Experience Brooklyn’s Coney Island

If you want to feel the best parts about being a kid again, a visit to Brooklyn’s Coney Island is about as close as you can get. When you get there, you can’t miss Luna Park [1000 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224] a colorful and quirky amusement park. One of the cool things about Luna Park is that you can pay for individual rides instead of having to fork over a full admission to get into the park. There aren’t actually any real gates in the park, you can access rides from both the street and the boardwalk. The park has lots of great rides, thrill rides, kid rides, and everything in between…but I was only interested in one: The Cyclone.

Built in 1927 this classic wooden coaster has been making people loose their hats and voices for almost a century. I got my ticket, waited in line for less than five minutes, and was on my way. I braved a picture from the top and stowed away my camera just in time to raise my arms and fly down!

This is one of the old school coasters where you truly feel like you are going to be ejected from the seat, and I love that. Lots of ups and downs, and it felt way too fast like they all do. Worth it for the high I felt and the goofy grin I wore after leaving. Promenade up and down the boardwalk soaking in the local flavor and make your way to the Steeplechase Pier. The view is grand from the boardwalk to the vast Atlantic Ocean.

Lie out on the beach or take a dip if it’s a warm day. If you’re hungry for lunch head to the original Nathan’s [1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224] for a hot dog and some fries.

Enjoy a seat under an umbrella and gorge on the fried goodness, remember, act like a kid today! This is also the home of the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest, so plan your trip accordingly if you’re into the action. We popped into an arcade and played some skee ball. The machine ate my quarter so one of the attendants fixed the problem, and hooked me up with a ton of free games! Lucky day. We bought into the Freak Show [3008 W 12th St, Brooklyn, NY 11224] and it was something we won’t soon forget.

We weren’t sure what to expect, and at first it seemed a bit silly, but it got real pretty fast. You aren’t allowed to take pictures in the show which is good, it makes you focus more. There are great caricatures of the acts outside and we particularly enjoyed the sword swallower and the fire-eater.

Attached is the Freak Bar, a fantastic place to slug down a Coney Island Lager and people watch. On the more wholesome side, you will want to visit the New York Aquarium [602 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224]. This aquarium has some amazing exhibits including penguins, sea lions, stingrays, seals, otters, sharks, a great number of interesting fish, and a super friendly walrus!

This is an incredibly fun and education way to spend some time on Coney Island. PS the aquarium is pay what you can after 3pm on Fridays. So much to do and see, take a ride out to Coney Island and have the best day ever!