Once known primarily as the hometown of Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z and Barbara Streisand, Brooklyn has come into its own over the last two decades. Now synonymous with the whatever is cool, Brooklyn brings together the cutting edge of music, literature, art, fashion and food, melding its diverse cultures and ethnicities with the wave of hipsters and yuppies begging to pay sky-high prices to live within its stylish limits. If you’re planning a visit to Brooklyn, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer number of neighborhoods to explore and the many things to do. But fear not, we’ve made a list of what to see, explore, eat and drink in this, the most populous borough of New York City. Take a Water Taxi to Red Hook The small peninsula of Red Hook was once one of the busiest ports in the world. Now, surrounded by water and without access to a nearby subway line, it has established itself as a quiet, quaint urban oasis, housing an eclectic host of artists, artisans, boutiques, restaurants and bars. Grab a water taxi to Fairway, a huge waterfront supermarket with a waterfront park, grill and restaurant, and eat lunch while enjoying the borough’s best views of the Statue of Liberty. Don’t fill up on their famous lobster rolls because just down the block is the newly opened Ample Hills Red Hook Factory, the largest ice cream production facility in the city. Next, take a stroll down Van Brunt St., which yields boutiques, vintage finds, and bars like Fort Defiance, then head towards Valentino Pier to let the kids run around and visit Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie for a take home treat. For a night out, consider joining the line at Hometown BBQ for smoked meats by the pound or a enjoy a more dignified dinner and cocktails at the Red Hook Tavern. And don’t forget a nightcap at Sunny’s Bar, a kitschy local hangout with a wide-ranging list of musical guests, including the intermittent surprise performance from the hood’s own Norah Jones. Get Pizza at Roberta’s This now-established pizza joint with working garden was established in Bushwick over 10 years ago as a small communal oasis for those in the know—and brave enough to make the schlep to this not-yet gentrified area of Brooklyn. As the first of the hipster, trend-setting businesses in the neighborhood, Roberta’s Pizza is now a global sensation, with locations in Manhattan and Los Angeles, but the wood-fired ovens still push out chewy, charred crusts piled with creative toppings—like the Bee-Sting Pizza with sopressata, chili and honey or the Beastmaster with sausage, onions, capers and jalapeno. Rotating pastas are also worth the trip and the Duck Prosciutto starter can be ordered with home-made bread and butter. If you need some green, the Romaine Salad is studded with sweet, crunchy walnuts and a sprinkling of pecorino cheese. 261 Moore St., Brooklyn, NY 11206 Play at a Waterside Park Over the last decade, the city has poured huge amounts of cash into making waterfront Brooklyn livable. So, it’s worth taking the time to explore one of the beautifully located parks hugging the East River. Brooklyn Bridge Park and Empire Fulton Ferry are a duo of parks which span the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), and include three fully functional piers housing playgrounds, sports fields, basketball courts, a roller rink, bike trails, a hotel, a carousel and some of the most stunning views of downtown Manhattan you’ll ever see. You’ll also find the Time Out Market food hall, with 21different dining options to choose from, as well as Forninos, a sunset-friendly rooftop pizza restaurant. Move further north and you’ll hit Williamsburg’s Domino Park, a six-acre oasis transformed from the remnants of the former Domino Sugar Refinery. Kids will love the playground centered around a mini, climbable sugar refinery, but there’s also a dog run, bocce courts, beach volleyball and waterfront esplanade to explore. Grab a bite at Tacacina, an upscale taco shack and cocktail bar with plenty of outdoor seating. Visit Industry City Located in Sunset Park, a neighborhood formerly known for its transformative tacos, Latin American culture and thriving Chinatown, this towering complex of enormous repurposed warehouses merges business, makers, entertainment, dining, art, leisure and shopping in a space of over two million square feet. Shoppers might want to browse the Brooklyn outpost of ABC Carpet & Home, haggle for bargains in the Design Within Reach outlet or ogle the hand-screened, custom wallpaper at Flavor Paper, then wander over to one of the food kiosks like Avocaderia, Burger Joint or Kotti Berliner Doner Kebab. If you’re a fan of the Land of the Rising Sun, you’ll want to check out the new Japan Village, which encompasses a full food hall, Japanese supermarket and marketplace. Stringing the warehouses together are communal courtyards, letting you stumble on things like The Frying Pan bar decked out with ping pong tables and nine-hole mini golf course, sunset yoga classes, open-air concerts, art installations, and expanses of turf for the little ones to run around. A $5 Game Room will keep the kids busy for a few hours if you feel like doing some exploring or spending a little more time in the art gallery featuring rotating series of exhibitions. Oh, and did we mention Industry City is also the home of the New York Net’s training facility? You can check out a list of activities and events here. Spend the Day at Coney Island This historic amusement area has been hosting excitement seekers from near and far for over a century. And no matter when you’re visiting, there’s always something to see or do. Set up camp on the beach and ride the waves, then wander over to the rides and attractions to build your perfect itinerary of fun. The big rollercoasters are not included in the all-you-can-ride wristband option for the Luna Park amusement area, so you’ll have to buy individual tickets if you want to ride the legendary Cyclone or the newer Thunderbolt. Younger kids can also enjoy the more accessible rides at Dino’s Wonder Wheel and the New York Aquarium is also just a brief walk down the boardwalk. But don’t say goodbye without a stop at the original location of Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, and don’t forget the cheese fries. Drink Up at a Local Distillery Brooklyners can make them as well as they can drink them, so taking a tour of the borough’s distilleries is a great way to enjoy locally crafted spirits. You can’t go wrong with a name like Brooklyn Brewery, and this Williamsburg mainstay has been making and distributing craft beer since the 80s. If you feel like trying the different brews, you can visit the Tasting Room, or book a Small Batch Tour or attend one of the public events. The New York Distilling Company is also based in WIliamsburg and puts out spirits like Dorothy Parker New York Gin and Perry’s Tot Navy Strength Gin—but make the trip and you can sit at the full service bar for cocktails or join a free tour or a VIP tour which includes a flask of house-made rye. Red Hook’s Widow Jane does double duty, producing local whiskey and sharing space with the Cacoa Prieto chocolate factory. Stop by to taste the whisky, bourbon rye at the distillery’s bar, Botanica, or join a walk-in tour. Private tours can also be arranged and include tastings of both booze and sweets. All tours take place on the weekends.

Montgomery, Alabama, has been a flashpoint of Civil Rights activity since the movement’s beginnings in the 1950s. Montgomery is the city where Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man, where a young pastor named Martin Luther King Jr. helped lead the subsequent long (and ultimately successful) bus boycott, and where allies known as Freedom Riders arrived via buses from across the U.S. to march with protesters. When the National Memorial for Peace and Justice opened in Montgomery in April, we decided to drive the four hours south from our home in Nashville to see it and some of the other important Civil Rights sites there. NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE & THE LEGACY MUSEUM Sometimes called the “Lynching Memorial,” the National Memorial for Peace and Justice pays tribute to the thousands of African Americans who were murdered by white supremacists over the decades. A spiraling walkway leads us past hundreds of huge metal obelisks hanging from the ceiling; each one bears the name of a county, and the names of those who were murdered there. A few counties have just a handful of victims’ names; many have dozens. The path gradually descends as it proceeds, until we’re looking up at the hanging objects and they become an all-too-evident representation of the horrifying murders that they memorialize. This is a somber and powerful place to reflect on some of the darkest moments of American history. The Legacy Museum is set in a downtown building that was once a literal warehouse for slaves. It outlines the grim path that U.S. policies have laid out, showing a direct connection from enslavement to Jim Crow laws to mass incarceration. (museumandmemorial.eji.org) REMEMBERING THE BUS BOYCOTT Nearby, the Rosa Parks Museum remembers the famous defiance that prompted the 381-day Montgomery bus boycott. The Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached for six years, was the site of many meetings in planning the boycott, as was the Dexter Parsonage, where the King family lived. This house has been restored to its 1950s condition, including furniture and many personal items used by the family. Also preserved is the damage done when a bomb exploded on the front porch. Downtown’s Civil Rights Memorial pays tribute to the people who lost their lives in the struggle for equality and bears one of Dr. King’s favorite quotes, “... until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” FREEDOM RIDES MUSEUM In the former Greyhound bus station downtown, the Freedom Rides Museum memorializes the bravery and sacrifices of the young men and women who faced violent, racist mobs hell-bent on maintaining segregation in the south. At this and at all the sites we visited, we found the docents to be welcoming and engaging, eager to answer questions and impart their considerable knowledge to curious visitors. A TASTE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CUISINE When it came to eating in Montgomery, we decided to spend our money in black-owned businesses in town. A few blocks west of the Freedom Rides Museum, Margaret Boyd’s Mrs. B’s Home Cooking is a classic southern meat-and-three restaurant, whose sides (like cabbage or collard greens) are cooked with smoked turkey drippings rather than lard. It’s also another “museum”: The walls are plastered with family, military, and celebrity photos, as well as framed press articles of momentous local events. A few blocks southeast of town, Monique Williams’ Cheesecake Empori-yum offers delicious desserts and also, unusually, eggrolls in inventive flavors like “Soulfood” and “Cajun seafood”. Just around the corner from the Rosa Parks Museum is the Savanna Tropical Rotisserie Cafe, where a wood-smoke grill sits out on the sidewalk, enticing customers to partake of authentic Caribbean/African cuisine like savory goat curry or delicious Jamaican jerk chicken. HISTORIC LODGING There is more to see in Montgomery than can be covered in a single day. We spent the night at a fantastic Airbnb rental, The Treehouse at Cottage Hill, a full upstairs apartment in an elegant, historic 1892 home in a quiet neighborhood, just three blocks away from the Peace and Justice Memorial.

Shenandoah Valley, Va. 107 miles from Washington, D.C. A collection of 10 independent cities make up the Shenandoah Valley, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an idyllic watercolor landscape and outdoor adventure haven. SEE OUR SUMMER ROAD TRIPS! Shenandoah National Park is famous for its outdoor beauty, accessible via both easy and difficult hiking trails, some of which are part of the park's 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail (540/999-3500, nps.gov/shen, $15 per vehicle, $8 per person). The Limberlost Trail takes you past lush mountain laurel; Old Rag Mountain offers panoramic vistas. To refuel, perch in the Pollock Dining Room's taproom at Skyland Resort Lodge and order a Prohibition Punch, featuring local (legal) moonshine ($7.50), and a slice of famous blackberry ice cream pie, made from scratch from the season's harvest (540/999-2212, visitshenandoah.com/dining/skyland-restaurant, Prohibition Punch $7.50, blackberry ice cream pie $6). Not outdoorsy? Stroll through downtown Winchester with a guided tour of the Patsy Cline Historic House, where the country star lived for five years (540/662-5555, celebratingpatsycline.org, $8), or pick your own flowers in the fragrant fields at White Oak Lavender farm in Harrisonburg (540/421-6345, whiteoaklavender.com, tours $5). WHERE TO STAY Instead of camping out with her hubby FDR in Shenandoah National Park in 1936, Eleanor Roosevelt opted for luxury in Luray: "Franklin, you can rough it if you want, but I'm staying at the Mimslyn," she allegedly told the president. Even today, the property has opulent touches like Doric columns, formal gardens, and fine dining courtesy in the hotel's "upscale Southern" Circa '31 restaurant—necktie recommended (800/296-5105, mimslyninn.com, from $160). DRIVING TIP I-81 runs the length of the valley and connects large towns like Winchester, Harrisonburg, and Stanton. Consider jumping onto Skyline Drive to take in some of the most beautiful mountain vistas in the U.S. Yountville, Calif. 56 miles from San Francisco A walkable mecca for wine and food enthusiasts, Yountville offers glasses of big California reds, award-winning bites, and lush Napa Valley scenery that's a refreshing change from San Francisco's cityscapes. To sample vino, hop the Napa Valley Wine Train that chugs through the heart of town: It serves meals onboard, and visits local wineries for tours (800/427-4124, winetrain.com, from $135). Or go rogue and create your own tasting of five wines at Cornerstone Cellars (707/945-0388, cornerstonecellars.com). Get Michelin-star-quality flavor for less at chef Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc restaurant by partaking in the evening family-style four-course menu (707/944-2487, adhocrestaurant.com, $45); also, make time to walk through Keller's French Laundry Garden, which nurtures fresh vegetables and fruits used at French Laundry and Bouchon Bistro—it's free and open to the public. On a weekend morning, stop by Bouchon Bakery for the somewhat elusive chocolate doughnut—brioche dough filled with decadent chocolate pastry cream and topped with chocolate frosting and chocolate-covered Rice Krispies. But go early (it opens at 7) to score one (707-944-2253, bouchonbakery.com/yountville). Then float above the horizon on a group hot air balloon ride for eight to 12 passengers or take a romantic trip à deux with Napa Valley Balloons (800/253-2224, napavalleyballoons.com, from $210). WHERE TO STAY For a French country feel, book a room at Maison Fleurie, a B&B with a morning breakfast buffet and complimentary wine, tea, and hors d'oeuvres in the afternoon. Borrow bicycles from the front desk and go for a leisurely ride when you tire of tippling (800/788-0369, maisonfleurienapa.com, from $145). DRIVING TIP The most direct route from San Francisco is I-80 East, over the Bay Bridge, to Highway 37 West and then Highway 29 through Napa Valley. New Braunfels, Tex. 175 miles from Houston If you visit New Braunfels and don't (a) eat German food or (b) get wet, you're doing something wrong. The town is well known for the innovative 65-acre Schlitterbahn Water Park, but its German history, food, and freshwater activities are equally compelling. Floating down the spring-fed Comal River on giant inflatable "toobs" is essential in New Braunfels. Rent one for the day or take a guided group trip at Rockin 'R' River Rides (830/629-9999, rockinr.com, call for a group trip quote). Quell your post-river appetite with one of 10 types of schnitzel, pan-fried bouletten (meatballs), or classic brats at Friesenhaus, one of the area's specialty German restaurants (830/625-1040, friesenhausnb.com, schnitzel from $15). No German meal is complete without a hearty dessert, so pop into Naegelin's Bakery, "the oldest bakery in Texas, since 1868," for a big hunk of apple streudel—a whole one is more than two feet long (830/625-5722, naegelins.com). WHERE TO STAY The 30-unit Greune Mansion Inn, right on the Guadalupe River, has a quiet, Victorian feel, with multiple historical buildings broken up into residences that guarantee each guest his or her own entrance and porch. Many of the units have river views (830/629-2641, gruenemansioninn.com, from $190). DRIVING TIP Take I-10 to I-46, making sure to avoid Houston rush hour if you can help it. Hood River, Ore. 62 miles from Portland Orchards, wineries, and outdoor recreation are all hallmarks of this Columbia River Gorge destination. Taking a drive on the whimsically named Fruit Loop steers you through 35 miles of orchards, vineyards, forests, and farmland (541/386-7697, hoodriverfruitloop.com). Sampling the area's up-and-coming viticulture is another must: Columbia Wine Tours shuttles from two to 24 people to four wineries in four hours and provides bottled waters and snacks along the way (541/380-1410, hoodrivertours.com, two-person tour $140). Or if you prefer hops to grapes, swing by the Full Sail Brewing Company Tasting Room & Pub for a sip (or three) of Full Sail Amber (541/386-2247, fullsailbrewing.com). Dubbed the "windsurfing capital of the world" by some, Hood River is an ideal place to test your mettle on the water: Hood River Waterplay offers five different levels of windsurfing classes, plus equipment rental if you need it (541/386-9463, hoodriverwaterplay.com, from $69). WHERE TO STAY Seven Oaks Bed and Breakfast describes itself as a "garden oasis," surrounded by two acres of flowering plant life and fenced in by Douglas firs. The four-unit house (plus separate cottage) provides storage for recreational equipment and serves organic eggs, jams, and pastries (541/386-7622, sevenoaksbb.com, $160). DRIVING TIP I-84—a.k.a. the Columbia River Highway—is a straight, gorgeous shot from Portland. Look for both mountains: Mount Hood and Mount Adams. Harbor Country, Mich. 26 miles from Chicago Hitting the beach in the heart of the Midwest is possible at Harbor Country, a group of eight towns on the white-sand beaches of Lake Michigan. The southern beaches of New Buffalo and Warren Dunes State Park are biggest, but individual townships have access too (harborcountry.org). Charter a fishing boat in the New Buffalo Harbor with Cap'n D Charters to hunt down salmon, trout, bass, and blue gill (574/232-0436, capndcharters.com, $500 for up to four people for six hours) or try surfing or stand-up paddleboarding in New Buffalo or St. Joseph, assisted by Third Coast Surf Shop (269/932-4575, thirdcoastsurfshop.com, $75 for a 90-minute private lesson). Afterward, head to Three Oaks to the brand-new organic Journeyman Distillery, nestled in a former corset-making factory, and kick back in the tasting room for a sample of Featherbone Bourbon, a nod to the turkey feathers that the corsets were fashioned out of (269/820-2050, journeymandistillery.com). Soak up the booze at Skip's in New Buffalo, famous for its ultra-tender prime rib (269/469-3330, skipsrestaurantandcatering.info, from $22). WHERE TO STAY Directly across the road from its own private beach, the 31-room Lakeside Inn, built in the late 1800s, has a front porch filled with rocking chairs, plus an on-site café (269/469-0600, lakesideinns.com, from $80). DRIVING TIP Stick to highways 90 or 94. Creatively taking the back roads will only lead you into stop-and-go traffic. Clarksville, Tenn. 207 miles from Memphis How to describe Clarksville? "Think Carrie Bradshaw meets Dolly Parton," suggests the Clarksville Chamber of Commerce's website. With entertainment offerings just as diverse as those two pop culture icons, Clarksville manages to be a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll. The tobacco trade—specifically stemmeries—brought in the big bucks in Clarksville in the late 1800s: Tour the Greek Revival/Italinata-style Smith-Trahern mansion, built in 1958 by a wealthy tobacconist - the slaves' quarters out back are still standing, as is an adjacent 1700s cemetery (931/648-5725, fceclarksville.org, $2). Continue exploring the past via the trails at Fort Defiance Civil War Park, between the Red and Cumberland rivers. The site was a Confederate fort that fell to Union soldiers in 1862; soon after, it served as a safe place for freed and runaway slaves (931/472-3351, fortdefianceclarksville.com). Or, hike one of three trails at Dunbar Cave State Park—the caves were once mined for gunpowder (931/648-5526, tn.gov/environment/parks/dunbarcave). Cool off afterward amid 1870s architecture downtown, at the Blackhorse Pub & Brewery, which makes its own beer onsite, including the signature Barnstormer Red Ale, made with Bavarian Hallertau hops. Pair it with one of the eatery's specialty pizzas, like the Whitehorse, a pie topped with alfredo sauce, fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta, provolone, and mozzarella (931/552-3726, theblackhorsepub.net, from $15.50). WHERE TO STAY For an authentic 1800s experience, drive 15 miles southwest of Clarksville to Lylewood Inn Bed & Breakfast in Indian Mound, run by Mandy Williams. The rich antebellum décor—some rooms have claw-foot bathtubs—is matched in decadence only by the group meals: In addition to the requisite country breakfast, home-cooked dinners can include glazed pork loin, garlic cheese biscuits, and fresh berry cobbler (931/232-4203, lylewoodinn.com, from $75). DRIVING TIP Take Highway 40 to Highway 24, but don't fear the backroads. Visit the Tennessee Trails and Byways website for multiple mapped driving routes from different destinations - like the "Screaming Eagle" trail that begins in Nashville (tntrailsandbyways.com). Excelsior Springs, Mo. 28 miles from Kansas City, Mo. Soak up the late-18th and early-19th century history of Excelsior Springs, a Missouri town that boomed due to its wealth of pure, natural springwater. Early tourists came from miles around to bathe in the mineral-rich H2O and hopefully heal their ailments, and the city has preserved that craze via historic buildings and walking tours. Belly up to the world's longest water bar, housed in the Art Deco-style Hall of Waters and Cultural Museum, built in 1937, where you can taste the mineral waters that put Excelsior Springs on the map (816/637-2811, visitesprings.com). A few blocks down, stop into Oooey Gooey Chocolates for a chocolate-dipped Twinkie on a stick—your choice of either milk or white chocolate (816/630-9255, oooeygooey.com, $2.25). Or get away from it all at the 40-acre Knott Nature Sanctuary, which features education and recreation programs that include hiking, camping, and gardening and landscaping (816/630-2872). WHERE TO STAY Notorious characters Al Capone and Bugsy Malone reportedly threw their own bathtub gin and gambling parties at The Elms Resort and Spa, which reopened this year for its 100th anniversary after a multi-million-dollar renovation that includes a spa with a hydrotherapy grotto. The hotel is perhaps best known, though, for being the place Harry S. Truman found out he'd defeated Dewey for the presidency in 1948 (816/630-5500, elmshotelandspa.com, from $139). DRIVING TIP The quickest way to get to Excelsior Springs: Catch I-35 North from downtown Kansas City, then take Highway 69 to Excelsior. Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. 30 miles from New York City Indulge your love of literature, the arts, and lifestyles of the rich and famous in this storied region north of New York City. Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman live on (in spirit, anyway) in the Sleep Hollow Cemetery, which author Washington Irving name-checked in his 1820  story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Walk the grounds for free and visit cemetery residents including Irving himself, Andrew Carnegie, Elizabeth Arden, and William and J.D. Rockefeller, or take a two-hour, lantern-lit guided evening tour—if you dare (914/631-0081, sleepyhollowcemetery.org, guided tour $25). For a quick bite, select a hot "Fleetwood original" calzone (stuffed with pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, mozzarella, and tomato sauce) from Fleetwood Pizzeria, founded by the Guzzo family in 1965 (914/631-3267, fleetwoodpizza.com, $5.75). Drive two miles northwest, on Bedford Road, to Pocantico Hills to see how the other half lived at Kykuit: The Rockefeller Estate. Drift through the main rooms of the six-story stone house, past the fountains and sculptures dotting the expansive gardens, and tour the underground art galleries, replete with works by Picasso and Warhol (914/631-8200, hudsonvalley.org/historic-sites/kykuit/tours, from $23). WHERE TO STAY Venture eight miles north of Sleepy Hollow to bunk at the Alexander Hamilton House, an eight-unit Victorian B&B with an eight-foot-deep swimming pool and a giant lawn chess set in the backyard (914/271-6737, alexanderhamiltonhouse.com, from $135). DRIVING TIP Allow traveling time for New York City traffic—the 25-mile drive can take much longer than an hour, even during off-peak hours.