Where to Find the Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Entrance in Manhattan & Brooklyn

One of the all-time favorite activities to do in New York City is walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. When going about your day, you can decide to do so either from the Manhattan side or the Brooklyn side.

This article will talk you through the exact entrance points for the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian pathway both on the Manhattan side and on the Brooklyn side.

So, when you are ready to take on the Brooklyn Bridge for yourself, you should have no trouble finding those exact entrance points to get you right up onto the pedestrian pathway.

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1) Brooklyn Bridge Walking Entrance Map

I will start off with a visual overview to give you a better sense of where exactly the entrance points to the bridge walkway are.

On the Manhattan side you will have two entrance points and on the Brooklyn side you will also have two entrance points:

And remember, each one of these entrances are also exits. So, depending on where you want to get get off, you can decide which exit is best for you. I will go into more detail about these entrances in the next section.

Note: the bicycle lane has been moved off of the main pedestrian pathway and onto the bridge itself. Entrance points for the bicycle lane now are not the same as the pedestrian pathway.

Learn More: Check out this more in depth guide to learn all about the Brooklyn Bridge walk and what to expect on a visit

2) Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Entrance Manhattan Side

If you decide to enter the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian pathway from the Manhattan side, you can choose between the main entrance on Brooklyn Bridge Promenade near City Hall or the underpass on Park Row.

Be sure to also check out some of the other top things to do in New York City during a visit!

Entrance #1: Brooklyn Bridge Promenade on Centre Street/Park Row

I would say 95%+ of people who are entering from Manhattan use this main entrance on the Manhattan side. To give you a visual aerial view here, I have included a screenshot below that shows where the entrance is relative to its surroundings.

You have City Hall Park to the west and the David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building to the north. Between the two you will find a plaza (named Living Memorial Grove), where the Brooklyn Bridge Pathway begins.

The street right in front of the plaza is where Centre Street and Park Row meet, and you should find a crosswalk to get yourself across.

Once on the plaza you will be greeted by many various vendors, and directly out in front of you will be the Brooklyn Bridge.

You can’t get lost from here as you begin the walk across into Brooklyn.

Entrance #2: Park Row Brooklyn Bridge Underpass 

There is also a second lesser known entrance under the Park Row Underpass. I honestly did not even pay attention enough to realize it was even there after several times of walking the bridge.

I would say the only real reason to head up from the underpass entrance is if you happen to walking right around that exact area beforehand.

It could be possible that you are heading to the Brooklyn Bridge from the Lower East Side and that you will be taking Park Row to get there. If that is the case, this could be a nice little shortcut to avoid circling all around to the main entrance.

If heading up from the underpass entrance, you are only missing out on probably less than a minute’s walk on the pedestrian pathway.

3) Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Entrance Brooklyn Side

Similar to the Manhattan side, on the Brooklyn side you will also find two entrances – one main entrance and one underpass entrance.

Choosing which entrance to use will much more so depend on where you are coming from prior as these two entrances are a bit farther apart from one another.

Entrance #1: Tillary Street & Brooklyn Bridge Blvd

If you are coming from the Downtown Brooklyn / Brooklyn Heights area, then you will most likely want to use the main entrance at the intersection of Tillary Street and Brooklyn Bridge Blvd (also shows up as Adams Street).

At this intersection you will find the pedestrian pathway starting point in the middle of the street built between the car lanes (see screenshot below). You simply need to head across the crosswalks and onto the pathway from here.

If you enter from here, note that the first 10+ minutes of your walk will essentially just be like walking on a sidewalk (a sidewalk in the middle of the street that is). The pathway then takes a slight curve, where it meets the second entrance, and the Brooklyn Bridge comes into full view.

Entrance #2: Brooklyn Bridge Underpass at Prospect Street & Cadman Plaza East

On the other hand, if you are coming from more of the Dumbo area and the northern part of Brooklyn Bridge Park, then it probably makes more sense to use the underpass entrance on the corner of Prospect Street and Cadman Plaza East (which also turns into Washington Street here).

Underneath the underpass you should see a stairway up and onto the pedestrian pathway. Once on the top of the stairs you will be welcomed to the Brooklyn Bridge right out in front of you.

While the main entrance on Brooklyn Bridge Blvd does offer an additional 10-15 of walking on the pathway, don’t feel like you are missing out too much if you head to the underpass entrance.

Like I mentioned, much of this additional pathway is mostly just a walk in the streets before getting to the second entrance anyways.

4) Which Entrance to Choose?

So, to wrap up this guide, you may be asking yourself which entrance should you choose when going about your Brooklyn Bridge walk.

I would say you should be thinking about this question more so from the standpoint of which direction you want to walk. And for that question, I am more often than not going to have to go with starting in Brooklyn and walking into Manhattan.

The reason I recommend going about the walk this way is because during the duration of the walk you will have the downtown Manhattan skyline in view. Walking in the opposite direction and you will miss out on that stunning city landscape.

Don’t get me wrong, the walk is still great in either direction but if I had to choose, having the Manhattan skyline out in front of me would be my go to there.

And, choosing which entrance in Brooklyn really does not matter as much. I would say if you are coming from Brooklyn Heights or Downtown Brooklyn head to the main entrance, and if coming from Dumbo start at the underpass entrance.

Learn more about how to get to the Brooklyn Bridge for more insight into particular directions.

5) Where to Stay in NYC

There are so many different neighborhoods to choose from when visiting NYC. Below are some of my top choices for a few of my recommended locations in the city:

Looking for the top hotels & neighborhoods in NYC? Check out some helpful accommodation resources when it comes to picking the best spot for you!

Neighborhood Overview: Best Places to Stay in NYC
Best Skyline Views: NYC Hotels with a View
Times Square: Top Times Square Hotels with a View
Theater District: Hotels in Broadway Theater District
Central Park: Best Hotels with Central Park Views
Tribeca: Best Tribeca Hotels
SoHo: Where to Stay in SoHo
Greenwich Village: Top Greenwich Village Hotels
Brooklyn Bridge: Hotels with Brooklyn Bridge Views
Best Panoramas: Hotels in NYC with Floor to Ceiling Windows

That about wraps up a guide to finding the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian entrance in both Manhattan and Brooklyn. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to add them in below.

Also don’t forget to check out the other New York itineraries and guides up on the site.

• Central Park
• High Line
• Little Island
• Hudson River
• Statue of Liberty

Have fun out there and safe travels!

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