The best way to enjoy Manhattan is from Brooklyn. Transmitter Park offers views without the crowds, and you can pick up coffee-to-go and treats from nearby Ovenly. The India St/Greenpoint Ferry is a 5 minute walk and will take you all the way to the Rockaways in the Summertime.
My friends, Dee & Ricky, recently opened up their own restaurant at the ripe age of 24 in the Clinton Hill neighborhood. I stop in here every now and then for the roti. Also, there's a really cool (Nigeria-owned) sandwich & smoothie spot next door that is not pictured.
Rising up 130 feet above sea level, this new park occupies some of the highest ground in New York City and offers spectacular panoramic views of the Empire State Building to the northwest, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and New York Harbor to the west, and Jamaica Bay to the south.
Webster Hall is a solid venue, and a frequent stop for many great bands on their rise to glory. If you've only got a few nights in the city, chances are a great act will be playing here.
When the weather is nice I love to come here with my friends and eat falafel and talk forever and lay in the sun. It’s just a short walk from my place and has a great view of Manhattan and there’s always good trash washed up on the shore.