Things to Do in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
A hundred years ago this stretch of the East River ran on sugar and machine grease. Today it runs on flat whites and vinyl records.
Domino Park sits where the old refinery once processed most of the country’s sugar. A few blocks over, Smorgasburg turns a state park into a Saturday food festival every week from spring through fall.
Start at the water and work inland. This list of the things to do in Williamsburg, Brooklyn begins at Domino Park, passes Smorgasburg and ends on Bedford Avenue, with the brewery and the WPA pool in between.
First Look at Williamsburg
| Spot | Known For |
|---|---|
| Domino Park | Waterfront views and old refinery relics |
| Smorgasburg | The country’s biggest weekly food market |
| McCarren Park | A WPA-era pool and open lawns |
| Brooklyn Brewery | Craft beer since 1988 |
| Bedford Avenue | Shops, murals and the neighborhood’s main strip |
Walk the Old Sugar Refinery’s Ruins at Domino Park
The Domino Sugar Refinery once processed 4 million pounds of sugar a day and supplied nearly all the sugar sold in the United States. The refinery employed 4,500 workers at its peak in 1919 and closed for good in 2004.
Domino Park opened on the site in 2018. Thirty salvaged relics, including original columns from the Raw Sugar Warehouse and old gantry cranes, now sit along an elevated walkway built into the park’s Artifact Walk. Guides also mention bocce courts and a dog run.
Fun Fact
At its peak, the Domino Sugar Refinery produced close to 98 percent of the sugar consumed in the United States.
Eat Your Way Through Smorgasburg
Smorgasburg started in 2011 as a spinoff of the Brooklyn Flea, built around one simple idea: let independent food vendors sell directly to a crowd. More than 70 vendors now set up most Saturdays at Marsha P. Johnson State Park, right on the Williamsburg waterfront.
The market runs roughly April through October, with the East River and the Manhattan skyline as the backdrop. Several vendors who started here at folding tables have since opened their own restaurants and stores around the city.
The 2026 season opened on April 4 and 5 with more than 75 new vendors across its three locations, and a new Smorgasburg seafood spot called Six Coasts opened on Governors Island on May 9. Expect to spend about $20 to $30 per person on a meal at the Williamsburg market.
Cool Off at McCarren Park’s WPA Pool
McCarren Park opened in 1906 under a different name, Greenpoint Park. It was renamed three years later for a local state senator. Its pool arrived in 1936, one of eleven built across the city that summer under a Depression-era public works program.
The pool closed in 1984 and sat empty for two decades, briefly hosting concerts before a full restoration. It reopened in 2012 and still draws swimmers through the summer, alongside a year-round recreation center. Many visitors pair this neighborhood with Chinatown on the same weekend, as our Chinatown in New York guide shows.
Tour the Brewery That Restarted Brooklyn Beer
Brooklyn Brewery opened in 1988, the first brewery to start in New York City since Prohibition ended. Steve Hindy and Tom Potter founded it. Designer Milton Glaser, the same artist behind the I Love New York logo, built its visual identity.
The brewery has called Williamsburg home since the 1980s. Tastings and tours run regularly, though schedules shift, so check the brewery’s current calendar before planning a visit around one.
Browse Bedford Avenue and Grand Street
Bedford Avenue is Williamsburg’s main strip, lined with vintage shops, record stores and coffee counters. It is also the first stop the L train makes in Brooklyn, opened in 1924, a station that has grown into the busiest in the borough outside Downtown Brooklyn. Walk west to Marsha P. Johnson State Park for East River skyline views and seasonal events.
Grand Street runs a quieter, more residential version of the same mix. Vintage clothing racks sit next to bakeries and small galleries, an easy detour once Bedford Avenue gets crowded.
Artists & Fleas on North 7th Street sells vintage and handmade goods, and the North 5th Street Pier is a popular sunset spot. Guides also point to Brooklyn Bowl on Wythe Avenue for live music with bowling.
Listing prices help with a budget. A night at Brooklyn Bowl is near $41, Area 53 adventure park about $44 and the small City Reliquary Museum about $10. Domino Park, McCarren Park and Marsha P. Johnson State Park are free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Williamsburg Keeps Reinventing Itself
The neighborhood has gone from sugar refinery to warehouse district to the creative hub it is now. Each version left something behind for the next one to build on.
Browse North America or Things to Do when you want a second trip on the list.
