When most tourists visit New York City, they tend to spend a lot of their time in Manhattan, or as native New Yorkers call, “the City”. But I think my borough has so much to offer and love taking out of towners to see some of my favorite spots. For my perfect day in Brooklyn, read on!

Brooklyn High Low

Start the day off by having a leisurely tea at Brooklyn High Low, a lovely local tea shop that serves up a delicious traditional afternoon tea. When we visited, we had their Classic Tea Set in their garden patio and absolutely loved the experience. For 75 minutes, your party is served delicious scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, 4 kinds of tea sandwiches, and a trio of miniature desserts with a pot of black tea. The garden patio is heated and they also serve 2 other tea sets with bigger variety.

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden is one of my favorite places, especially in the spring time. If you’re in town during the month of April, you might be able to catch the cherry blossoms blooming. During the rest of the year there are a ton of other flowers and plants that are in bloom. They also have a beautiful Japanese pond area that’s beautiful to walk around and makes me want to return to Japan!

Brooklyn Museum

Right next door to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens is the Brooklyn Museum. The Brooklyn Museum is New York City’s 3rd largest art museum and houses over 1.5 million pieces of artwork. The Museum houses a large collection of American art and has a number of interesting exhibits such as The Dinner Party, by feminist artist Judy Chicago.

If you have children, feel free to substitute the Brooklyn Museum with the Prospect Park Zoo, which is also right next door to the Botanical Gardens. If the weather is nice, consider packing a picnic for Prospect Park.

Shore Road Park

End the day in my childhood neighborhood of Bay Ridge and catch the sunset at Shore Road Park. With a long walking trail and great views of the Verrazano, it is an excellent place to take in some fresh air and catch the sunset.

Bay Ridge offers a ton of amazing restaurants – including my favorite restaurant – Gino’s. End your night with a delicious penne vodka or a classic New York pizza.