Hidden Gems in Brooklyn: 7 Secret Spots You Need to Visit

TLDR: Brooklyn's best secret spots include Green-Wood Cemetery, the Ravine's hidden waterfalls in Prospect Park, the Bushwick Collective street art, and waterfront views at WNYC Transmitter Park. Most are free, and all offer experiences tourists typically miss.

Everyone knows Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO. But after spending time exploring this borough, I've realized the best experiences happen away from the Instagram crowds. 

These hidden gems in Brooklyn are where I send friends who want something real. From Victorian cemeteries to secret waterfalls and world-class street art, these seven spots capture what makes Brooklyn genuinely special. 

None require reservations at trendy restaurants or fighting for space on a crowded viewpoint.

1. Green-Wood Cemetery

This 478-acre Victorian cemetery opened in 1838 and was once New York's most popular tourist attraction, rivaling Niagara Falls with 500,000 annual visitors. I've walked these hills multiple times and keep finding new things. 

The Gothic Revival entrance gates are stunning, and Battle Hill offers Manhattan skyline views from Brooklyn's highest natural point at 220 feet. Notable residents include Jean-Michel Basquiat and Leonard Bernstein.

Free admission daily. Trolley tours run Saturdays for $30 and are worth it for the stories alone.

Did You Know? A colony of monk parakeets has lived in the cemetery's entrance gates since the 1960s after escaping from a shipping container.

2. The Ravine at Prospect Park

Brooklyn's only forest hides inside Prospect Park, and most visitors walk right past it. The Ravine features nearly 150 acres of woodland trails, streams, and actual waterfalls. I was genuinely surprised to hear water cascading through Brooklyn. 

The Fallkill Trail reopened in 2023 after being closed for 28 years, offering two viewpoints of the park's hidden waterfall.

Find the entrance between Long Meadow and Nethermead. Early morning visits feel almost rural.

Did You Know? Prospect Park's entire water system, including lakes and waterfalls, is man-made, designed by Olmsted and Vaux in the 1860s.

3. City Reliquary Museum

This tiny Williamsburg museum feels like stepping into someone's obsessive collection of New York artifacts. Started in 2002 when founder Dave Herman displayed objects in his apartment window, it now houses subway tokens, Statue of Liberty figurines, World's Fair memorabilia, and pieces of demolished landmarks. 

I spent an hour here and kept discovering details I'd missed.

Open Thursday through Sunday, noon to 6 PM. Admission is around $7 suggested donation. Located at 370 Metropolitan Avenue.

Did You Know? The museum displays a piece of the last wooden sidewalk in Brooklyn, which ran along Greenpoint's West Street in the 19th century.

4. Bushwick Collective

Joseph Ficalora started this open-air street art gallery in 2012 to transform his neighborhood after personal tragedy. Today, massive murals cover warehouse walls around Jefferson Street and Troutman Street, featuring work from international artists. 

The art changes regularly, so each visit reveals something different. It's free and accessible 24/7, though daylight shows the colors best.

Take the L train to Jefferson Street. The annual Block Party in June features live painting if you time it right.

Did You Know? A mural costs roughly $9,000 to commission, and most artwork stays visible for about 12 months before being replaced.

5. Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier

Red Hook remains one of Brooklyn's most isolated neighborhoods due to its lack of subway access, which keeps tourists away. This waterfront park offers something unique: the only front-facing view of the Statue of Liberty in New York. 

Most views show Lady Liberty's profile or back, but here she looks directly at you across the harbor.

Combine with Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pie nearby and Hometown Bar-B-Que for a full Red Hook afternoon.

Did You Know? Red Hook was the busiest freight port in the world during the 1920s before shipping containers made its piers obsolete.

6. WNYC Transmitter Park

Greenpoint residents kept Manhattan skyline views to themselves for decades while this site sat abandoned. The 6.6-acre waterfront park opened in 2012 on the former location of WNYC radio's transmitter towers, which broadcast from here from 1937 to 1990. 

The original Art Deco transmitter house still stands, and a large FAILE mural adds artistic flair.

Sunset views here rival anything in Manhattan, and it's never packed. The pier extends into the East River for unobstructed photos.

Did You Know? The park's twin antenna towers once rose 304 feet, making them Greenpoint's own Eiffel Towers until their removal.

7. Old Glory Lookout in Bay Ridge

Bay Ridge barely registers with tourists, which is exactly why locals love it. The Old Glory Lookout is a viewing platform along the waterfront with war memorials, a flag pole, and panoramic views of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in one direction and Lower Manhattan in the other. 

The surrounding neighborhood features massive Victorian mansions once used as summer retreats by wealthy New Yorkers.

Take the R train to 86th Street and walk toward the water. Hunt down the famous Gingerbread House nearby.

Did You Know? The memorial honors Admiral George Dewey U.S.N. after his victory at Manila Bay in May 1898.

What are the best hidden gems in Brooklyn?

The best hidden gems combine history, views, and experiences you can't find elsewhere. 

Green-Wood Cemetery offers Victorian history and skyline panoramas. The Ravine provides actual forest hiking with waterfalls. WNYC Transmitter Park and Louis Valentino Jr. Park deliver waterfront views without DUMBO crowds. The Bushwick Collective showcases world-class street art for free. 

These spots reward visitors willing to venture beyond the typical tourist circuit.

Is Brooklyn safe for tourists to explore?

Brooklyn is generally safe for tourists in the neighborhoods and attractions mentioned here. Like any major city, use common sense: stay aware of your surroundings, especially at night. 

The hidden gems on this list are all in areas regularly visited by locals and families. Red Hook and Bushwick have transformed significantly in recent years. Daytime visits to any of these spots feel comfortable, and I've never had issues walking around to take photos.

How do you get to Brooklyn's off-the-beaten-path spots?

The subway reaches most locations. Take the R to 25th Street for Green-Wood Cemetery, the L to Jefferson Street for Bushwick Collective, or the G to Greenpoint Avenue for Transmitter Park. 

Red Hook is trickier since there's no subway, so use the NYC Ferry from Wall Street or the B61 bus. The Ravine is accessible from multiple Prospect Park subway stops. Bay Ridge requires the R train to 86th Street. Budget extra time for Red Hook specifically.

What is the best time to visit Brooklyn's hidden gems?

Spring and fall offer the best weather without summer crowds or winter cold. For specific spots: visit Green-Wood and the Ravine during weekday mornings for solitude, hit Bushwick Collective when natural light shows off the murals, and time waterfront parks like Transmitter Park and Louis Valentino for sunset. The City Reliquary opens at noon, so plan accordingly. Summer weekends get busy at popular parks.

Is it worth seeing hidden gems in Brooklyn?

Absolutely. These spots show Brooklyn beyond the tourist brochures. You'll find history at Green-Wood that rivals any Manhattan museum, street art at Bushwick Collective that changes constantly, and waterfront views at Transmitter Park that locals guard jealously. 

Most are free, and all offer experiences that feel genuinely local rather than manufactured for visitors. If you only have one day, start at Green-Wood and end at a waterfront park for sunset.

Explore Brooklyn like a local

Brooklyn rewards exploration beyond the obvious attractions. These seven hidden gems barely scratch the surface of what the borough offers once you step away from the crowds. Each neighborhood has its own character, history, and surprises waiting around unexpected corners.

Want to discover Brooklyn's secret spots at your own pace? StoryHunt's Personal Tour Guide lets you create custom audio walks based on your interests. The interactive map helps you navigate between hidden gems while hearing the stories that make each place special.