjoy the restaurants, bars, boutiques, and thrift shops. Plus, you can absolutely enjoy the local offerings on a budget.

And if you’re looking to spend an afternoon wandering, it’s one of the best places to walk in Brooklyn, especially as it’s easy to make fun discoveries without a plan.

Now, while many stores in this neighborhood are pricey, one gem for those who don’t have $100+ to blow on a shirt:

Vintage Monk Thrift Shop. I regularly buy jeans and hats from there for $5 each! There are also other nearby vintage and thrift stores like Beacon’s Closet, Brooklyn Woke Vintage, and Crossroads Trading.

Beyond shopping, some of my favorite Williamsburg experiences include:

Bedford Cheese Shop: Here you’ll find a stinky heaven of farmstead cheese and local artisanal products. This and Dépanneur are my favorite places for exploring Brooklyn culinary creativity.

Martha’s Country Bakery: Serving NYC since 1972, stop in here for homemade desserts and delicious coffee drinks. I’m obsessed with their carrot cake!

Bar Blondeau at the Wythe Hotel: This rooftop has great views and a very chill vibe.

Westlight at the William Vale Hotel: No Brooklyn travel guide would be complete without mentioning this rooftop, which pairs craft cocktails with a true 360-degree view of NYC. This is one of my favorite rooftop bars in New York. If you’re walking the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn, end the day with a spicy mezcal cocktail paired with a gorgeous vista here. This is definitely one of the best NYC Instagram spots!

Brooklyn Barge: Technically in Greenpoint, this waterfront park, boat bar, and hangout is massive and offers superb views of Manhattan. One of the best “boat experiences” in NYC, and it’s big enough that you’ll never have an issue getting in.

Hotel Delmano: The best cocktail bar in Brooklyn and one of the most beautiful restaurants in NYC. Worth the price tag and skipping dinner for (though you’ll want something in your stomach as they’re boozy). This spot is also open late if you’re looking for things to do after midnight.

Flavors of Williamsburg Food Tour: Because Williamsburg is such a foodie neighborhood, it’s the perfect place for a food tour. You’ll get up to six tastings of local bites like dumplings and bagels, not to mention pizza from my favorite local spot!

Smorgasburg: During the warmer months, you can visit this waterfront food fair, which has loads of vendors serving food from around the world as well as creative eats like rainbow grilled cheese and Indian-fusion donuts.

Best Time To Walk The Brooklyn Bridge

This Manhattan to Brooklyn Walk is incredible in any season, though opting for spring or fall will be the most comfortable temperature-wise.

Summer can also be nice, but bring a small handheld fan or spray bottle to keep cool.

If visiting in chillier months, make sure you know what to wear to stay warm while crossing the bridge over the water.

Keep in mind, this isn’t the only NYC bridge walk. Another fun option is walking across the Manhattan Bridge, which connects Chinatown in Manhattan to DUMBO in Downtown Brooklyn!