Take a Shopping Trip to Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn has long been the hipster capital of New York City due to its unique style and accessible layout. Taking a break from shopping on Fifth Avenue and heading to Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn will reward you with boutiques, stylish home-decor shops, shoe stores, vintage shops, record stores and even one of the best computer stores in the city. Shopping in Williamsburg as easy as swiping your MasterCard.
Instructions
1. Hop on the nearest subway train to 14th Street/Union Square. Almost every train line will take you there, with the exception of the 7, G, J, M and Z. You could also just walk to 14th Street from wherever you are.
2. Follow the signs, when at the 14th Street/Union Square station, to the gray-colored L train, a line that travels east/west across Manhattan and takes you quickly into Brooklyn. Other places to pick up the L train along 14th Street are at Eighth Avenue, Sixth Avenue, Third Avenue and First Avenue.
3. Get on the Brooklyn-bound side, no matter where you pick up the L train, as opposed to the one headed to Eighth Avenue. As there are only two options, it should not get too confusing. Look at the electronic signs to determine when the next train is arriving. (This is the only line on the MTA with this service.)
4. Ride the L train past First Avenue, the last stop in Manhattan, and get off at the first stop in Brooklyn, Bedford Avenue.
5. Exit the station at Bedford Avenue and not Driggs Street, your only other option.
6. You are now on North Seventh Street and Bedford Avenue, the center of the Williamsburg shopping world. You will find many of the stores on Bedford Avenue itself, but many many more tucked down side streets. North Sixth Street is one of the most-packed areas and a great place to start.
7. Take a left down Bedford Avenue to get to North Sixth Street, walking past Rosemary's Greenpoint Tavern. Consider stopping in for a mid-shopping pick-me-up or a post-shopping celebration.
8. Continue to North Sixth Street and take a right. This is the best street on which to begin your shopping day. Both sides of North Sixth Street offer fabulous little shops, ranging from American apparel to designer sheet boutiques. Take your time and explore, all the way to the water.
9. The next-best spot to look around is on North 11th Street, which has the mega vintage store Beacon's Closet, the warehouse-sized KCDC Skate Shop and the independent-minded CD store/bar, Sound Fix.
10. Locate Wythe Avenue or Berry Street, two parallel streets that intersect with North Sixth Street. Turn down either street in the direction of increasing street numbers. (The next street should be North Seventh Street.) Explore the smaller shops and boutiques along your way to North 11th Street.
11. When you reach North 11th Street, turn and walk half a block to Beacon's Closet, which is on North 11th Street between Wythe Avenue and Berry Street. From Beacon's Closet, work your way back East to Bedford Avenue.
12. Take a right down Bedford Avenue. This main street of the Williamsburg neighborhood is dominated by restaurants and coffee shops, but there are still a few great stores to be found.
13. Continue down Bedford Avenue about 10 blocks, all the way to Metropolitan Street, where the shops begin to dry up. At this point, turn around on Bedford Avenue in the direction from which you just came; you can either hit up one of the fantastic restaurants you noticed on your travels, get a beer at Rosemary's or hop back on the L train at North Seventh Street (headed toward Eighth Avenue in Manhattan).
Tags: Bedford Avenue, North Sixth, North Sixth Street, Sixth Street, 11th Street
