In this tranquil neighborhood, tree-lined side streets boast bourgeois timber houses built in the early 1900s in an eclectic mix of Colonial Revival, arts-and-crafts, Victorian, Queen Anne and other architectural styles. Its central retail strip, Cortelyou Rd, is lively but laid-back, with several good eating options.
A few subway stops south of Prospect Park, this neighborhood (contained within the larger Flatbush area) is right on the Q subway yet feels like a completely different world – certainly unlike bolshy Brooklyn.
Two districts in particular have heaps of noteworthy houses. For the Prospect Park South Historic District, take the B or Q to Church Ave; walk west down Church and turn left onto Buckingham to enter the first of these beautiful blocks. When you get to Albemarle Rd, stroll up and down the two long blocks of the next three roads – Marlborough, Rugby and Argyle – between there and Cortelyou Rd to see some grand old structures. The Ditmas Park Historic District is just a couple of blocks southeast, bordered neatly by Dorchester Rd, Ocean Ave, Newkirk Ave and E 16th St.
Afterwards, there are plenty of great bars and restaurants to discover in Ditmas Park, including the beloved Mimi's Hummus and quirky bourbon bar–florist Sycamore (both along Cortelyou Rd near Dorchester), and local-fave cafe Milk & Honey (on Newkirk Ave). Both avenues have subway stops for the return trip.