15+ Best Things To Do in Park Slope, Brooklyn with Friends

Last updated September 1, 2025

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One of Brooklyn’s most incredible spots to explore and also the most sought-after area to reside in New York City is the charming Park Slope.

The lovely area is renowned for its stunning streets bordered by brownstones, and you cannot lack beautiful historic structures, eateries, stores, and events here, making it one of my favorite strolls in Brooklyn.

Discover 15+ best things to explore in Park Slope with friends!

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1. Have Fun in Prospect Park

A highly recognized and favored activity in Park Slope is to explore Prospect Park.

Prospect Park serves as Brooklyn’s green sanctuary and a massive park where you could devote a whole day to a 586-acre greenery.

Whether you wish to stroll, jog, cycle, have a fun picnic, relax in the sun, or even embark on a hiking trip to a waterfall across land that resembles the Adirondack scenery upstate, Prospect Park is the spot to accomplish that.

Designed by Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, the same designers of Manhattan’s Central Park, Prospect Park serves as the urban green space for your leisure pursuits.

It is also Prospect Park Zoo’s site in Brooklyn.

A Botanical Garden, Litchfield Villa, Grand Army Plaza, and the stunning Prospect Park Boat House, are among other significant landmarks here.

Not to forget the lakes, cycling routes, hiking paths, cascades, ancient passages, and also frost gliding on ice.

During the summer, Prospect Park becomes even more vibrant as other finest Park Slope activities include attending outdoor free concerts here or hosting celebrations with friends.

Note that Prospect Park is not solely part of Park Slope as it also adjoins other notable Brooklyn areas such as Windsor Terrace, Prospect Heights, and Prospect Lefferts Garden.

You can also savor the numerous food trucks showcasing some finest cuisine in this park while you're in the city.

2. Explore Montauk Club

An interesting Park Slope activity to explore with friends is to visit this distinctive venue and community club, the lively Montauk Club, located near Prospect Park.

The social club originated in 1889 and began as a private men's exclusive club for mainly the upper class.

Currently, it is an impressive social club that is now accessible to everyone and utilized as a location for different occasions in its unique Venetian building in Gothic style created by Kimball Francis.

It is a fantastic location to organize your own events, or you might choose to participate in any of the activities on their schedule.

Note that you must be a registered member or be acquainted with one of their members to enter the club.

However, if you are not, you can appreciate the building's aesthetic from the outside.

Also, in case you enjoyed the HBO Boardwalk Empire series, the scenes that were shot in the series are located right here at Montauk Club.

3. Visit Nitehawk Cinema

An aspect I admire about Brooklyn County is the local businesses and brands that are prospering here.

A notable instance of this is Nitehawk Cinema, a beloved movie theater in Brooklyn.

This independent theater represents what we believe the film experience resembled in the era of prosperity.

Here, you can lean back and unwind as you enjoy a movie and request a drink or a meal while you watch a performance.

Nitehawk Cinema was the earliest New York cinema to obtain a license for liquor and the first to provide meals as you enjoy a film.

They also host unique occasions and weekend brunches for those attending a weekend matinee film.

Park Slope is Nitehawk Cinema’s second site, with the original located in Williamsburg.

This Park Slope site is situated in a stunning landmark Art beside Prospect Park.

Nitehawk Cinema is certainly the Park Slope activity to pursue for those who enjoy a great film experience.

4. Explore Puppet Works

Puppet Works is a venue in Park Slope that showcases marionette puppet performances that have occurred in this spot since the year 1980 by Nicolas Coppola, an expert puppeteer.

He was initially motivated by a good puppet show while in third grade in Brooklyn right here.

Coppola has garnered numerous accolades and gained significant recognition throughout his career.

Puppet Works continues to present Puppet Shows every week to the community alongside regular performances organized for the nearby schools.

I suggest scheduling a visit here in advance, so as to make sure you see a performance or book a group event or an exclusive gathering.

You can visit their site for future shows and methods for you to assist in supporting their artistic and cultural efforts.

5. Explore GreenWood Cemetery

A distinctive Brooklyn green area and one of Park Slope’s top activities to enjoy is GreenWood Cemetery.

It is an enormous graveyard that stands among the most eerily stunning locations to explore in the metropolis.

The cemetery is recognized as one of the National Historic Landmarks and it features beautiful architecture, renowned monuments, gates, mausoleums, and chapels.

You can wander along the sprawling cemetery’s twisting paths, going past tombstones of renowned individuals ranging from military heroes to gangsters and other distinguished persons including the burial site of artist Michel Basquiat.

The cemetery was originally established as a country cemetery in 1838.

The city grew too swiftly and GreenWood was constructed to assist in creating more room for remains because the other cemeteries were filling up quickly.

This cemetery got famous and was frequently referred to as Brooklyn’s initial public park, since Prospect Park hadn’t been created yet.

In the Victorian period, visitors would arrive here and regard the cemetery as a park.

The cemetery gained such popularity that it motivated the design of Central Park, then subsequently Prospect Park.

I strongly suggest participating in a guided group tour here or the guided trolley ride tours that guide you through several of the cemetery's key features.

Special events are also held here sometimes, such as the catacombs tours or even film screenings in the graveyard with the iconic Rooftop Films.

Just ensure you check out the events page prior to visiting.

You will truly enjoy GreenWood Cemetery and won't stop discussing everything available to experience and observe here, particularly how stunning the landscapes transform over the seasons.

It is surely among Park Slope’s top hidden activities to enjoy especially if you are not from around here.

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6. Enjoy Yourself in Barbes

Another fun Park Slope activity especially if you’re searching for nightlife is Barbes, a charming French space and bar for live performances.

It is especially renowned for its eclectic and varied live shows in the limited area located behind the bar.

At Barbes' front, there's a complete bar available for drinks before or after a show in this cozy, vibrant music venue.

You will discover everything from jazz and indie rock to music styles you might not have known were out there.

Barbes is managed by 2 French musicians. They have been longtime residents of Brooklyn and refer to themselves as a meeting spot and community center for the neighborhood.

In addition to being a well-liked intimate music venue, you'll also enjoy film screenings and public readings here occasionally.

Just make sure to look into their events and visit their page to find out what’s coming up before you visit.

7. Visit the Old Stone House

The house is a Park Slope place to explore if you have a passion for history.

Situated just off 5th Street at the boundary of the Gowanus and Park Slope area is this historic site.

It is a monument that originates from 1699 and is listed on the National Register Historic Places.

The House has experienced multiple renovations and was initially a stone farmhouse from the Netherlands owned by some Dutch settlers who cultivated the land and gathered oysters.

It played a crucial role in the popular Brooklyn Battle.

It was the biggest battle in the War of Independence on 27 August, 1776.

This house also served as the site where Americans directed and managed the struggle against Britain alongside General Cornwallis Charles, where the British triumphed and Americans faced defeat.

This battle enabled the British to take control of Manhattan and Brooklyn for 7 years.

However, George Washington together with his troops subsequently fought again and triumphed against the British.

In contemporary history and popular culture, the OldStone House served as a lively clubhouse which we recognize today as Brooklyn Dodgers.

It is open for visits on Fridays from 3 to 6 pm, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays starting from 11 to 4 pm, and also through prearranged appointments.

There also exist engaging and educational displays here, making it a top Park Slope attraction if you are interested in gaining some knowledge about the historical events that occurred here to mold our nation and the historic Revolutionary War.

8. Discover the Iconic Interference Archive

A neat, independently operated Park Slope spot to enjoy is this place.

This gallery, library, and archive managed by the community contains an assembly of historical data and objects from social movements and activism over the ages.

It started in a residence with a social movement artifact's personal collection that even students of Ph.D will come to examine.

The Interference Archive's owners were asked to display their collections on public exhibition as an element of a showcase at Manhattan’s Exit Art Gallery that assisted in transforming a modest autonomous collection into its own educational center and museum focused on advocacy and societal movements.

The iconic Interference Archive relies predominantly on contributions which are valued, though not mandatory during a visit since they do not have a fixed entry fee.

So, go ahead and explore the assortments here that include artifacts and pieces from around the globe.

9. Stop at Brooklyn Super Hero Supply Store

This shop is technically located on the lovely 5th Avenue and is such a delightful Park Slope activity to enjoy.

It is an unusual shop offering masks, superhero capes, and gear.

Imagine containers filled with the velocity of light, antimatter containers, and vials of invisibility.

These novelty products are not real though they do provide an enjoyable present for that heroic figure in one's life who requires some additional support.

What makes the shop a more distinctive Park Slope activity is that it serves as the 826NYC Foundation’s front, a charitable organization that offers after-school workshops and tutoring for students and young people in need.

They help non-native English-speaking children to learn the language and also tutor in other subjects.

In case you want to contribute to Park Slope, you can buy something here to support this awesome organization.

10. Pay a Visit to Obama’s Former Brownstone

A particularly distinctive Park Slope activity is the previous brownstone where Barack Obama resided right here inside Park Slope.

Located adjacent to Prospect Park ideally in a highly desirable area not just in Brooklyn but inside the area, is the previous townhouse where Barack Obama resided in the 1980s together with his girlfriend right on the third floor, during his time after Columbia.

The historic brownstone originates from 1903 and has been significant since Obama's residency.

Now, the residence has been converted from a rental multi-family property to a one-family dwelling house purchased in the year 1994 that was sold for around $4.2 million in 2017.

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11. Take a Walk on 7th Avenue

An option for a relaxing Park Slope walk is to stroll back and forth on 7th Avenue.

It is another Park Slope neighborhood’s primary roadway filled with dining spots, boutiques, and coffee shops.

7th Avenue remains really stunning and features classic streets lined with brownstones, stores, and certainly all those splendid cathedrals.

You will also discover one of Park Slope's lesser-known and concealed activities to enjoy, the location of the Park Slope 1960s airplane accident where when you look carefully, you will still see remnants of where exactly this aircraft hit and fell.

It is among the most fatal incidents in American aviation history that occurred at 7th Avenue and Sterling Place.

I also suggest exploring some excellent restaurants on 7th Avenue.

12. Discover Park Slope Murals

One of my favorite Park Slope activities while exploring the various streets is uncovering the fresh street art and murals that appear to be constantly changing.

Brands keep incorporating vibrant hues and public artwork on their structures, and you'll notice new ones when you stroll after nightfall at the time businesses shut down and leave a mural on their entrance.

There isn't really a definitive guide to Park Slope's finest murals because they're scattered there and here.

13. Walk Around 5th Avenue

A popular place that Park Slope is renowned for is its 5th Avenue (it should not be mistaken for Manhattan’s 5th Avenue).

5th Avenue of Park Slope serves as a popular shopping street that is also filled with eateries, shops, and some top Park Slope pubs.

One great 5th Avenue feature is the 'Open Streets' event that they usually organize.

During this event, they'll close the avenue to cars, then all of the restaurants will extend onto the different streets.

Among my preferred 5th Avenue shops are:

NotJust Chocolate – It is a chocolate store that offers edible art creations.

Their chocolate beautiful sculptures are completely edible despite their appearance as if they were sculpted from real gold.

Beacon's Closet – This is among Park Slope's top thrift shops and the top throughout Brooklyn.

It's packed with bargains on pre-owned designer apparel, footwear, and various products.

Life Boutique Thrift – This is yet another fantastic thrift store venue in Park Slope (along with several others in the neighborhood).

Here, you can discover great deals on second-hand furniture, apparel, adornments, and footwear ranging from unique items to high-end brands.

14. Visit Carroll Gardens

A charming and peaceful small community close to Park Slope stands as the lovely Carroll Gardens brimming with lovely shops, charming eateries, and beautiful brownstone buildings.

While here, I suggest enjoying a delightful Buttermilk Channel brunch and exploring vintage documents at the lovely Black Gold, before sampling Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain’s ice cream.

Afterwards, sample Indian spices infused with ice cream at Malai, enjoy board games with friends at the board game café of Brooklyn Strategist, and visit Yesterday’s to shop for antiques.

Lastly, catch up on the news and enjoy a nice beer at Other Half Brewery Company, a fun go-to brewery.

15. Check Out Union Hall

In case you're searching for additional Park Slope entertainment choices and activities, Union Hall remains yet another excellent venue situated here.

It is a place for entertainment and a variety of enjoyable activities.

When you get to Union Hall, ensure you take a look at the basement where you will discover a space for a dance floor, live music, singing nights, and stand-up performances.

Then, on the upper floor, there's a complete bar featuring two ball courts that is the ideal place to relax together.

In the warmer months, there’s an outside bar and space to socialize as well.

There are also dining options here in case you are starving, making it an ideal Park Slope place to visit if you're seeking an enjoyable evening out.

Make sure to visit their site for details on current and upcoming events, and you can even lease the venue to host your own event.

16. Explore Gowanus

Park Slope's adjacent area is Gowanus, a neighborhood where you will discover even more incredible cuisine, retail, pubs, coffee shops, and their unique version of all Park Slope activities.

When you get here, get a Three’s Brewing beer, then proceed to the vibrant Royal Palms Shuffle Board Club for additional games and drinks, before going to the BellHouse for fun activities such as comedy performances.

Afterwards, enjoy a treat at Ample Hill Creamery, throw axes with pals at KickAxe Throwing, and pick up a Four and Twenty Black Birds’ popular pie.

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