Williamsburg Walking Tour of Brooklyn

If you want a fun day out in New York City, then this two-hour sightseeing tour is exactly the right experience for you. Throughout the time you’ll get firsthand experience of the real buzz of Brooklyn, visit a top artisan chocolate factory, and get a million-dollar view of Manhattan’s waterfront and skyline.

Williamsburg has become a cornerstone of Brooklyn culture. The neighborhood has quickly reinvented itself in the last decade making it one of the hippest and affluential places in New York. With this in mind, I was very excited to discover the area.

The tour started outside a coffee shop conveniently next to the subway, where we met our tour guide, Jeff, a Brooklyn native. Our group consisted of about 10 people. We began our tour walking down Bedford Avenue, where Jeff gave us a brief introduction to Williamsburg and its transition from a space for many ethnic groups to the modern mecca for young creatives it is today.

Throughout the tour, you will discover Williamsburg’s interesting urban landscape with abandoned warehouses, loft apartments and converted warehouse spaces. Bedford Ave, is Williamsburg’s hot street for restaurants, shops, and galleries, marking the first stop on the L train from Manhattan. The neighborhood is well known for being a hub for culture, food, the arts and music attracting a mixture of locals and tourists.

Jeff has a wide knowledge of the underground graffiti and street art that is painted throughout Williamsburg, with some of today’s most exciting world artists including Brazilian artist — Kobra, Belgium artist —ROA and South African artist —Faith47. Tour highlights include an artisan local chocolate factory, famous record store — Rough trade, transformed microbrewery —Brooklyn Brewery, an old biker bar shrouded in cartel secrets, and the beautiful 57-acre East River Park that runs along the waterfront.

This Williamsburg Walking Tour of Brooklyn is perfect for gaining an insight into the past, present, and future of Williamsburg. It demonstrates Williamsburg’s ability to survive, adapt and grow that has led it to be a cosmos of creative energy within New York.

There’s only one way to go sightseeing in New York; and that’s with Brooklyn Unplugged Tours. The boutique tour company knows everything there is to know about Brooklyn and the tour guides provide you with a personal, informative and jam-packed experience visiting the hot spots of the famous town and its surrounding areas. From visiting Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s trendiest district, to checking out some urban graffiti in Bushwick, you can explore it all with Jeff, founder of Brooklyn Unplugged Tours.

Q: Hi Jeff! First of all, could you tell us what inspired you to start running Brooklyn Unplugged Tours?

A: I love Brooklyn! …Its diversity, culture, history, neighborhoods, architecture, etc.

Brooklyn Unplugged Tours began as a semester project at Brooklyn College – I was inspired by my instructor, Ted Leibowitz, an alumnus who came back to the school after a successful entrepreneurial career, to teach about creating your own business.

Q: That’s cool! What can customers expect when they take part in one of your tours?

A: Customers can expect to be introduced to the best Brooklyn has to offer. They will get a feel for the top neighborhoods, check out the coolest shops, discover fascinating history and tidbits, and find out why Brooklyn has become so popular and talked about!

Q: So who are your Brooklyn tours best suited to?

A:  Our tours attract all types of people. We get many tourists from around the world, as well as locals who live in and around NYC. The tours are best suited for folks who want to experience the phenomenon of Brooklyn for themselves, and/or enjoy culture, history, architecture and urban lore.

Q: What can people expect to find out on your tours?

A: Many people find the following questions fascinating:

– Do you know why a Brooklyn factory installed the world’s first air conditioner?

– Do you know which common household product, invented in Brooklyn, has sweetened the lives of countless of people; but has been a source of frustration to many others?

…but if you want to know the answers, you’ll have to come along on one of our tours to find out!

Q: Any funny/interesting anecdotes you can share with us?

A: I think the most profound experiences on the tour have happened with people who lived in Brooklyn many years ago and are returning for the first time – some haven’t been back in 50 years! It can get emotional, as old stories are remembered and guests are able to share their childhood neighborhoods with their young grand-kids.

Thanks Jeff for answering our questions! We think Brooklyn Unplugged Tours sound awesome…so if you’re in the area, why not try one of the experiences for yourself?

Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo Walking Tour

Brooklyn Graffiti Art Walking Tour

Williamsburg Walking Tour of Brooklyn

Long Island City Walking Tour of Queens