But boy am I glad she talked me into it (if it hadn't been her birthday...)! Not only is the view from the pedestrian overwalk incredible, but the beauty of the bridge and the pleasure of walking with other people from New York or around the world is unsurpassed. If value is your thing, then this is the perfect adventure for you: it's free!

If you're not a walker, perhaps this is not for you. But it's really not a long hike; it probably took us twenty-five minutes from end to end. The breeze saved us from too much heat, but do be sure and wear your sunscreen. There will be panoramic stops with shady areas at each of the two great towers, where you can see bronze plaques describing the bridge's history. Open to the public in 1874, it has been a major symbol of New York City, even inspiring an important modernist poem by Hart Crane, "The Bridge."

Once we arrived in Brooklyn, we basically followed our instincts to get back to the waterline (the pedestrian walkway ends a ways up from the water, in the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights). We finally got to the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park where we sat on the benches gazing at Manhattan while family reunion participants, dog walkers, and young lovers milled around us. It was kind of a hike up to the High Street subway stop to get back to Manhattan, so if you think you'll be tired after crossing the bridge, you'll should make alternate return plans.

A quick example of the graciousness of New Yorkers: my sister dropped her disposable camera, half full of vacation pictures, down onto the automobile part of the bridge when we were just approaching the water (the pedestrian walk was separating the traffic both ways at that point, rather than hovering above it). A lovely man in a large sedan STOPPED among the bumper-to-bumper traffic, got out, and then handed the camera back up to two fellows who were also walking and who had volunteered to CLIMB DOWN INTO TRAFFIC TO GET IT. Can you believe it? I love New York!!!