Overview
Gowanus and Red Hook is in Brooklyn. In addition to Gowanus and Red Hook, this travel guide also covers Carroll Gardens.
4 sights · 1 things to do · 3 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Gowanus and Red Hook
Gowanus Canal
The anchor of the Gowanus neighborhood is this famously polluted canal. The Carroll Street Bridge is the oldest retractable bridge in the US (and one of only four left).
Statue of Liberty view
Red Hook is the only place in New York where you can get a frontal view of the Statue of Liberty from land.
Kentler International Drawing Space
A small 2-room gallery divided by a bizarre door.
Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge
The Bell House
Old Gowanus warehouse turned into a music venue.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 29°F. Cold months (Jan) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Aug and Jul. (climate data from nearby New York City)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- EWR Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark — 9 mi away (major hub). Directions
- LGA LaGuardia Airport, New York — 10 mi away (major hub). Directions
The F and G stop in Carroll Gardens at Smith-9th Street (The highest station in the system and an engineering marvel), Carroll Street, and Bergen Street for Carroll Gardens. The F, G, and R stop in Gowanus at 4th Avenue-9th Street. There are no subways in Red Hook, but the B77 bus goes there from Smith-9th Street.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Gowanus Canal, The Bell House, Kentler International Drawing Space
- Lunch Hyssop
- Afternoon Statue of Liberty view, Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge
- Dinner Baked
- Evening Other Half Brewing
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
- Red Hook is a formerly-bustling industrial area which is on the upswing. Although hard to access by train, it can be served by the F & G trains at Smith-9th Street or by taxi or by the B61 bus. Settled in 1636 by the Dutch, it has seen many a boom and bust is today caught between those who like it as the sleepy part of town that time forgot vs. those who seek to restore its crown as the Queen of Kings County Commerce. If you're looking for something off the beaten path, Red Hook is it. Many artists call Red Hook their home, so don't be surprised to see random sculptures, galleries, or creative gardens across from city housing or burned out buildings. It was also home to the MTV's Real World Brooklyn cast in 2007. While the property crime rate is higher than the national average, the violent crime rate is actually less than that of New York State. You have a 1 in 332 chance of being the victim of a violent crime in Red Hook versus a 1 in 263 chance in New York as a whole.
- Carroll Gardens- Historians date the name to the 1960s and the real estate people like to enlarge its borders. It encompasses part of Smith St. and the nearby areas. In the 1950s and further back in time, this area was known, to the dismay of many, as Red Hook, and it still is called both Red Hook and South Brooklyn by many. Smith St. has a newly charged restaurant row, but there are still plenty of old school Italian-American gems to be found.
Get in
By subway
The F and G stop in Carroll Gardens at Smith-9th Street (The highest station in the system and an engineering marvel), Carroll Street, and Bergen Street for Carroll Gardens. The F, G, and R stop in Gowanus at 4th Avenue-9th Street. There are no subways in Red Hook, but the B77 bus goes there from Smith-9th Street.
By bus
The B57, B61, and B77 buses stop in Red Hook and Gowanus.
See
See Gowanus Canal
The anchor of the Gowanus neighborhood is this famously polluted canal. The Carroll Street Bridge is the oldest retractable bridge in the US (and one of only four left).
See Statue of Liberty view
Red Hook is the only place in New York where you can get a frontal view of the Statue of Liberty from land.
Do
- Walk around the canal (especially near the subway) and look at the signs from factories long gone.
Buy
Shop IKEA
There is a water taxi (M-F $5, one way, Sa-Su free) from Pier 11 a few blocks north and east of the Battery in Manhattan's Financial District to the Red Hook IKEA store.
Shop Retrofret Vintage Guitars
Retrofret Vintage Guitars shop in the Gowanus deals exclusively in vintage, antique and used musical instruments, it is reported to be the largest store of its type on the east coast. The customer base is fairly evenly divided between local/tri-state area, national and international clients. Owner and founder, Steve Uhrik, moved the business to its current location from SoHo, Manhattan in 1983.
Eat
Eat Baked
A well-priced cafe and bakery.
Eat Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain (The Farmacy)
An old-fashioned ice cream parlor and soda fountain located in a restored apothecary shop. Offerings including eggcreams (a classic New York Jewish drink with no egg and no cream), unique fountain sodas, and specialty sundaes. Vegan options.
Drink
Drink Botanica
A not-too-cheap homemade liqueur and cocktail bar.
Drink Other Half Brewing
Small warehouse brewery in an industrial area of Carroll Gardens. Other Half has a big selection of beers on tap, 9 of which are IPAs. The taproom is small and can get pretty crowded. It has a funky vibe completed by the antelope head mounted on the wall.
Sleep
Stay safe
Although New York is overall a safe city, Red Hook is known for having a high crime rate. In general, north of the Gowanus Expressway, in Gowanus and Carroll Gardens, is safe, while south of it, in Red Hook, is a place to be very careful, especially near the Red Hook Houses in the northeastern section of Red Hook, just south of the Gowanus Expressway.
Nearby
Jersey City
City / town · 71 listings · 4 mi away
Queens
City / town · 3 listings · 5 mi away
Hoboken
City / town · 22 listings · 5 mi away
Bayonne
City / town · 23 listings · 6 mi away
Union City
City / town · 19 listings · 7 mi away
Weehawken
City / town · 10 listings · 7 mi away
Manhattan
City / town · 6 listings · 7 mi away
Secaucus
City / town · 10 listings · 8 mi away
My experience
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