The presence of the art- and design- focused Pratt Institute, magnificent 19th-century mansions, and lots of memorable street art lends a decidedly arty vibe to Clinton Hill, a quiet residential neighborhood—but one that certainly doesn’t lack for things to do. Once home to the area’s wealthiest denizens (whose resplendent homes remain intact), Clinton Hill now bustles with Instagram-worthy architecture, culture, food, and nearby green space. 

Cobble Hill has perfected the recipe for the ideal Brooklyn lifestyle: one part old-school, one part contemporary crafty, and one-part modern-day amenities. Here you’ll find upscale grocery stores mixed with vintage butchers and bakeries; rows of brownstones alongside sleek residential towers; and trendy boutiques next door to florists and coffee shops whose proprietors have been doing business in the neighborhood for generations. Well-groomed Cobble Hill Park is the heart of the neighborhood, where residents greet one another on the sidewalk while heading to a school drop-off or strolling to one of the neighborhood’s hip restaurants for a bite to eat. Subway service is available at the Bergen Street station, bus service is plentiful along the commercial strips of Atlantic Avenue and Court Street, and there is a ferry to Wall Street from Brooklyn Bridge Park at Pier 6.

If you step off the subway in Ditmas Park and have the feeling that you’re Dorothy—but rather than landing in Oz, you’ve arrived in a quaint Mid-Atlantic town—you won’t be the first. A historic area in Flatbush, Ditmas Park is distinguished by a magnificent array of homes in Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and neo-Tudor styles. But it isn’t just the streetscape that impresses. This cozy neighborhood, only 30 minutes from Manhattan, has its fair share of restaurants, bars, and conveniences, all within walking distance. 

Fort Greene may be best known for its namesake park. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux (who also designed Central Park), this local gem is filled with rolling hills, playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, and year-round programming—including the highly anticipated annual Halloween dog costume contest and parade. But the neighborhood is also home to the popular Brooklyn Flea, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and loads of shops and bars. With 10 subway lines in the neighborhood, it’s easy to access the rest of Brooklyn and beyond.

Gravesend is a neighborhood in Kings county located on the southern part of Brooklyn. It’s a diverse, family-oriented neighborhood along the waterfront of Gravesend Bay. Living in Gravesend offers residents a dense urban feel and most residents rent their homes. Though it is on the quieter side, there is lots to do in this area with plenty bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks. Its proximity to Coney Island makes it a great destination for beach lovers.

Nestled just south of Park Slope and Windsor Terrace, this central Brooklyn pocket offers loads of charm with zero pretension. Kensington is known for its good schools, a slow-paced lifestyle, and affordable high-quality homes along spacious streets. Its proximity to Prospect Park is a major draw for a diverse, close-knit population that includes several immigrant enclaves, lots of young professionals, and young families.

When people talk about the historic brownstones, laid-back cafes, cute boutiques, independent bookstores, and everyone-knows-your-name vibe of Brooklyn, they often mean Park Slope. Located in the heart of Brooklyn with easy access to sprawling Prospect Park, Park Slope is a family-friendly neighborhood that is truly a world of its own. Once you make yourself comfortable on one of the charming stoops lining the neighborhood’s tree-covered streets, you may never want to leave. 

A residential neighborhood in Flatbush, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens takes its name from three nearby locations—Prospect Park, Lefferts Manor (a national historic district in the neighborhood), and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Positioned on the southeast corner of Prospect Park, the neighborhood has enviable access to the outdoors and boasts restaurants that range from low-key lunch places to innovative hotspots that draw diners from beyond the borough. 

A jewel of an area just below Prospect Park, this landmarked Historic District was first developed in the early 1900s as a suburban-style haven with the conveniences of the city and the draw of elegant freestanding homes built in the Victorian style. While these grand homes (approximately 200 of them) remain today and continue to attract architecture buffs from far-flung locales, the neighborhood now also offers a mix of apartment buildings and the necessities (shops, cafes, restaurants, grocery stores) to support them. A centrally located Q train stop makes it easy to travel into Manhattan and throughout the rest of Brooklyn.

Head to Southern Brooklyn, and you’ll find a relaxed neighborhood that seems to have it all, including coastal charm and top-notch accessibility to the rest of the city. Welcome to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Once a ritzy summer getaway for New Yorkers looking for sun and sand, this area still boasts a rich history, beachside access, and a wide variety of housing options. It’s a vibrant and diverse area that offers a little bit of everything from beaches, great dining, and some nightlife.

The term “hipster” was clearly invented for residents of Williamsburg, the ever-cool Brooklyn neighborhood where creativity is defined as a combination of innovation and craftsmanship. A destination for nearby New Yorkers and visitors from around the world, the neighborhood offers every trendy flavor of shop, restaurant, café, and bar. But it also has even more things that really matter to locals, like parks (including beloved McCarren Park and newly opened Domino Park on the waterfront), food markets, and good schools. Located in northern Brooklyn, adjacent to the Williamsburg Bridge, it’s an easy trip to Manhattan—not that you’ll ever have any reason to leave “the Burg”.