Golden Hour Bliss: Domino Park is NYC’s Ultimate Sunset Spot

The secret’s out: Domino Park, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is the best spot to catch a sunset over the iconic Manhattan skyline. No other locale in any of the five boroughs—not the Empire State Building, High Line, or Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock— comes close to Domino Park’s cinematic golden hour vistas. As twilight settles over the bustling city, the quarter-mile waterfront serves as front row to a dazzling light show: the Williamsburg Bridge glows over a shimmering East River, and the sky dissolves into a technicolor kaleidoscope of pink, purple and orange. The effect is pure magic. Best of all, every perch in the park’s 6-acre expanse is a winner thanks to generous seating, ample green space, and an elevated walkway that stretches several blocks.

There’s plenty to do in Domino Park, open daily from 6 am to 11 pm, so make a day of your sunset outing. Domino Park is the capstone of Williamsburg’s staggering transformation from industrial backwater to New York City’s nexus of cool. The landmarked site of the former Domino Sugar Refinery, closed in 2004 after 148 years of operation, has undergone a full-scale revitalization that honors its manufacturing roots while delivering modern amenities for a new generation of visitors.

Begin your day on the promenade, a magnet for runners and amblers alike, thanks to winding paths rich in history and scenic views. “Artifact Walk” boasts more than 30 salvaged relics from the neighborhood’s storied manufacturing past, including original hoists and conveyors, syrup tanks, and two 80-foot tall Gantry cranes which once unloaded raw sugar cane from freight ships. Be sure to cut across Fog Bridge, which emits a gentle spray every 10-minutes or so, a reminder that this verdant park once served as a busy commercial port that, at one point, was responsible for refining nearly all of the nation’s sugar. At night, the misters are illuminated, casting the bridge in an otherworldly haze that evokes a steamy Brooklyn foundry of yesteryear.

For families, Domino Park’s innovative playground is an absolute must-see. The striking configuration draws its inspiration from—what else—the Domino refinery. Mark A. Reigelman II, the playground’s Brooklyn-based designer, cited the “industrial chaos” of the factory as his model for stainless steel slides that call to mind factory pipes, and a 26-foot-high scalable silo that resembles an industrial container. So unusual is the playground that The New York Times hailed it as one of Brooklyn’s “most anticipated art openings”. A dog park, sand volleyball and bocce courts, and an all-season turf field round out the activities open to the public.

Be sure to come hungry. While Domino Park is a popular choice for alfresco picnics, it’s also an emerging foodie scene thanks to a growing crop of buzzy eateries that have set up shop here. Among them: Roberta’s, a riverfront outpost of the beloved Bushwick red sauce mecca; Tacocina, a casual taco-and-margarita hotspot from Danny Meyer; and Mekelburg’s, famed for its artisanal sandwiches and provisions. Celebrity chef Wylie Dufresne is set to open a second location of Stretch Pizza here, delivering more of the bold pie flavors like dan dan chicken that made the Manhattan location a standout. And all the way from Michigan, the famed Cuban street food purveyor Frita Batidos will also open its doors by year end.

There’s endless people watching at the recently opened Domino Square, a one-acre extension of Domino Park that, in winter, houses Williamsburg’s first ever ice skating rink. In warmer months, Domino Square hosts farmers’ markets, salsa nights, concerts and other public events.

From dawn to dusk—and even after—Domino Park is one of New York City’s most inviting destinations. Once the capital of sugar production in the nation, its 33,000 square feet pulse again with the same kinetic energy that prompted Walt Whitman to write his iconic ode to these unparalleled views in Crossing Brooklyn Ferry: Flood-tide below me! I see you face to face! Clouds of the west—sun there half an hour high—I see you also face to face.

There’s a reason why everybody’s chirping about Williamsburg’s lively new waterfront, which has fast become a billboard for the best of New York, from spectacular sunset views to superlative people watching. Come see for yourself why Domino Park is the city’s newest can’t-miss destination.