New York City Fulton Landing And Dumbo

St. Ann's Warehouse, 38 Water St. (www.stannswarehouse.org), Just steps from the river, St. Ann's attracts some of the most challenging and adventurous performance programming in the city. Prices are usually steep, but the shows are worth it. Events are occasionally musical, but experimental theater is the focus, whether it's a puppet theater festival or an acclaimed drama. It has become a DUMBO favorite ever since moving here from St. Ann's and the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in 2000. Tickets $20-30. Showtimes vary; check website for show details. Wheelchair access. Has air conditioning.
Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main St. (www.galapagosartspace.com), Galapagos, which arrived here in the early 2000s from Williamsburg, prides itself on its bizarre, sometimes indescribable shows. There's a weekly floating cabaret show, for one. Other performances are devoted to dance, theater, film, music, and the visual arts, ranging from circus acts to contemporary opera productions to indie rock concerts. The building recently became totally green and features several levels. The first floor is a bar and lounge area, while above, the performance space and a 1600 sq. ft. indoor lake await. And, of course, the river is just down the block. Tickets free-$20. Check website for individual performance details. Performance times vary; most begin 8-10pm. Wheelchair access. Has air conditioning.
Brooklyn Bridge Park, 1 Main St. (www.brooklynbridgepark.org), Brooklyn Bridge Park is still a work in progress. By project's end, planners hope to have reclaimed about 4 mi. of coast for the park. What exists today isn't bad, though it is segmented. The Cove, in between Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges at the end of Main St., is a rocky outpost by the river with grassy areas, benches, and a small strip of beach. Pier 1, just south of the Brooklyn Bridge, is a brand-new addition that offers stunning views of the bridge and the skyline beyond. Check out the outdoor Movies With a View series to see films projected in front of the (no doubt distracting) urban vista.
Vinegar Hill, Between the East River, Front St., the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and Bridge St. If you thought DUMBO was a tiny neighborhood, check out diminutive Vinegar Hill to the north by the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Just a few blocks in size, this quiet corner of Brooklyn features some beautifully preserved 19th-century Federal-style buildings along cobblestone streets. There are plenty of warehouses and other industrial accoutrements nearby, so the quaintness shouldn't get to you. The neighborhood was named after a battle during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 to attract Irish laborers working at the neighboring Navy Yard.