The distance is closer to fouir miles than three, the time would likely be between an hour and a half or two. As long as the weather is dry you should be alright. If you feel cold there are inumerable places that you can duck into. A coffee shop for some cocoa, or a diner for soup, etc.Times Square is on the west side, the Bridge is on the East. If you walk down Broadway, that street has the advantage of cutting across to the East. All the other streets run South or East. Walk! There is always a lot to see and you will pass by or close to many New York icons like Macy s, The empire state Building, The Flatiron Building, Union Square, Greenwich Village, SoHo, City Hall...and you are there.By the way, one of my favorite stores is right there across from City Hall on the east side. It is called J R and has everything from Computers to cameras to stereo equipment to what I consider the best source of music in NY. Another great store in that area is about three or four blocks southwest of Cit Hall, called Century 21. They are a discount house that features many great buys on a hit or miss basis. Some things they always have, though. A great source for dress shirts and ties, for example.When you are done in the area you can get the uptown #4 or #5 on Broadway which will take you up the East side or get the A train at Broadway-Nassau which will take you up the west side. There are ather trains in the area, but these will take you most places.
You can get there faster by take the R or W subway line (Yellow Line on the subway map) from Times Square to City Hall. The bridge is located on the other side of City Hall Park on Park Row.Another option will taking the Broadway line from Times Square to Union Square and transfer there to the Lexington Avenue Line (Green Line), which will take you from Union Square to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.The fare on the subway is $2.25 each way ($4.50 round trip). If you in town for a week or two, you can purchase a weekly or monthly pass, which will give unlimited rides on the subway. The 7-day pass will cost you $27, while the 14-day pass will cost you $51.50.Good luckNative New Yorker
For what it s worth I think that the walking from Brooklyn into Manhattan gives you a much better view Take the downtown A to High St Bklyn . On the day of my walk I would use the direction of the wind to determine which direction I would walk in If day is really cold wrap a scarf around your neck and breathe thru your mouthEnjoy the walk
It is about three miles. Not very far. If it is not super cold or a lot of snow it would be a nice way to sightsee. You will pass many heighborhoods along the way