Williamsburg, Brooklyn, despite its widespread reputation as a happening hipster hangout, had always eluded me. I’m no hipster (then again, what does that word even mean anymore?) but I do love a good craft beer, a good rooftop with a view, and a good vintage store, all of which are readily available in this neighborhood located just 10 minutes from Manhattan.
As I stepped out of the subway at Bedford Avenue en route to a cool Airbnb loft I’d booked a few weeks earlier, I was instantly kicking myself for never having given Williamsburg much thought before.
While some would argue that Williamsburg’s glory days are already behind it (rumor has it the cool kids have moved on to neighborhoods like Bushwick and Crown Heights), to me it still felt shiny and new and bursting at the seams with new sights, smells, and flavors to indulge in.
And since there was so much to discover in just a few days’ time, I was particularly excited to get opinions and suggestions from the locals kindly hosting us. Unfortunately, our timing was all wrong–day after day we managed to miss our hosts by minutes. Plus, being mid-week and all, they were busy at work during the day and I didn’t want to bother them unnecessarily.
Still determined to see Williamsburg like a local and being the resourceful traveler that I am, I turned to the next best thing–an app full of suggestions curated by real locals, Stay.com.
The idea behind this travel app is quite simple–to find travel recommendations by people who truly know the area so you can experience it just as a local would. As stated on Stay’s website, the app is for the traveler “who values quality over price, charm over fame, and originality over formula.”
It’s like they’re inside my head! Give me a charming hole-in-the-wall over a cookie cut-out any day. And a mimosa, while you’re at it. Blood orange, please.
Okay, maybe I’m a little bit hipster. Hipster light?
The app proved itself useful right from the start and we were on our way to planning a great day out. There are a few different ways to find cool stuff to do, the first of which is simply to type the name of your destination into the search bar and see what pops up first.
Typing “New York” was a bit too general, and I was mostly given suggestions for things to do in Manhattan, including many of the big ticket items we’d already accomplished (like the Chelsea High Line, Central Park, and Top of the Rock).
Narrowing it down to Williamsburg produced better results–coffee shops, burger joints, breweries and music venues, and even custom guides created by other users. I started adding everything that looked mildly interesting to my own guide; Blue Bottle Coffee, the Brooklyn Brewery, a bar and music venue called The Woods, Wythe Hotel (a suggestion from a friend) and a vintage store called Beacon’s Closet (a suggestion from our Airbnb hosts), among others.
I could browse my selections in list form or view them on a map which also showed my own location; the map can be downloaded for offline use to help you find your way around should you not have access to the internet or a data connection while wandering.
You can also browse city guides created by local experts (who must go through an application process to earn the title–not just anyone can claim to be a city expert, which helps weed out unreliable suggestions), search by categories like hotels, museums, health and beauty or entertainment, or find suggestions by location with the City Map option.
One minor inconvenience I noted was that some of the listings were lacking descriptions and photos. I found a restaurant named Egg very close to our Airbnb, for example, but had to visit the website to determine whether it looked worthy of a meal. It had everything else I would need–contact information and address and the like–but gathering the intel was an extra step that most listings didn’t require me to take. Like I said, a very minor inconvenience.
Beacon’s Closet, on the other hand, had a lengthy description, a profile of the local expert who’d suggested it, and a photo to help me know what to expect. When more recommendations come complete with all this useful information, I think Stay.com will become my go-to for finding cool local hangout spots.
After adding a good number of items to my guide, I made sure to download it for offline use and we hit the pavement. Coffee is always at the top of my to-do list, so we went to Blue Bottle Coffee first. This third-wave coffee shop had the minimal-industrial aesthetic that’s so popular these days, not to mention responsibly sourced beans and an espresso fit for the most discerning Italian (or Swede). 
Next, we headed to Egg, which we’d determined to be a good option for brunch after a bit of research. On the way, I couldn’t help but pop into Mast Brothers Chocolate next door for a sample and to find out the times and prices of factory tours. Sadly, we never returned, but visions of chocolate beer still dance in my head to this day.
Egg had a lovely atmosphere, great mimosas, and friendly service, but the food turned out to be far more basic than I was expecting and I left feeling a little bit disappointed. No matter, though, as we still had two full days of eating ahead of us.
I’d spied on my map a big green space on the bank of the East River and reasoned this would be a good choice for stop number two. We followed the promenade up the river, enjoying the view of the Manhattan skyline and the many bridges in sight, and even a little bit of politically-charged skywriting taking place above us.
Our destination, State of New York-East River State Park, fell a little flat upon arrival. On this weekday afternoon there didn’t seem to be much to do or see; we’d already lounged at various points on the way there, so after a brief visit, we continued onward to the stop we were most excited for, the Brooklyn Brewery.
Little did we know that Monday through Thursday the brewery opens only for small-batch tours at 5 pm and you must make a reservation in advance to join. Of course, after the doorwoman explained all this to us, she immediately followed up with “Let me see if we have space.” They did, so we joined. Talk about dumb luck!
This tour was a highlight of Williamsburg for me, if not the whole week in New York. The guides gave us the rundown of the company’s history, including how the founders convinced designer Milton Glaser, who typically charged tens of thousands of dollars for his work, to create the iconic Brooklyn Brewery logo in exchange for free beer for life (and part ownership of the company). A win-win, I’d say.
I geeked out a little bit and stood at the front of the tour group, raising my hand to ask questions every few minutes. Included in the price of the tour were 5 tastings and a beautiful glass to take home as a souvenir (for just $15!). I may not be a Williamsburg local but guys–do this tour! Just, you know, make a reservation in advance.
When the tour ended, we meandered down the street with some new friends in tow to grab a bite to eat at Kent Ale House before retracing our steps to end the night at Wythe Hotel with its sweeping views of Manhattan.
We certainly succeeded in seeing Williamsburg like a local thanks to Stay’s handy interactive app. I’ll definitely be seeking advice from its local city experts again in the near future, and maybe even becoming a local expert myself!
Don’t forget to download it for yourself! It’s my favorite price–free.
How do you get great travel recommendations from locals?
This post is brought to you in partnership with Stay.com. All opinions, as always, are my own!
