Dumbo may be one of Brooklyn’s most up-and-coming residential hubs, but charming cobblestone streets, artfully restored loft spaces, and a pristine waterfront keeps its 18th-century industrial past front and center. The defunct train tracks crisscrossing central Dumbo once played home to freight carriers transporting manufactured goods from coffee to Brillo pads down the borough’s factory-packed coastline.

 

Dumbo - which stands for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass” - is widely known as the neighborhood that welcomes travelers into Brooklyn from Manhattan. But Dumbo is much more than a passageway; locals love it for the gorgeous skyline views, cobblestone streets, and thriving art, technology, and small business communities. These diverse influences have made Dumbo a place that laidback creatives and culture lovers are proud to call home.

 

 

Despite its proximity to lower Manhattan, Dumbo’s pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and diverse range of small businesses and shops often make it feel like a small, modern village meets the metropolitan waterfront.

 

 

What Dumbo lacks in everyday amenities such as grocery stores and public schools, it makes up for in off-the-beaten-path charm and quirky community offerings. Music and book shops like Halycon and Powerhouse Arena cater to record and reading lovers with dynamic weekly events from in-store DJ nights to live author talks and signings. Meanwhile, an abundance of the sub-bridge lot and wall space makes for a welcoming public art and food truck scene, too. Come summer and fall, Dumbo Arts Festival and Flea Food Under the Archway are two of the neighborhood’s biggest public draws. The East River waterfront sits front and center when it comes to enjoying life in Dumbo. Beautifully manicured piers and parks make for stunning outdoor concert and film screening venues. Meanwhile, breezy Front Street and Jay Street cafe patios and year-round scenic ferry routes provide unrivaled shore and skyline views for inbound locals and Dumbo day-trippers alike.

 

 

Renovated lofts, mixed-use converted spaces, and a growing number of new high-rise condos. The other category is sleek, equally minimal high rises with soaring skyline views. Needless to say, homes here are some of the most impressive and expensive on the market.

 

 

The East River waterfront at Brooklyn Bridge Park doubles as Dumbo’s public front lawn, providing plenty of space to relax solo or gather with friends come lazy afternoons or event-packed weekends. Whether taking a scenic pause on the way home from the city or treating visitors to a bite at the area’s endlessly popular food landmarks, locals take pride in the signature sights and understated, communal vibe that defines Dumbo at the end of each day.