Brooklyn Tour

Sure you know about the Brooklyn Bridge and maybe Coney Island. But there's a ton of Brooklyn attractions which most tourists never see, because most of em ain't mapped out on the tours and guide books. So here's what you do. You get up in the morning, bright and early, and head straight to Tom's Diner in Prospect Heights (782 Washington Ave) for breakfast with pancakes, waffles and a Cherry Lime Ricky. Its an old school diner, the kind where you focus on the food, and not the decor or the shiny spoons (well, there ain't any decor or fancy china, so...).

Post breakfast, head for Coney Island. Don't forget to visit the Gitmo Waterboarding show there. Since you're there, you'll be able to enjoy the ocean too. New York isn't exactly a friendly place for beach bums and most everyone heads to the Jersey Shores if they want the beaches, but if you must, then Coney Island is as good as any beach in NYC. Also in the vicinity is the New York Aquarium. The star attraction there is Tussaq, the baby Walrus. They also have about 8000 animals, and its the only Aquarium in NYC, so you might as well enjoy it to the hilt. For lunch, you might consider a break at Nathan's Famous.

Since we're talking zoos and aquariums, make a beeline for Prospect Park. It may not be as famous or big as Central Park, but its just as interesting, if not more. In addition to the Prospect Park Zoo, a 60 acre lake and Brooklyn's only forest, there's a heck of a lot going on, in terms of urban activities, music, art and sports, not to mention nature tours and historic buildings.

If you still have time and you're the kind of person who loves museums and galleries, then there's also the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the NY Transit Museum on Schermerhorn Street. And if you're the kind who prefers to map out a city by its best (as in cheap) bars and eateries, you'll want to start with Willamsburg.