New York Like a Native
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Red Hook tour


Brooklyn's storied, eerie waterfront neighborhood, with a compelling if troubled history, now known for art, Superstorm Sandy recovery, and new ventures

Brooklyn tour: street sculpture in Red HookStreet Sculpture, Red Hook
Once the moniker for a good part of South Brooklyn, today's Red Hook was cut off from Brownstone Brooklyn by the construction of the Battery Tunnel and the siting of a large public housing complex.

Warehouses and other industrial building served a declining shipping industry. Red Hook's isolation--no subway goes there; a bus ride, ferry, or long walk is needed--delayed new residents and new investment.

Its rugged feel and mixed-use character finally made Red Hook something of a destination, as well as a perpetual entry in the "next neighborhood" discussion.

The main drag, Van Brunt Street, has become home to numerous "new Brooklyn" businesses, including restaurants and galleries. An "old Brooklyn" business like Sunny's Bar became an icon, and even the subject of a book.

The giant Ikea arrived, not without controversy, as did the Fairway Market. Both today provide fantastic outdoor waterfront space, including a park that memorializes Red Hook's maritime past. Developers have floated big, often unresolved plans for remaining parcels of land. A community farm involves local youth, as does the Center for Court Innovation.

But Superstorm Sandy hit the neighborhood, especially the Red Hook Houses, the 1930s housing project that contains the majority of the neighborhood's population, prompting ongoing discussions about how to best recover, and the environmentally just way to rebuild.

Despite a large school-age population in public housing, the neighborhood lacks a high school, one issue that's arisen in the wake of a hugely ambitious plan, announced​ in September 2016, to build as many as 45,000 new apartments and add three subway stops. Another contested issue: the proposal to build the new BQX streetcar to Astoria, from Red Hook.

Two chocolate makers, two ice cream places, a winery, and a couple of distillers have launched in Red Hook. There's a great bakery and an even better place for key lime pies. Oddities abound, including a "mystery" federal facility, an under-the-radar factory making a unique foodstuff, a "robotic church," an art storage facility, and a "hidden" garden. 

(The neighborhood had gained attention for the "Red Hook vendors," Latin American food purveyors who initially served soccer players, and became a "foodie" destination, but a lingering environmental cleanup has limited their scope.)

Still, the single most compelling thing about Red Hook is simply the view from the waterfront, with views of Governor's Island, the State of Liberty, Lower Manhattan, dense Jersey City, and the Verrazano Bridge. It's even better with a taste of that key lime pie.

Contact me

Distance from Midtown Manhattan: 25-45+ minutes by subway, also accessible by ferry from Lower Manhattan

Basic tour length: 2-2.5 hours (see fees)

Starting place: Typically off B61 bus, or near ferry stop (NYC Ferry or Ikea Ferry)

Ending place: Waterfront, or a bar/distillery

Highlights: History, architecture, shopping, urban planning, views

Option before/during/after tour: Many places to snack/eat, including sweets (key lime pie, chocolate, bakery, gelateria, ice cream)


Potential tour extensions with me: Atlantic Avenue, Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens, Park Slope
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, Vinegar Hill tour
      • Park Slope tour
      • Brooklyn Bridge (and more) tour
      • 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
    • Coney Island and southern Brooklyn >
      • Coney Island Webinar, Virtual Tour, & Resources
      • Coney Island (& Brighton Beach) tour
      • Sunset Park 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
    • 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
  • Contact me/Book
  • Blog