Walking the Brooklyn Bridge
When you think of New York City, what pops into your head? The Statue of Liberty? The iconic architecture? How about one of the most famous bridge in the world?
The Brooklyn Bridge was, at the time of its construction in 1883, the longest suspension bridge in the world. Connecting the island of Manhattan with what was then the city of Brooklyn on Long Island, it gained quick notoriety. 127 years later, it’s still an important road link between Lower Manhattan and what is now the borough of Brooklyn.
But the Brooklyn Bridge isn’t just for cars to get back and forth across the East River. A wooden path snakes its way between (and above) the two sides of roadway, giving both pedestrians and cyclists an opportunity to experience New York in a way they never dreamed possible!
Stepping off onto the path which has been thoughfrully divided into to halves (one for cyclists, the other for pedestrians), one can sense the gravity of the route they are embarking on. As you rise onto the majestic bridge, an abudnance of suspension cables surround you, working their way up the truly awesome stone towers.
From around those towers, the vistas are just incredible. To the east, Brooklyn and to the west, the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. Straight ahead, Brooklyn & Staten Island’s harbors and the Statue of Liberty.
And the best part? This whole experience is one of many free things you can do in NYC! All you need is a sense of adventure and a camera to experience this wonderful testament to the ingenuity of mankind! Oh, and some shoes you can walk in wouldn’t hurt either, but that’s pretty much a pre-curser to getting around a city as pedestrain-centric as New York!
To reach the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, one can take 4, 5, 6 or R trains to City Hall, the J or Z trains to Chambers Street or the 2 or 3 trains to Park Place.
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