Brooklyn On a Budget: How to Have Five Full Brooklyn Experiences on Less Than $20 a Day
Red Hook
Finally, an area of Brooklyn that is traditionally working class. It’s bound to be naturally cheap, right? WRONG. Nothing is cheap here, we are all, frankly, living in an economically induced hell. But so anyway, Red Hook on a budget. Well, it’s totally possible, I’ll lead with that. Just don’t, you know, blow your wad of cash at the Red Hook Lobster Pound, delicious though it may be. No, instead, start your day off with a dip in the WPA-era public swimming pool on Bay Street, and then make your way over to Van Brunt. You’ll have worked up an appetite from all that (free!) swimming, so treat yourself to a nice, sit-down meal at Fort Defiance. What do I recommend you order? Ahhh…decisions! This is hard, but I’d have to say you should go with the Cheddar Biscuit Egg Sandwich ($9) which comes with country ham and jalapeño jam, and a glass of the refreshing Labrusca ($9). After that, walk over to Valentino Pier and look out over New York Harbor at a view that is both priceless and free, like all the best things in life.
Red Hook Pool; 155 Bay Street, Red Hook
Fort Defiance; 365 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook
Follow Kristin Iversen on twitter @kmiversen