New York Like a Native
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Greenpoint tour


A fascinating neighborhood in the midst of change, with Polish heritage, hipster influx, and new development surging.

Brooklyn tour: a Polish bakery in the Greenpoint neighborhoodOld and new in Greenpoint
Greenpoint offers variety, including a handsome historic district, thriving shopping districts (one still with significant Polish presence), and the spillover from Williamsburg that has meant gentrification. (I have led versions of this tour that focus on Greenpoint's Polish history.)

There are some great views of Manhattan (amid desolation), and some seriously interesting juxtapositions, like a former public bathhouse turned into a new condo development.

The tour addresses Greenpoint's rich industrial history and the aftermath that left buildings like some pioneering worker housing (and also some toxicity).

We'll encounter manufacturing plants converted into studios for arts and craftsmen, Brooklyn's most elegantly situated church, a park with a monument to the Civil War ship (Monitor) built in the neighborhood, and an intersection named for Pope John Paul II.

Our route 
includes a park with stunning views of Manhattan and another that looks like a London square. We'll see some gorgeous blocks and some drab ones--and plans for massive new development. We'll learn about the civic energy that revived Greenpoint, and the rezoning that put development on hyperdrive.

We should pass the former home of Kickstarter, a major Internet company, and see the bars and restaurants that have emerged to serve new residents and workers with disposable income. (Yes, we may see some locations portrayed in the HBO show Girls, but this is not a Girls tour.)

We cover a lot of ground in this tour, but there are many places to refuel. Greenpoint connects by foot (or subway/bus) to both Williamsburg and Long Island City, so they make good add-ons for this tour--if you have the energy!

Yes, there are good food options, during or before/after the tour.

Contact me

Distance from Midtown Manhattan: 25-35 minutes by subway, also accessible by ferry from Pier 11/East 34th Street

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​Cost: see fees here

Basic tour length: 2.5+ hours (see fees). It's worth spending 3 hours, if you're up for it, to see the scope of neighborhood.

Starting place: Typically near G train/Greenpoint Avenue, can also take NYC Ferry; the G train is accessible from Long Island City (7/E/M) or Williamsburg (L). For locals, I can customize starting/ending place.
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Ending place: Typically near G train/Nassau Avenue

Highlights: History, architecture, industrial heritage, neighborhood feel

Option before/after tour: Numerous places for a snack/meal 


Option during tour: Bakeries, donut shops, ice cream

Potential tour extensions with me: Williamsburg, Long Island City, East Williamsburg/Bushwick


Why I like leading this tour: While Greenpoint is not as under-the-radar as it once was, it has so many layers and unexpected delights. It's one of the neighborhoods I visit most on my own.
New York Like A Native: Energetic, eclectic tours of Brooklyn & beyond. Experienced guide. Personal service.
  • Home
  • Brooklyn tours
    • Brooklyn 101 tour >
      • Brooklyn 202 tour
    • North & west of Prospect Park >
      • Fort Greene & Clinton Hill tour
      • DUMBO, Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn Heights tour
      • Park Slope tour
      • Viewing (and Walking) Brooklyn Bridge (+ More)
      • Atlantic Avenue & Downtown Brooklyn
      • Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens tour
      • Red Hook tour
    • Williamsburg & north Brooklyn >
      • Williamsburg tour
      • Greenpoint tour
      • Bushwick and East Williamsburg tour
    • Central Brooklyn >
      • Bedford-Stuyvesant tour
      • Crown Heights tour
      • (Not Just) Victorian Flatbush tour
      • Sunset Park tour
      • Green-Wood Cemetery tour
    • Coney Island and southern Brooklyn >
      • Coney Island Webinar, Virtual Tour, & Resources
      • Coney Island (& Brighton Beach) tour
      • Bensonhurst tour
      • Bay Ridge tour
    • Jewish, food, and Xmas lights tours >
      • Jewish Neighborhood Tours
      • Food, dessert, ice cream tours
      • Dyker Heights Christmas Lights tour
    • Moving to Brooklyn/layover tours >
      • Moving to/Studying in/Retiring in Brooklyn
      • Airport/Cruise/Layover tours in Brooklyn
    • Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park/Barclays Center
  • Beyond Brooklyn
    • East Village tour
    • Jackson Heights tour
    • Lower East Side tour
    • Long Island City tour
    • Ridgewood tour
    • Sunnyside & LIC East
  • About your guide
  • Fees/Schedule/FAQ
    • Fees for private tours
    • Schedule
    • FAQ
    • Vehicle and custom tours
    • Tours for classes
    • Resources on Brooklyn
    • How to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
    • Picking a Hotel in Brooklyn
    • Picking an AirBnB in Brooklyn
  • Contact me/Book
  • Blog