Exuding a charming, quirky cool, Red Hook offers a rich maritime past, exquisite views, and an eclectic arts community.

VAMONDE

A Day in Red Hook

Waterfront park with prime views and lots to do

Louis J. Valentino Jr. Park & Pier is a waterfront public park along the Buttermilk Channel, one of the country’s busiest shipping waterways in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The park is named after a local firefighter who lost his life searching for the wounded in a three-alarm blaze. This lovely vista honors the memory of his service to the people of Brooklyn.

Louis J. Valentino Jr. Park & Pier offers one of the best vantage points for viewing the Statue of Liberty, as well as Governor’s Island, Staten Island, the New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline. You’ll also find some cool street art here, including oversized blocks welcoming visitors to Red Hook. On summer days, Red Hook Boaters offers free kayak rentals on a first come, first served basis, and on summer nights the park is home to Red Hook Flicks, a free outdoor movie series.     

The Louis J. Valentino Jr. Park & Pier is open daily from 6 am until 1 am. Come here to get up close and personal with Lady Liberty, paddle the day away, or relax with a family-friendly flick. A great day of free entertainment awaits! 

Louis J. Valentino JR. Park 

Before we had highways, bridges, and tunnels to bring goods and services in and out of the island of Manhattan, everything came by boat. Commuters and travelers found their way to jobs and new places by boat as well. For nearly a century until about 1960, these waterways were a living, thriving mode of transport.

Few people today realize the rich maritime past of New York. So when David Sharps, current director of the Waterfront Barge and Showboat Museum, learned that the Lehigh Valley Railroad Barge No. 79 was submerged in mud in New Jersey, he bought it for a single dollar and set about to restore its former glory. It took nearly two years to remove the 300 tons of mud from below the deck and get the barge floating again. It was eventually towed to where it is now docked in Red Hook and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the last remaining wood-covered barge of its kind.

Today, you can tour the Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge on Saturdays from 1 pm until 5 pm (with additional spring and summer Thursdays from 4 pm until 8 pm). See the captain's quarters, tools, bells and gong systems that were used by workers when the barge was still in use. Watch videos of how the barge was saved. Explore rotating art exhibits.

Be sure to check the website for other events when you are visiting: There are often free and/or inexpensive performances available, such as dance and pirate shows, showboat songs, and river circuses. Come make a unique and educational day of it!

Waterfront Museum & Barge

Jim Clark, the owner and curator of the Look North Inuit Art Gallery, grew up in the Massachusetts whaling town that inspired Moby Dick, a classic he took on not just once but twice in high school. After graduation, his fascination with the sea continued, and he joined the crew of a local lobster boat. By the time he was 20, he got an offer he couldn't refuse: jumping on board an Alaskan crabbing ship. He fished the Bering Sea for the next 15 years, moving his way up to first mate and acquiring a deep admiration for local Inuit culture and art along the way.

After a decade of collecting Inuit sculptures and coming to know the artisans of the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic villages he visited, Clark knew he wanted to come ashore and share his stunning finds. He opened the Look North Inuit Art Gallery in a Civil War era former shipping warehouse inhabited by other artists, designers, and creatives. Overlooking the barges of the New York Harbor, staring out at panoramic views of the Statue of Liberty, he feels very much at home in Red Hook (though he still occasionally travels back to the Bering Sea on collecting trips, during which his gallery assistants hold down the fort).

Inuit art is traditionally created from natural resources: stone, antlers, ivory, tree sap. Artists go to great lengths to gather their materials. The resulting carvings and sculptures are meticulous, rugged, and exquisitely beautiful. Mythical transformation is a common theme, as is nature and wildlife. At Look North Inuit Art Gallery, there are more than 60 Inuit artists represented, with pieces ranging from several hundred dollars to the low five figures. Visits by appointment. Call 347-721-3995 to schedule.

Art from the Arctic

Look North Inuit Art Gallery

Theatrical special effects make this interactive, indoor miniature golf experience unique.

Shipwrecked Mini Golf is the brainchild of two best friends who also happen to be Broadway theater vets. After the success of their over-the-top holiday light spectacular in a Brooklyn brownstone, the pair set their sites on creating an indoor multimedia experience that's fun for the whole family. They located the perfect spot in an 11,000- square-foot indoor space in Red Hook, recycled holes from a retired mini golf course in Maryland, and went to work on developing Shipwrecked using their Broadway story, set, and lighting skills to tell an overarching pirate story to accompany your putting.

To call the result of their efforts just a miniature golf course doesn't do it justice. At each hole, tokens (which have to be purchased) give you access to story extras such as a wise-cracking skull mountain, hologram pirate, and "exploding" doors. Interactive elements are scattered throughout, including smoke, water, lights and other special effects. The holes are themed, with many tipping a hat to New York City. The final one is fashioned after a subway car and balls are returned through a fake Metracard machine.

Shipwrecked Mini Golf is like a theme park multiplied by a Broadway show with the additional fun of a miniature golf game, all rolled into one. Open varying hours (by 11 am on Fridays and weekends, 3 pm weekdays, closed Wednesdays), you'll want to put this innovative and endlessly entertaining indoor adventure on your list.

Cover photo by Katherine Rotondo via Flickr

Shipwrecked Mini Golf

It's the kind of place that is so distinctly Brooklyn: a collision of creativity, ingenuity and some serious sweat equity. Founded in 2012 by contemporary artist Dustin Yellin, Pioneer Works has evolved from an unused 25,000-square-foot manufacturing warehouse to an eclectic "cultural utopia," as the founder likes to refer to it. Rehabbing the Civil War era building included adding more than 100 large windows to bring in natural light, stripping walls down to the original brick and then repainting them, and restoring an original crane to working order.

Today, Pioneer Works, a nonprofit committed to creativity and social change, stands as a bright and bustling hub of creativity. It encourages members to mix, mingle and share work across disciplines. Artists, musicians, scientists, writers--everyone's contributions are welcomed and valued here. 

Pioneer Works offers residencies, classes and exhibition opportunities galore. Along with more traditional studio spaces, there are labs where artists can utilize cutting-edge technology and technologists can explore art. Studios where musicians can experiment, create, collaborate, record, and perform. Residencies and a speaker series that explore the vast realm of science. A publishing program that produces a magazine along with books, records, pamphlets and exhibition catalogs. Basically, anything that can be created is created at Pioneer Works.

From Second Sundays (a monthly melange of open studios, live music, and speakers) to the Scientific Controversies series to Supper Club (where you can dine with members of the Pioneer Works community), there's always something to see and do here. Come enjoy the wide range of classes, lectures, and music. At Pioneer Works, the possibilities are practically endless.

Check out the Pioneer Works calendar to see what's being offered when you're in town. At the very least, be sure to visit the art galleries, which are free and open to the public every Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 pm.

While you're there, check out the garden out back, with its sculptures, trees, and airstream trailer. Promise: You've never seen anything like this cultural utopia before because there's never been anything like it before.

A Cultural Utopia 

Pioneer Works

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Plan your spring break family fun in Chicago! Check it out on the Choose Chicago channel on Vamonde.

Plan a family getaway the kids won't soon forget!

Spring Break Family Fun

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues."

Chicago History Museum

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues." Southern black migrants brought the blues to Chicago, where the music helped them forge connections and transform an unfamiliar, often inhospitable city into a new home. The music was also transformed—electrified and amplified to compete with urban noise. The photography of Raeburn Flerlage captures the streets, clubs, homes, and studios where a community of musicians defined the Chicago blues sound.

AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues

From a 20th century resurgence that rivaled the Harlem Renaissance, to spectacular displays of Victorian Era architecture, this South Side neighborhood is responsible for tremendous cultural and social advances that are not to be missed.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Discover why Bronzeville is more than just an artsy pocket on the South Side.

Bronzeville and Beyond

"How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?" We've all been there, even if we're not Ferris Bueller. After your mornings stretch, you look outside at the shining sun, soft breeze, and then wonder, "How can anyone expect me to handle work on a day like this?" So take the day off! While you're at it, follow in Ferris Bueller's footsteps too as Choose Chicago takes you through the film locations that made Ferris Bueller's Day Off such a wonderful adventure (but make sure Ed Rooney isn't on your tail).

It’s Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Take a day to explore the city, but don't get caught by the incredulous Principal Rooney! Kick it like a couple of wise-cracking high school kids at The Art Institute of Chicago and peer down from over 100 stories in the air with the Skydeck at Willis Tower. (Cover photo from @thiswashollywood via Instagram)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Chicago’s legendary Second City comedy troupe and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Join us as we explore the historic neighborhood and discover its many claims to fame.

As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Discover why this neighborhood has been home to immigrant families, gays, hippies and young professionals alike over the years.

Quintessential Old Town

The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company team up with Choose Chicago to how you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Join us as we show you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

Hyde Park: Obama's Neighborhood

The Budget Savvy Travelers

Temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer. This is a sure sign that schools will soon be out for summer vacation. Families looking for fun, affordable ways to keep kids busy during hot days will appreciate this guide that shares some great ways to cool off around Chicago—most are even free.

Best Places to Cool Off in Chicago

Craving a getaway, but short on vacation time or extra travel funds? Why not consider embarking on a culinary adventure? Chicago is a great city to experience the world through food! There are over 100 different neighborhoods in the city, each with its own unique flavors and traditions to share. Chicago has always celebrated a diverse array of people, cultures, and cuisines. Therefore, it's not surprising that Chicago consistently ranks high in top foodie destinations in the United States. For those of us that can’t book a plane ticket to satisfy our travel “craving,” taking a culinary adventure is truly the next best thing. Chicago offers a great opportunity to be carried away to a dreamy, distant place–if only through our palates alone.

Traveling the World Through Food | Chicago

Haley Guidry

Only have a short time to visit Chicago? No problem! With this guide, you can fit it all in - in just a weekend!

Spending a Weekend in Chicago

Looking for some free activities to explore in Chicago? You'll be surprised to learn that there are many things to do around the city that are absolutely free of charge!

6 Chicago Hidden Gems to Explore For Free

Wrigley Field holds the very identity of the Chicago Cubs. But Wrigley isn’t the only spot that embodies the spirit of the Cubbies. Lakeview is home to so many rich businesses that are full of North side pride!

Lakeview Chamber of Commerce

Wrigleyville isn’t the only haven for fans of the Chicago Cubs. Take an adventure “Beyond Wrigley” into West Lakeview to explore some of the neighborhood icons and local businesses that are full of Cubbies pride!

Beyond Wrigley

Glessner House

Glessner House -

An architectural treasure in Chicago

Glessner House - An architectural treasure in Chicago

Welcome to the Chicago Cultural Center, a landmark home of the arts.

The People's Palace

Chicago Architecture Center

Chicago has long been a laboratory for architectural innovation and experimentation. Let the Chicago Architecture Center lead you through the stories behind some of the city’s most significant skyscrapers. Come on an adventure to unlock the secrets of ten iconic Chicago Buildings.

Cover photo courtesy of Jessica Cabe

10 Iconic Chicago Buildings

Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

An Adventure through all the Best Spots in the City

Must Visit Attractions in Chicago

Chicago has one of the most iconic skylines in the world. This insider guide shows you the best vantage points to capture a memorable photo of the skyline of Chicago. Best of all? These are all places that you can visit that are all free of charge.

Where to Find Chicago's Best Skyline Views for Free

Start on Chicago's South Side and travel back in time as you explore visit the homes of some of the most influential LGBTQ+ people in the city's vibrant history. Make your way through Washington Park and Woodlawn moving north towards Rogers Park.

Learn about Chicago's vibrant LGBTQ+ history on this cultural excursion through various parts of the City. This tour covers the historic markers and residences of some of Chicago's top LGBTQ+ luminaries. Find out how they left their marks from Washington Park and Woodlawn all the way up north to Rogers Park.

Explore Gay Chicago History: LGBTQ+ Landmarks Tour

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago.

The Magnificent Mile

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago. Unexpected turn-of-the-century ballrooms, lavish chandeliers, stained glass fit for royalty, atlases of the Renaissance, former mansions of America's elite, eclectic bars, iconic burger joints, classic cocktails, and unbeatable views make up our guide to the top hidden gems around the district.

The Magnificent Mile's Hidden Gems

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture.

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture. Hop on the Red Line, a bus, or even a water taxi and discover one of Chicago's most unique neighborhoods.

Chicago's Chinatown

This adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968," invites you to explore some of the locations Dr. King frequented in Chicago.

A Baptist minister and champion of nonviolent activism, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the civil rights movement. He spent considerable time in Chicago protesting racial discrimination, particularly in housing and education.
This VAMONDE adventure is based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929-1968," and invites you to explore in person some of the locations King frequented in the city and to consider how Dr. King’s work remains relevant today, 50 years after his assassination.

Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago

Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian, on a journey through Humboldt Park to learn more about the role the 150-year-old park served as key experimental grounds for Jens Jensen's Prairie style of landscape architecture.

Julia Bachrach

Established 150 years ago, Humboldt Park can be thought of as a living landmark with layers of history that reflect contributions by important landscape designers, architects, and artists. The most noteworthy, Danish immigrant Jens Jensen (1860 – 1951), revered the indigenous scenery of the Midwest and created the Prairie style of landscape architecture. Humboldt Park provided important grounds for his process of experimentation. Jensen went on to design estates for prominent businessmen such as Julius Rosenwald, Harold Florsheim, and Henry Ford. Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian and author of "The City in a Garden: A History of Chicago’s Parks," on a journey to learn more about how Humboldt Park served as Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds.

Humboldt Park: Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds

The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. Get inspired by these galleries and their collections

Chicago Scene

Chicago is home to countless world renowned cultural institutions. The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. There’s something for everyone at these galleries, whether you’re simply an appreciator of art or a seasoned collector.

Art Galleries: Beyond The Museum Campus

Not your everyday Chicago adventure, these unique outings go inside, behind-the-scenes, and even underground to show off a different side of the city.

From the lair of a notorious Chicago gangster to the infectious groove of a legendary blues club, this adventure will have you socializing, singing, and exploring the city all day (and night!) long. Personally curated by the Vamonde team (a group of foodies, architecture buffs, music fanatics and bar-hopping explorers) this adventure will provide you with the incredible stories and secrets behind some of Chicago’s notorious and renowned spots. Did we mention gingerbread cookies at the Waldorf Astoria?

A Chicago Insider’s Adventure

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks.

American Writers Museum

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks. A special adventure created in honor of the 2017 American Library Association Annual Exhibition and Conference.

Chicago Literary Landmarks Hunt

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. Paul speaks with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Paul Natkin

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. In this adventure,  Paul goes beyond the Chicago Blues Festival to speak with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Beyond the Blues

The Gathering Spaces are a series of artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning Lake Shore Drive. Travel along the corridor to discover how the artists linked nature and culture.

Chicago Park District

The Gathering Spaces are a series of five artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor (BWC), a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning both sides of Lake Shore Drive. The five Gathering Spaces reflect the nature and culture of the area and serve as assembly grounds and rest areas for people exploring the Corridor. The spaces were designed and created by teams of local artists in partnership with community-based organizations in the Chinatown, Bronzeville, and Pilsen neighborhoods. On this adventure, we'll travel along the BWC to get the inside scoop on the creative process, community goals, and environmental context of each Gathering Space.

Lakefront Gathering Spaces

Broadway in Chicago

With more than 200 theaters, Chicago is home to a rich and varied theater community, well known for a diverse mix of original productions that began here and then went on to Broadway and the world. Broadway In Chicago currently own many of the anchor theatres in Theatre District, including the CIBC Theatre (home of Hamilton), the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, the Cadillac Palace Theatre, and the James M. Nederlander Theatre which broke records when it housed Wicked from 2005-2009. Let Broadway In Chicago take you through a tour of the theatres that make up the Chicago Theatre District.

Chicago Historic Theatre District

Jason Brammer is known for his distinctive mixed media assemblage based works, surreal paintings and drawings, murals and site-specific installations. Join us as we take you across the city and unearth how some of your favorite works came to be.

Jason Brammer

Portals, Pyramids, & Octopods: The Art of Jason Brammer

You might have already heard about a few of these destinations, consider this your local guide to the Wicker Park bars that are in some way (think hidden entrance) or another (think no address) -- secret.

Holiday Jones Hostel

Because we’re terrible at keeping secrets and because Wicker Park has too many cool off-the-beaten-track places to explore, Holiday Jones Hostel has created this adventure to give you the inside scoop on the best lounges, dive bars, and speakeasies to visit and pretend like you’re a regular.

Wicker Park's Best Kept Secrets

The story of public housing is the story of America. Explore the untold stories of people who created community across racial and economic divides and confronted social injustice.

National Public Housing Museum

​The story of public housing is the story of America. This tour, curated by the National Public Housing Museum, introduces you to the heart of Chicago’s Near West Side with its vibrant communities, diverse cultures, and history of activism and resistance. Explore fascinating sites where public housing residents built community across racial and economic divides, restaurants and bakeries that continue to create delectable food from various cultures and learn about overlooked and invisible stories about where people studied, organized, and confronted social injustice. We recognize this land as being indigenous, and we follow the lead of the first peoples who, despite massive genocidal violence, have never relinquished the struggle for land, water, culture, their people.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The Near West Side and The Jane Addams Homes: Chicago's Ellis Island

The story of literary Chicago is one of overlapping communities; avant-garde, intellectuals, journalists, activists, artists, and migrants from places near and far.

​The story of literary Chicago is one of overlapping communities: ​avant-garde, intellectuals, journalists, activists, artists, and migrants from places near and far. The city's many newspapers, magazines, and literary journals have offered experience and exposure for aspiring writers. Programs at local libraries, bookstores, and cafes have connected writers with the reading public.

City of Writers

Choose Chicago® is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. When you’re in Chicago, you’re home. With the countless experiences there are to have here, you're absolutely welcome to do any and all of them.

A Day in Red Hook

Louis J. Valentino JR. Park

Louis J. Valentino JR. Park

Waterfront Museum & Barge

Waterfront Museum & Barge

Look North Inuit Art Gallery

Look North Inuit Art Gallery

Shipwrecked Mini Golf

Shipwrecked Mini Golf

Pioneer Works

Pioneer Works

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