I hear that walking across the bridge is a good sight-seeing experience; but I would be too tired to do anything else after a 40 min. walk, which is about 3 miles. Is there another way to enjoy the bridge besides walking. thanks

You can gaze at it from South Street Seaport while drinking a beer, I guess. You don't have to walk all the way over the bridge to get the effect, there is a pedestrian walkway up the center of the bridge, and you can walk part way, in a leisurly fashion, rest and enjoy the view, and then walk back down. It doesn't have to be an exercise walk at all.

You must walk at high speed. Most New Yorkers would say that they walk 20-minute miles, which most out-of-towners think is very fast. The bridge walkway is no more than 1.5 miles. Walk halfway, then walk back, or walk all the way and subway back.

cwill:

Take the subway over to Brooklyn and then walk into the city. We recently did this and it is fantastic. You will not be overly tired. We noted that coming off the bridge into the city it is down hill. Therefore it is much easier to walk coming into the city. The route is clearly marked once you get off the train and many others did it the way we did.

Sandy

You can also take a water taxi across which is fun.

Sandybrit has the right idea - take the subway to Brooklyn and walk back. You might want to stop at Grimaldi's for great pizza while on the Brooklyn side.
It's on Fulton Street, more or less under the bridge. I walked back to Manhattan across the bridge a couple of years ago, and I was then 63 years old, 12 screws and a plate in my ankle, and wearing a leg brace.

WADR, the view from a water taxi does not compare to the view at the top of the bridge.

Go Plummie!!
I am going to take you r suggestions and subway to Brooklyn in late morning, have pizza at Grimaldi's, maybe go to Jacque Torres chocolate place which I understand is close by there also, and walk the bridge back to Manhattan w/my 11 yr old daughter on Memorial Day, before we head out of LaGuardia at 4 p.m. It sounds like a great way to end the weekend in NYC.

Just to clarify I didn't mean the water taxi instead of the bridge. I meant take the water taxi (from south seaport)over instead of the subway and then walk back over the bridge. Grimaldi's is great and so is the ice cream place (can't remember name) right where the water taxi docks.

thanks for all the great ideas about getting across the bridge.

If you go to Jaques Torres, which I would recommend (amazing hot chocolate), take a quick detour to the park that was recently opened on the Brooklyn Side of the East River (it's just one block from the store). It has a fantastic view of the bridge and downtown New York. Ask for directions at the store.

The New York Water Taxi is great -- right by the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory (awesome ice cream) and it's right down the street towards the water from Grimaldi's. I just did the walk and the water taxi this weekend. Good stuff.