2. Pier 4 at Brooklyn Bridge Park is a Man-Made Beach

Although you cannot swim in the water at the beach in Pier 4, it’s still the perfect habitat for birds, marine animals and plant life. The man-made beach, built from the remnants of a railroad float transfer bridge, is filled with native plant species and designed to mimic natural tidal pools using structures from ECOncrete. Bird Island, an inaccessible nature preserve, is also located just offshore from the beach. It is home to a variety of salt-tolerant plants, including shrubs and trees, as well as an Osprey platform to draw large fishing birds to the area.