Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)

- United States (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/)

- - brooklyn (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/brooklyn-234591/)

i am looking to move to brooklyn in sept. i am a young italian girl(21), and wondering what neighborhoods are good, and on the contrast, which to stay away from. my boyfriend and i are artsy music kids!! any suggestions??

There are many great neighborhoods that you may be happy to live in, such as, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg, Bay Ridge, Greenpoint and several others. I think you're going to need to do some research to choose the best one for your taste and circumstances.

What makes a neighborhood "good" or better than any other is so subjective. If you mean which one's have the worst reputation for crime, then I would suggest avoiding East New York, Bedford Stuyvestant and Bushwick for starters. "Artsy" people enjoy the Williambsburg area known as D.U.M.B.O. in recent times because of all the galleries that have sprung-up, its a regular artist community.

Most of Brooklyn is good, except for Downtown. But here are the good ones: The ones John mentioned, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Midwood, Bensorhurst, Bay Ridge, Sheepshead Bay, and some others.

Just and opinion do not mean to offend anyone. Hi Christina I was looking at apartments May 1 year ago. I did not see differing prices from Park Slope to Manhattan. I first lived in Park Slope years ago I now live in Manhattan. I hated the Park Slope years totaling 8 and love the Manhattan Years 5. I strongly suggest Manhattan if you can find the right price, there is a world of difference in the quality of life. I also think the city environment is worth the cost of space. You will find smaller quarters for the same money in Brooklyn. Brooklyn has a lot of crime, feels much less safer than Manhattan. I still visit friends in high end brownstones in Park Slope. Incidentally they moved from a beautiful condo in cobble hill because they were bored to tears with the lack of restaurants and activities. The streets of the main drags in many of these neighborhoods are always deserted late at night and early weekend mornings. And the crime is much more prevalent in Bkln, this is just a fact. Brooklyn has the highest car theft rate in the nation. I can give you a long list of what I have seen over the years but my time ended there in 93 so that would be dated info. I will tell you that this year I have seen loud scary yohips still hanging out in busy areas of Park Slope especially down on the newly gentrified fifth avenue. The train ride into Manhattan is still hot smelly and crowded. Why the long and sorry to be obnoxious post? ...because I did not realize what a night and day different experience living in Manhattan is until I moved. I now firmly believe that if you can't live in Manhattan than just move out of the city entirely. This city can be very taxing where ever you live a borough residents increases stress. I say get roommates, scale back; space expectations and live in Manhattan at all costs. If you can afford trendy areas in Brooklyn you can afford Manhattan.

meant to say you get more space for your money in Bklyn

Last poster is so ridiculous, its beyond belief. Rather than waste my time rebuking you point-by-point, I'll just point out that Brooklyn is not even in the top ten metropolitan areas for crime theft (see www.nicb.org and many other sites)... and this poster's "opinions" amount to a bunch of fabricated "facts" and generalizations that really don't hold water... probably just a Manhattan real estate agent.

xxx not so off base at all and you would understand if you lived in Manhattan. I feel a thousand times saver just going to work from Manhattan than from when I lived in Bklyn. No crazies chanting bible versus on the subway while you are pushed up against other passengers unable to walk or even move elsewhere. I have friends that moved to brooklyn and they where 4 times mugged all by armed muggers. 29 years in Mahattan and they never had a problem. Of course this is not everyone's experience but it is certainly feels less safe in Bklyn to me at that is enough. Does not take a Manhattan real estate agent to see that it is just safer in Manhattan.

I lived in Brooklyn for 8 years. Never had anything stolen. Friend in Manhattan had bike stolen 3 times.

"xxx", Jessica, etc: as a young 21 (plus boyfriend=??)"artsy music" couple, Christina will probably be priced out of Manhattan as well as the "best neighborhoods" like Park Slope (forgive me, Christina, if I've made an incorrcet assumption). (BTW, Christina, you don't need to post the same question twice--you're probably not going to get responses on the other thread anyway...)

ttt (why?? why not!!)

xxx left Brooklyn in 1993 so of COURSE Manhattan seemed safer to them. When did the economy improve? When did Giuliani get elected? Bingo. I lived in Manhattan in 1991-2000 so I know that there was a big difference between 1992 and 1996 crime rates. What xxx does not seem to realize is that the whole city was improving in the mid-90's. Park Slope is FAR from scary now. It's great! JKNYer...DUMBO is nowhere near Williamsburg, it's just north of Brooklyn Heights (I live in DUMBO). Christina, there are many good neighborhoods to choose from. I think Williamsburg would be ideal for you. It is full of young artists, though I'm not sure how high the rents are there these days...it IS just a subway stop from Manhattan. My little 'hood - DUMBO - is also full of artists and also just outside Manhattan, but the apartment availability is pretty low. There are only 3 or 4 legal rental buildings here - converted warehouses - and the demand is much higher than the supply! It's becoming more "yuppified" as they've added a few stores and restaurants and million dollar condos. I would also recommend the neighborhoods recommended by John K. Good luck!

Suzanne I told you I have been to Park Slope this year. Yes it has improved but the trouble makers are still apparent and there are still way too many families for a young person seeking a trendy neighborhood. I think it is isolating Christine. You are a good 45 minutes on the train from midtown and 20 minutes from the village. The trains are crowded and depressing. Seems like nothing now but it sure is not the same as walking into the village for a cup of coffee when you wake up or jogging in central park with the road runners after work. I will leave space for others who have better opinions of Brooklyn. I myself wasted a lot of years there. Not an insult to whale on bklyn lovers just how I feel and why I have taken time in these responses.

I remember back when there were a lot of guinea wops in brooklyn. But that was years ago. Who's there now?

I wrote a long email to your other post, actually decided to send it directly to the email address you used. I guess it may have been a fake one. Anyway, point is, some people (as above poster) would much rather be in the middle of things and live in the more frenzied (as I see it) atmosphere of Manhattan. Others like a more relaxed atmosphere. I'm older, in my late 30s, so I prefer Park Slope--having a park nearby, a botanic garden, there are plenty of stores and restaurants. And it's close enough to Manhattan for me, about a 1/2 hour subway ride. When I was in my 20s I was dying to be in Manhattan. After working a few years I finally was able to afford it. Lived near Columbia a couple of years then in the West Village. Then I moved out to Brooklyn. So, I'd say just decide what's important to you. Park Slope is very safe, btw. I don't know why the above poster feels Manhattan is more safe than at least parts of Brooklyn. I've never felt unsafe going to work from Brooklyn: I've lived in Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope, both places for years. There were times I felt unsafe near Columbia.