Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and Queensboro Bridge are only a few of the beautiful and iconic bridges New York City has to offer. No matter where you go in the city you can see a bridge stretching across the skyline. Here is a list of the most famous bridges in New York City.
Brooklyn Bridge in NYC
The Brooklyn Bridge stretches over the East River and is the most famous bridge in NYC. It’s an incredible feeling walking over this bridge soaking up the views of the city’s skyline and the bridge itself.
The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge was finished in 1883 and was the first bridge to connect the two boroughs Brooklyn and Manhattan. The Brooklyn Bridge is today more than 130 years old and is one of New York’s most famous landmarks and most popular tourist attractions.
Manhattan Bridge in NYC
The Manhattan Bridge is located right next to Brooklyn Bridge and connects Downtown Brooklyn with Chinatown, Manhattan. Around 75,000 cars, 6,000 bikes, and 2,700 people cross this bridge every day.
One of my favorite things to do is to walk over this bridge where you can enjoy both the view of the city below (mostly on the Manhattan side) but also get a great view of Brooklyn Bridge and the skyline of the city. If you want to get a great view of the Manhattan Bridge you can head to Washington Street in Dumbo. This is a very popular spot to take photos so be ready for a lot of people.
The Manhattan Bridge was built in 1909 and is one of New York’s oldest bridges. This bridge was designed by Leon Moisseiff who also designed the George Washington Bridge.
Queensboro Bridge in NYC
The Queensboro Bridge connects Manhattan with Queens. If you ever cross it you’ll notice it goes over Roosevelt Island. This is a very busy bridge with around 145,000 vehicles crossing every day. The Queensboro Bridge has been featured in many movies such as Simon and Garfunkel, Spiderman, Batman, and King Kong.
The construction of the Queensboro Bridge was finished in 1909 and was designed by Gustav Lindenthal together with Henry Hornbosted.
Williamsburg Bridge in NYC
The Williamsburg Bridge roams over East River and connects Williamsburg, Brooklyn with Lower East Side, Manhattan. Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridge are the only two bridges that still have subway traffic going over them.
This is the perfect bridge for you to explore if you want to avoid the crowds. It’s mostly commuters who are walking on this bridge and not many tourists.
The Williamsburg Bridge opened up to the public and traffic year 1903 and was then the world’s longest suspension bridge.
George Washington Bridge in NYC
The George Washington Bridge stretches over the Hudson River between Washington Heights and Fort Lee in New Jersey. This is today one of the busiest bridges in the whole world and has a total of 14 lanes.
The construction of this bridge was finished in 1931 and was back then the longest suspension bridge in the world.
Hell Gate Bridge in NYC
The Hell Gate Bridge is one of my favorite bridges in the city. This beautiful bridge connects Queens with Manhattan and is only used for Amtrak and freight trains.
If you want a great view over the Hell Gate Bridge you can head to Astoria Park or Wards Island Park.
The Hell Gate Bridge was designed by Gustav Lindenthal in 1916 who also designed the Queensboro Bridge.
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in NYC
This bridge is famous for being the starting point for the New York Marathon and also for being the tallest bridge in the city. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connects Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn with Staten Island. The bridge was named after the first person from Europe who came to New York.
Head to see the bridge at night time to get a beautiful view of it with all the lights reflecting in the water.
Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in NYC (earlier named Triborough Bridge)
The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (which was earlier called Triborough Bridge) is a very busy bridge in New York that connects Manhattan and the Bronx with Randalls Island, Wards Island, and Astoria in Queens. This bridge opened up to the public year 1936.
Common questions about bridges in New York
Which bridge in New York has the most traffic?
George Washington Bridge is the busiest bridge in New York City
What is the most famous bridge in New York City?
The most famous bridge in NYC is Brooklyn Bridge. In second and third place would be Manhattan Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge. This is of course debatable.
Which one of the oldest bridge in NYC?
The oldest bridge in New York is the High Bridge which was earlier known as Aqueduct Bridge and opened up year 1848. The only way to cross the High Bridge today is by walking.
What are the famous bridges called in Central Park?
The most famous bridges in Central Park are the Bow Bridge and the Gapstow Bridge.
What bridge is located right next to Brooklyn Bridge?
The Manhattan Bridge is located right next to Brooklyn Bridge.