Quiet, tree-lined streets, dignified, perfectly preserved brownstones, well-dressed parents out playing with their apple-cheeked kids—such is the refined atmosphere of Brooklyn Heights, one of New York City’s prettiest neighborhoods. Manhattanites even deign to visit, largely because of the Promenade that runs along the district’s western edge, offering magnificent, bluff-high views of the skyline, the harbor, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Used as a refuge by Gen. Washington and his troops after an early defeat in the Revolutionary War, Brooklyn Heights became the country’s first suburb when Robert Fulton started up his ferry service in the early 1800s. Soon thereafter, wealthy Brooklyn Heights landowners—many of them bankers commuting to Wall Street—divided their property into standard building lots, and the neighborhood filled up with brownstones and churches.

Much of the pleasure of visiting Brooklyn Heights lies in simply wandering its idyllic streets. Orange, Pineapple, Clark, Pierrepont, and Montague Streets will all take you down to the Promenade, which blooms profusely with flowers during warm weather.

Montague Street is Brooklyn Heights’ main commercial thoroughfare, where you’ll find most of the neighborhood’s restaurants, bars, and shops. During warm weather, many of these establishments set up tables on the street, giving it a vaguely European air.

Getting to Brooklyn Heights

From Manhattan, the best way to get to Brooklyn Heights is to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, then cross through Cadman Plaza Park to the Heights. By subway, take the A train to High Street, or the No. 2 or 3 to Clark Street. You can also take the No. 4 to Borough Hall and walk west.