Domino Park

Domino Park opened in 2018 on the site of the old Domino Sugar refinery in Williamsburg, and it immediately became one of the most popular parks in Brooklyn. The six-acre waterfront park stretches along the East River with unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline, the Williamsburg Bridge, and the Brooklyn Bridge in the distance.

The playground is the star for families. Unlike generic rubber-and-metal playgrounds, Domino Park integrates actual industrial artifacts from the sugar refinery into the play structures. Kids climb on repurposed gears, pipes, and crane components.

It's visually striking and gives the playground a distinctive character. Water features run in summer, and the rubberized ground surface means scrapes and falls are less traumatic.

Beyond the playground, the park has a long elevated walkway that's perfect for toddler races, terraced seating overlooking the river, a dog run (separated from the playground area), and seasonal activities including beach volleyball and movie screenings. The Tacocina taco stand, operated by Danny Meyer's group, serves solid tacos and elote at reasonable prices.

The Williamsburg location makes this an easy trip from anywhere in Brooklyn or Manhattan. The L train to Bedford Ave is a 5-minute walk to the park. Street parking is extremely difficult on weekends. The neighborhood around the park is packed with restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques if you want to extend the outing.