BoCoCa is the acronym for Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens, three Brooklyn neighborhoods that have undergone radical transformations over the past decade—and have helped make the borough a prime destination for visitors and locals alike. Smith Street and Court Street, the area's two main commercial arteries, are now chockablock with crowded bars, creative restaurants, fashionable stores and—a sign of the neighborhood's appeal to young families—shops that specialize in baby clothes and goods. A huge recent influx of French residents, many attracted by PS 58's new dual-language French program, has made it easy to find authentic French pastries and cheeses alongside the neighborhood's traditional Italian bakeries and salumerias. Meanwhile, Boerum Hill's main thoroughfare, Atlantic Avenue, has augmented its antique shops and Middle Eastern restaurants with trend-conscious new businesses. Off these beaten paths, the tree-lined residential streets are home to handsome brownstones dating back more than a century. This balance between old and new, constancy and change, calm and vibrancy, makes BoCoCa both a comfortable place to call home and a destination for an afternoon's wanderings or a lively evening out.

1 of 11