Brooklyn Heights Promenade

If you ever find yourself visiting New York City, and for those of you who live there, please do yourself a favor and visit the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. This scenic stretch above the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is my favorite spot in the city, especially in the spring. Few other places can top the views of lower Manhattan, the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Full of photographers, couples on romantic walks, runners, and New Yorkers who just want an inspiring place to sit and think, this was my go-to place to bring visitors, as it's a convenient place to start sightseeing in Brooklyn. From the Promenade you can see the Statue of Liberty, the building of the Freedom Tower where the World Trade Center once stood, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and of course, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. You can also see Governor's Island, a small, 172-acre piece of land off the southern tip of Manhattan that a friend visiting from Virginia for the first time once mistook for Manhattan itself (I swear, we're not all hillbillies). On the northern end, you can venture off the path to the foot of the bridge, continuing down to the water for homemade ice cream, Grimaldi's Pizza, and the Brooklyn Bridge Park. To the south, you can explore the charming, tree-lined streets of historic Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill.

The promenade was about a 15 minute walk from our old apartment in Cobble Hill, so we wandered over often. Here, Brian and I enjoyed many sunset strolls, morning runs, breathtaking views, and moments just listening to the cars below us.

Every time I went, I couldn't help but take a picture...I have a ton! These are some of my favorites. I miss this place so much.