Built in 1903 to link Williamsburg and the Lower East Side (at Delancey St), this steel-frame suspension bridge helped transform the area into a teeming industrial center. At the time it was the longest suspension bridge on earth, a behemoth with its 1600ft span and all-steel towers. While the Brooklyn Bridge is more attractive, the Williamsburg Bridge's foot and bike paths offer excellent views of Manhattan and the East River, plus it connects two neighborhoods with numerous bars and restaurants.
The bike path is on the north side of the bridge, accessible at the corner of S 5th St and S 5th Pl, while pedestrian access is on the south side of the bridge, at Bedford Ave near S 6th St.