Hard-to-get-to, but ultimately satisfying
Once named "the crack capital of America" by Life magazine, Red Hook has been on the slow road to gentrification for years. Though many point to the new IKEA and the huge Fairway grocery store as evidence that the neighborhood's transformation is complete, only the area near the water is considered trendy. The rest of Red Hook is a blue-collar, sometimes rough-and-tumble neighborhood full of people who have lived there for decades.
There are often art exhibits and performances in the buildings near the pier, and the number of hip bars and restaurants is increasing by the minute. Though Red Hook is a considerable walk from the nearest subway, bus lines make it more accessible.
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