Family Vacations: Brooklyn Bridge

"That's the first mistake we've made since that guy sold us the Brooklyn Bridge," Stan Laurel says in the film Way Out West. "Buying that bridge was no mistake," rebuts Oliver Hardy. "That's going to be worth a lot of money to us someday." The Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883, linking what would become the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York City. It was an accomplishment of mythic proportions requiring new technologies and new engineering.

In its day, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world with the length of the main span measuring 1,595 feet long. Its towers were once the tallest structures in the city. The design was imaginative: Artists said the Gothic-influenced Brooklyn Bridge demonstrated that aesthetics and technology could coexist. It so inspired the poet Hart Crane that he chose his apartments for their view of the bridge. His masterpiece is the book-length poem "The Bridge."

Brooklyn Bridge Information

Address: Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY

To learn more about family vacation destinations, see:

Family Vacations: Learn about hundreds of family vacations in destinations all over North America.
New York City Guide: Find out where to stay, what to do, and where to eat when you visit New York City.
Philadelphia City Guide: Find out where to stay, what to do, and where to eat when you visit Philadelphia.
New York State Guide: Learn about Mobil Travel Guide-rated hotels and restaurants in New York, as well as other recreational activities.
Scenic Drives: For those who think that getting there is half the fun, we have compiled more than 100 of the most scenic drives throughout the country.