Heart of Brooklyn, NY—As many Manhattan residents face the disheartening challenge of scaling back everyday costs, it’s more welcoming than hot cocoa and an electric blanket in winter to hear the word “free.”
With this in mind, Heart of Brooklyn, an organization promoting visits to the borough’s leading cultural institutions, is introducing a free shuttle this month called The HOB Connection, a weekend hop-on, hop-off service with no strings attached. Pick-ups commence at the Metropolitan Museum and Bryant Park, with stops at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo.
Although the HOB Connection fleet comprises one “regular” bus, the organization is working to acquire a hybrid vehicle by fall 2009. The 32-seat shuttle offers more than a free ride: a tour guide will give an abridged narrative of the history of Brooklyn, and coupon books will soon be available for use at local attractions and restaurants. Happy cultural hobnobbing.
Photo: Courtesy of Heart of Brooklyn
How to get there: Visit heartofbrooklyn.org/connection for a complete shuttle schedule and hours of operation.
(Heart of Brooklyn, 789 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, 718.638.7700, heartofbrooklyn.org)
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
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Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram