The best things to do in Dumbo, Brooklyn right now

The Brooklyn Flea is undoubtedly one of the most popular flea markets to hit in NYC if you're looking for the best selection of throwback wares and records, which you certainly wouldn’t find in just any vintage clothing store or record store in the city. The food selection is also top-notch since the creators also operate one of the city’s best food markets: Smorgasburg. 

If there's one spot in Dumbo that's bound to host a live event, it's The Archway, a 45-foot-high arch beneath the Manhattan Bridge (you’ll find it on Water Street between Adams Street and Anchorage Place). The space was formerly used by the NYC Department of Transportation to store scrap metal but has since been restored as public space—especially in the summer, stop by and you might discover anything from live music and art workshops (even dance parties) right beneath the iconic archway (and often for free).

Time Out tip: Don't miss the annual Live at the Archway Series, offering live music and art for free each summer.

Are you a MacGyver or a MacGruber? During Beat the Bomb—an action-packed adventure that is equal parts escape room and immersive arcade game—you and a team of up to six people work together to beat five live arcade games. If your crew can’t beat all the games in less than an hour, a “bomb” of colorful paint will transform you into a heady tie-dye project. Don’t worry about your threads: Contestants are given head-to-toe coveralls before the game begins.

This beautiful section of the Brooklyn waterfront is an 85-acre expanse with several unique attractions such as Jane’s Carousel, a restored 1920s merry-go-round, and riverside esplanades with gorgeous Manhattan views.

Check out Pier 2, a three-acre site designed specifically for "active recreation" (sporting leagues, picnics and roller skating) with a 6,300-square-foot lawn and a water play area, and the new Squibb Bridge. Also, don’t miss out on new art installations that pop up frequently!

Known for hawking gorgeous, glossy photo books, powerHouse Arena’s airy, gallery-like atmosphere also makes it a worthy stop for browsing beach-season reads. If you visit the store on the regular, you’ll hear guest authors (think Gary Indiana and Jenny Zhang) and see new, eclectic art exhibitions created by big-name brands and local stars.

Yes, it's worth waiting in line. 

The tourist hordes haven’t ruined Grimaldi’s, whose pedigree–going back to Patsy Grimaldi’s first job at his uncle’s pizzeria in 1941– assures it guidebook coverage. The jukebox still honors Sinatra, and the waitstaff remains surly. But oh, the pizza: a thin crust covered with a mozzarella-to-sauce ratio that achieves the Platonic ideal.

Try this: There are a ton of pizza options here (like the Brooklyn Bridge with roasted red peppers and italian sausage or the Exxtra Pepperoni & Hot Honey (with Mike's Hot Honey). But we recommend sticking to the classic coal brick-oven fired traditional pizza.

Check out A.I.R (Artists in Residence, Inc.), which has deep roots in the New York contemporary gallery scene. Not only was it one of Soho’s very first galleries when it opened in 1972, but it was also one of the first artist-run, nonprofit dedicated to women artists in the United States. A.I.R has moved numerous times over the years—from Soho to Chelsea to its current Dumbo home—but it’s always kept its feminist focus. 

Time Out recommends: Dumbo’s First Thursdays (October to June) keeps galleries open late for visitors, too, so it’d be the perfect time to stop at A.I.R. and the nabe’s other great galleries.

You’ve seen it a thousand times, but it’s for a reason. The gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge are stars of the view from Washington Street and Water Street. Tourists and photo junkies alike flock to this intersection in droves (sometimes blocking traffic) to get this iconic shot for their feeds. We can’t blame them—it’s truly superb and very New York-y. 

Feel posh as hell while listening to a chamber concert on a former coffee-bean barge. Bargemusic’s Masterworks Series presents performances of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, and other greats while you bask in glittering panoramic city views. Grab a drink and make a pit stop at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s restrooms before hopping aboard—the barge has no bathrooms, and no food or drink is permitted. Here's the full schedule.

Celestine, a self-described “Eastern Mediterranean” spot, has planted itself on John Street in Brooklyn Bridge Park, with views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, the East River and lower Manhattan. Watch for dishes inspired by coastal locales like Beirut and Sicily, with meze and larger entrées like seared branzino and a brisket burger. But the star, obviously, is the feast-your-eyes vista.

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