Brooklyn Waterfront Route

13 mile beginner route. 
Starts Grand Army Plaza, ends Long Island City.  

Destinations:
A- Grand Army Plaza
B-Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pie
C-Louis Valentino, Jr. Park and Pier
D-Brooklyn Bridge Park
E-Naval Cemetery Landscape
F- WYNC Transmitter Park
​G-Hunters Point South Park 

Red Hook is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and a super fun place to bike to. This ride starts by Grand Army Plaza for a nice central starting point, and you could take the train to Grand Army Plaza subway station to begin. Come hungry, because the first stop on your journey takes you to Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies! To get to Red Hook, first enjoy the two way protected bike lane on Prospect Park West (and if you get interested in bike infrastructure, please do google the drama that went on getting that bike lane installed) and then head down 9th Street. This should be a relatively low stress way to start the ride, and you get to bike over the Gowanus Canal, which is always a plus in my book. 

When you enter Red Hook, I recommend biking over to Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies and locking up your ride for a bit. The key lime pie dipped in chocolate on a stick is delectable! Steve's has been around  for 23 years making key lime with fresh limes. It's definitely a New York staple! Then walk over to Louis Valentino, Jr Park and Pier and enjoy your key lime and take in the view of the Statue of Liberty. There is plenty to enjoy in Red Hook, from strolling down Van Brunt, checking out the Mary A. Whalen, and getting seafood at Brooklyn Crab. I would allot an hour or so to enjoy the Red Hook sites, but don't get too tired to enjoy the rest of your ride! 

Next up is riding through Brooklyn Bridge park. I definitely recommend taking Van Brunt Street to Columbia Street to enjoy the two-way separated bike path. This will take you right to Brooklyn Bridge Park (make sure you take the turn into the park right after Atlantic Ave), where you can bike on the path through the park to Old Fulton Street. At this intersection you will find the ferry stop, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, and Grimaldi's Pizza. I usually don't stop here because it is full of tourists/people, but you could pause here to check out some of the offerings. I recommend biking on through from Front Street to the 2 way bike path on Flushing Avenue and checking out the Naval Cemetery Landscape.  Part of the Brooklyn Greenway, this former Naval Hospital Cemetery has been turned into an oasis of native plant life with a beautiful path to meander through. 

Continue on Flushing Avenue as it turns into Kent Avenue to continue your exploration of NYC's 2 way protected bike path infrastructure!  Kent Avenue is lovely, but it is usually very busy with car drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike, so be careful and watch out for peds darting into your path. If you keep going down Kent Avenue it turns into Franklin Avenue, and you have entered Greenpoint. Stop by WNYC Transmitter Park to get a glimpse of the East River from the other side of the borough. 

Now, this has been a 2 way bike path tour of the waterfront of Brooklyn, so I would be remiss to include the 2 way bike path on the Pulaski Bridge! In order to get yourself over to the finale of this ride, you will take the Pulaski Bridge. Cyclists and pedestrians had been sharing a narrow bike path on this bridge for years until the city built a separated bike path in 2016, so get on up there and enjoy your extra space! Take it over to Hunters Point South, and enjoy the recently completed park. The south side of the park was completed in 2019 and has plenty of fun piers to walk on and rocks to dangle your feet over and enjoy the sunset. You deserve it!