I think most of us who have visited New York City (NYC) may have done the iconic Brooklyn Bridge walk. We even made the kids do it with us one time (we weren’t too popular that day). It was similar to the day we made them walk across another iconic bridge, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They’ll probably stay well clear of bridges from now on when they holiday with us! This trip, The Man thought we’d do the Manhattan Bridge Walk – woah, say what? What one is that?
I hear you, head spinner! But wait, it’s another good suggestion from the very excellent book, The New York Photographer’s Travel Guide: The Best Places to Photograph from a Professional Photographer, Tour Guide, and Lifelong New Yorker by James Maher (and I’m not even getting a cut on this!). This is an excellent walk if you are after some great pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge and the city skyline. It was The Man’s idea, having perused the book. I was just tagging along as usual and I don’t mind a good walk.
Image by David Spiteri (Instagram: @dgspiteri)
We set out to hit the Manhattan Bridge for sunset. Upon alighting at Grand Street Subway, Chinatown, we headed for the bridge. As you start your walk on the bridge, there are some fantastic views of rooftops and life in the old tenement buildings, the craziness of Chinatown, and peak hour traffic mayhem. I loved it! Watch out for cyclists and runners as you walk across the bridge, but never fear, it’s plenty wide enough. It’s not busy though despite the time we were there, when most people are trying to get home from work. It is thankfully, not the tourist traffic you get on the Brooklyn Bridge, mainly locals, riding home or exercising.
View of Chinatown through the grating on the Manhattan Bridge. Image by David Spiteri (Instagram: @dgspiteri)
The bustling streets of Chinatown, NYC. Image by David Spiteri (Instagram: @dgspiteri)
There are some lovely “Kodak moments” from the Manhattan Bridge. If you can go at dusk, you can spot Jane’s Carousel, the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan all lit up.
The skyline at night. Image by David Spiteri (Instagram: @dgspiteri)
The beautiful Jane’s Carousel. Image by David Spiteri (Instagram: @dgspiteri)
It could’ve been a lovely romantic sunset walk except The Man had bought his camera “stuff” (photography being the instrumental objective in this particular wander of ours). The whole photography thing kinda slowed things down when he paused every few steps to set up. I was Chief Tripod Carrier – yay me!
Seeing the city lights slowly flicking on, lighting up this busy, crazy, noisy, yet surreally quiet city when you’re standing in the middle of Manhattan Bridge, was magical.
At the Brooklyn end of the bridge, we headed for the waterfront. There is a strip of sand, the “beach” here. Yep, we set up base again. Here The Man managed to take some gorgeous pictures of the city skyline and more of Brooklyn Bridge. If not for the cold evening, without a warm enough jacket, I could have stay so much longer to enjoy the night and appreciate our good fortune at being here and living life. Instead I was very grumpy at The Man a few hours later! Never cross a cold and hungry wife.
Dinner options for cold, grumpy and impatient partners
- Shake Shack for quick burgers, fries and milkshake
- Juliana’s for pizza
- Gran Electrica for Mexican
Eat well as it’s a bit of a hike to Brooklyn Bridge Station for the A and C lines. If you’re like me and get out of control grumpy when sugar levels are low, don’t leave this pit-stop too late! It gets busy!! If you do overeat, as I tend to do, you could always walk back, but across the Brooklyn Bridge this time.
Read more about Deepest Darkest Suburbia’s adventures in New York City:
All images by Sabina Spiteri unless otherwise noted. Cover image by David Spiteri (Instagram: @dgspiteri)