Coney Island probably isn’t one of the first places on your list of things to do when you visit New York. However, we wanted a day away from the hustle and bustle of the City, and somewhere that Megan would enjoy, so we decided on a day trip.
Where is Coney Island?
Located on the southern tip of the Borough of Brooklyn.
How to get to Coney Island
We left on the F line from Park Slope, 7 Avenue in the direction of W 8 st – NY Aquarium. There is also a Q line option from Manhattan. The journey takes about 40 mins and there are no transfers. The weekly subway pass will cover this journey.
On Arrival at Coney Island
We got off at NY Aquarium station, crossed the road, and headed towards the Boardwalk.
The Boardwalk goes for some distance, with snack bars selling ice creams/hot dogs and beers, lining one side.
The beach is beautiful and stretches in both directions as far as the eye can see.
The main attraction is the fun fairs. We stuck to Luna park, as for us, it had the most rides that Megan could get on. We purchased her a day pass which for under 48 inches was $42.
There is also an option to pay per ride. Myself and Nicola picked this option for the rides that Megan needed to be accompanied on. However, it can become expensive doing it that way. There were loads of rides to choose from, and the queues on the day we went, weren’t bad at all – but we were there pretty early in the day.
When we first arrived the park and boardwalk were empty. Although as the day went on, the crowds started to build. I would say in the heart of summer, this place would be very busy.
Outside the park and the boardwalk, Coney Island also offers other attractions.
Other things to see in Coney Island
9/11 Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance
We headed towards the big massive tower, which, if you’re wondering like us what it used to be – google tells me it’s an old famous ride which used to be able to simulate parachute jumps. Just right of this, we came across a 9/11 memorial attached to the back of the stadium.
Baseball Stadium
We walked further along to the entrance to the baseball stadium. If you can time it to see a game, the Brooklyn Cyclones play here as well as the New York Cosmo football team. Both teams have good websites where you can find their fixtures. We got lucky and got to watch a bit of a University game while we were there..
Nathan’s
After leaving the stadium, we turned right onto Surf Avenue, and headed for Nathan’s. There is a stall on the Boardwalk, but as the sign says – this is the original! Here when they say ‘large’ they mean it when it comes to beer. We got a small and a large, and there was some difference. The hot dog was fantastic, well worth a trip!
Coney Island Art Walls
Between Nathan’s and the Boardwalk we found an area, called Coney Island art walls. I’m not sure what is happening with the area, it was all closed off when we arrived. However, we could still see the art on show and get some photos.
Chill out!
After you’re done walking for the day, sit down and have a beer / ice cream on the Boardwalk. Nothing better than watching the world go by!
Would we Return
Absolutely, I cannot recommend the place enough. I have friends who went to New York recently and it’s top of my list of places to recommend, especially if you’re travelling with kids – or are a big kid yourself!
Top Tips
1. Check the weather before you go, we struck really lucky as you can see from the pictures. However, I follow Luna Park on Twitter and as soon as bad weather comes in, they close.
2. Check online for discount deals. If you know the date you’re going, you can get a heavily discounted price!
3. Luna Park are very strict on heights, which is fair enough. Heights vary per ride, and they measure each child every time. I fully recommend going and having a look around first and seeing what they can get on before purchasing a ticket.
4. Explore outside the theme parks and Boardwalk, there is a lot on offer.
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog
The Lewis Family.
If you want to read more about our visit to New York and other places in the USA, have a look here.
Great blog! I love that you visited the U.S. and New York is one of the great states to visit when you are here. What other states did you visit in the U.S?
We love a good day out at Coney Island. Did you ride the Cyclone? Instant whiplash!
Cheers. Sadly I ain’t a big fan of rides in theme parks, I get on the kiddie ones with Megan and sometimes she pushes my boundaries a bit much! I would love to see Coney Island in the summer, this was in Easter and was a lot quieter!
Cheers
Michael