This post courtesy of Explore Brooklyn, an all-inclusive guide to the businesses, neighborhoods, and attractions that make Brooklyn great.

More Walking Tours: Park Slope Historic District

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Though Bay Ridge doesn’t get as much attention as its brownstone-heavy neighbors to the north, the neighborhood boasts historic architecture, diverse communities, solid food, and stunning waterfront views. This walking tour will take you from the Bay Ridge subway station through residential side streets and onto the neighborhood’s main drag of 3rd Avenue.

Bay Ridge is a relatively small community, spanning from Shore Road, which marks the northern boundary of the neighborhood, south to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Its western edge is completely bordered by parkland and The Narrows waterway. Give yourself an entire day to explore here, and you’ll cover most of the neighborhood.

Photo of Bay Ridge Gingerbread House courtesy of Jessica Dailey via Curbed

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The walking tour begins on the north end of the neighborhood, at the Bay Ridge Avenue R train stop, at Bay Ridge Avenue and 4th Avenue. (The R is the only subway line that runs through this neighborhood.) From the station, walk west along Bay Ridge Avenue.

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69th Street Pier | Jim.henderson via Wikipedia

This will lead you straight to the American Veterans Memorial Pier, the former embarkation point for the Bay Ridge-St. George ferry. It’s also the site of a Brooklyn 9/11 Memorial. From here, you’ll get amazing views of Manhattan, Jersey City, the Statue of Liberty, and the Verrazano Bridge.

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Shore Park and Parkway | via NYC Parks Department

After you’ve enjoyed the pier, walk south a little along the waterfront park, where there are both walking and biking paths, as well as excellent views. Just south of the pier you’ll find the modest Narrows Botanical Garden, a volunteer-run, 4.5-acre garden featuring native plants, trees and walking paths.

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Caramelized cauliflower | Tanoreen via Facebook

From the park, you’ll hit Bay Ridge Parkway. Walk east along Bay Ridge Parkway (away from the water) to 3rd Avenue and take a right. You’re on one of Bay Ridge’s main commercial drags — the other one is 5th Avenue. Walking south down 3rd Avenue, do not miss the restaurant Tanoreen at 76th Street, known for serving up some of the best Middle Eastern food in the entire city.

As you walk along 3rd Avenue, keep an eye out for any interesting side streets — this is where you’ll find great residential architecture. To see one of Bay Ridge’s most famous homes, walk west on 82nd Street, back towards the water. In three blocks, take a left on Narrows Avenue for a look at the Gingerbread House, a historic Arts and Crafts masterpiece.

fontbonne-hall-bay-ridge-mansion-brooklynFontbonne Hall Academy | Eric via Forgotten New York

If you’re up for a longer walk, continue walking south on Narrows Avenue until it hits Shore Road (you’ll be back at the waterfront park). Then continue south down Shore Road, enjoying the architecture as you move along. Your destination is the bayside manor at Shore Road and 99th Street, another historic freestanding mansion of the neighborhood. It became Fontbonne Hall Academy, a Catholic high school for girls, in 1937.

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Take on the burger challenge | The Wicked Monk via Facebook

You are now at the south end of the neighborhood, as evidenced by the proximity of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. After you pass Fontbonne Hall Academy, take a left onto 3rd Avenue to reward yourself with a beer and a shepherd’s pie at The Wicked Monk, an Irish pub between 95th and 96th, featuring authentic monastery decor.

You can catch the subway nearby, at 4th Avenue and 94th Street, or make one more stop before you leave. At 86th Street, you’ll find the ALC Italian Grocery, which is stocked with delicious Italian specialties. Bay Ridge is an Italian neighborhood (although today it’s incredibly diverse) and this store offers the best of the best.

More Walking Tours: Park Slope Historic District

 

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What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Agree with CTG. this walk spends too much time on main non descipt thoroughfares and doesn’t go by some of the true gems of the nabe.
    Senator street, owls head park, dutch cemetery on mackay and narrows, 76th street houses btwn ridge blvd and colional, harbor view terrace houses, farrel house on 95th street btwn shore road and marine ave, st. Johns church, ridge blvd btween 76th st and 86th street has nice houses. A lot of side streets with great houses

  2. For those looking to explore Bay Ridge, do yourself a huge favor and avoid the suggested map route of Bay Ridge Avenue and Bay Ridge parkway. These are two of the most un-quaint stretches in the entire neighborhood. Take Senator Street down to the water so that you can see the historic district (looks like UWS) and the amazing views from Owls Head (Bliss) Park. Then walk all around the lower 80’s streets west of Ridge Blvd. Some grand old survivors in their original glory…Don’t forget to check out the grounds of Visitation Academy. Afterwards, plenty of bars and restaurants along 3rd Avenue. Of course the most important rule is to visit Bay Ridge in the springtime when the entire neighborhood is in bloom.