Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6

Situated on a pier that just a few years ago was considered no-man’s-land, this park has changed the Brooklyn waterfront indelibly, bringing the Dumbo cachet all the way to Atlantic Avenue and becoming Brooklyn’s new go-to destination for families. Taking its cue from Hudson-fronting playgrounds like those of Pier 51 and Pier 25, it ups the ante with a number of awesome amenities, including the Water Lab, a stone-strewn area with water underfoot to splash in, water tables and a spinning water wheel, and Sand Village, a huge sandbox with molecular-looking climbing structure and flanked by two long metal slides. Add to them clean bathrooms, a food court where families can find the likes of fresh milk shakes and hot dogs, and even spots for fishing and beach volleyball and there’s not much room for improvement—especially when views of downtown Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor are included.