Williamsburg has a reputation as a trendy, hipster mecca where people in skinny jeans and dodgy looking sunglasses collide to talk about things that are too cool and interesting for the mere mortals of the world to understand. Hipsters are synonymous with Williamsburg so if they are your crowd, you will love this place. Still, even if you aren’t a hipster or lover of hipsters, Williamsburg is an interesting neighborhood with a great nightlife that is worth a look for a possible place to live for new arrivals. Williamsburg is located directly across from Alphabet City in Manhattan and extends to Greenpoint to the north and to below the Williamsburg Bridge to the south.
Housing in Williamsburg is expensive and if you don’t have either a fantastic paying job or a trust fund, you will need to get yourself some roommates to even consider living in Williamsburg. Rents get cheaper below Metropolitan and increase as you move north towards Bedford, the center of all the action. Most buildings in this area are modern with very few brownstones in sight.
You’re never alone along Williamsburg’s main drags as groups of people hang around the well lit streets to well into the night. As you wander down the side streets, though, things will get more quiet so be aware of your surroundings. Overall the area is pretty safe but it might not be worth taking chances on the south side of Metropolitan or near the BQE.
Williamsburg’s proximity to the East River means that there are plenty of open areas and green spaces along the river. Live performances and sporting events take place on the weekends along the waterfront. McCarren Park is technically in Greenpoint but it’s close enough to Williamsburg to make it a popular outdoor hangout for locals. If indoor athletics are more your thing there are plenty of gyms and yoga studios in the neighborhood. Greenhouse Holistic offers yoga, Pilates and even belly dancing.
If you get yourself a bike it’s a nice commute across the bridge into the Lower East Side and Chinatown. If you would rather take the subway with everyone else then the good news is that the Bedford Street station is only one stop to Manhattan. The bad news is that this stop can be very crowded during rush hour. If you would rather take the bus, the 39 goes into Manhattan across the bridge.
Williamsburg is expensive but if you find yourself some roommates, it’s not so bad. It’s handy for Manhattan but there’s enough going on in this neighborhood to keep people entertained without needing to rush into the city for something to do.
Kirsty runs a website about living in New York with tips for new arrivals heading to the city. It also has information on what living in Williamsburg is like.
Morning Bike Commute
