Places / Bridge / DUMBO

On the MUSEENYC M ListOn the MUSEENYC M ListThe M List — one we'd cross the city for, and keep going back to. See the list →

9.5 / 10

Manhattan Bridge

Rolling thunder. Walk it at sunset, stand in the right spot, and feel the subway come through the steel.

MUSEENYC

The Manhattan Bridge from the Brooklyn shore at sunset, its tower rising out of the East River with the Lower Manhattan skyline behind it.
Where
Manhattan Bridge, DUMBO Open in Google Maps ↗
Cost
Free
Good with
Solo
Go when
Late afternoon

Its neighbor gets the crowd and the postcards. This one gets the better view, for the straightforward reason that the Brooklyn Bridge is in it. The walking path offers breathtaking views of downtown, and at sunset it is genuinely hard to beat.

What to know

The bike lane is more of a commuter route than a scenic one, but it’s still worth riding, and there are multiple places to stop and take the view in. The real thing, though, is the subway. The trains run right beside you, and if you stand in the right spot as one comes through you feel it — rolling thunder, crackling through the steel. The DUMBO end puts you a block from Washington Street.

Manhattan Bridge, in short

Where is Manhattan Bridge?

Manhattan Bridge is in DUMBO, New York City.

Is Manhattan Bridge free?

Manhattan Bridge is free — there is no admission charge.

When is the best time to visit Manhattan Bridge?

Late afternoon.

Who is Manhattan Bridge good for?

Manhattan Bridge is good for going on your own.

Where it is

What else is nearby →

Manhattan Bridge, DUMBO. Directions in Google Maps ↗

More in DUMBO

All of DUMBO →
9.6The Manhattan Bridge LookoutViewpointOn the MUSEENYC M ListThe bridge with Manhattan sitting perfectly proportioned behind it — and far fewer people than the famous corner.9.1Pebble BeachBeachOn the MUSEENYC M ListA stony little beach under the Manhattan Bridge, and the hinge of the whole DUMBO waterfront.8.5Brooklyn BridgeBridgeGenuinely beautiful, and home to some of the worst crowds in the city — go early and it is a different bridge.