The iconic Coney Island Cyclone turns 99 this weekend, kicking off a yearlong countdown to the legendary roller coaster’s 100th birthday. It’s the perfect excuse for a Brooklyn beach day filled with Luna Park rides, sea lions at the New York Aquarium, Nathan’s Famous hot dogs and a walk along the boardwalk. Here are 11 things to do when you visit:
The historic wooden coaster opened on June 26, 1927, and is the second-steepest wooden coaster in the world. It can only run one train car at a time, holding 24 people, but it reaches speeds up to 60 miles per hour and plunges 85 feet at an angle of 60 degrees!
The Cyclone was designated a New York City Landmark in 1988 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. It’s so iconic that it’s been featured in countless movies, TV shows and postcards, known as the “Big Momma” of Coney Island.
It is celebrating its 99th birthday all weekend, with plans underway for next year’s 100th birthday party.
2. Visit Luna Park
Luna Park is NYC’s largest amusement park and has a history dating back 120 years. It all started with the first rollercoaster, which debuted in 1884: the Gravity Switchback Railway.
Thrillseekers wait in line for the Electric Eden Raceway, New York’s first sustainably-powered go-kart track; Leti’s Treasure flume ride; the Sling Shot; the Steeplechase horse-themed coaster; and Thunderbolt, NY’s first-ever major steel rollercoaster.
Young kids can get “mid thrills” on the Tea Party tea cups, the Sky Tykes custom ropes course and the Convoy drivable roadsters.
3. Walk along the famous Riegelmann Boardwalk
AKA the Coney Island Boardwalk, the 2.7-mile stretch of boards along the coastline has beachfront access, an entrance to the New York Aquarium, restaurants (like Nathan’s Famous), cute shops, and walkways toward a few amusement parks.
4. Order a hot dog from Nathan’s
The original Nathan’s Famous is located in two spots in Coney Island, one directly on the boardwalk and one off the street. This is where to get a good ol’ fashioned hot dog with sauerkraut and crispy crinkle-cut fries. Be prepared to wait in line, since the menu has expanded with the BBQ Bacon TriBeCa Chicken Sandwich, cheesesteaks, hand-dipped onion rings, hot honey half-chicken, and a variety of milkshakes.
If you’re looking for more than grab-and-go, Salt & Sizzle has an outdoor patio perfect for Brooklyn summer days. The menu is still casual, with cheesesteaks, sausage & pepper heroes, fish tacos and other handhelds. There’s a cocktail list here, too.
Coney’s Cones is always a treat. There are a dozen rotating flavors of gelato on any given day, ranging from classic vanilla and chocolate to Yogurt Amarena, Milano Cookie and Coconut Covered Chocolate. The “Maestro Gelataio” updates the menu every week. You can take 1-pound and 2-pound containers for the car ride home!
5. See the sea lions at New York Aquarium
New York’s only aquarium is located directly on the boardwalk. The New York Aquarium has separate indoor buildings for sharks, jellyfish, lobsters, crabs, starfish and all types of sea creatures. There are outdoor water tanks where you’ll see sea lions, otters and penguins at play. Check the schedule for the live animal show in the amphitheater. You can also check out the touch tank, or learn about humans’ impact on the oceans through an environmental exhibit. Access to the 4D theater, where you can see one of the rotating, 15-minute shows, is included with admission.
6. Bring a blanket to the beach
There are 3 miles of sand along the Atlantic Ocean where you can set up your beach chair and umbrella along the shoreline. There is parking in the aquarium lot, or in parking lots around the area.
Check out the old Steeplechase Pier, Coney Island only’s remaining pier, and the remnants of the former Steeplechase Park. It now serves as a promenade where you’ll see people walking along and sometimes fishing.
7. Take a ride on Deno’s Wonder Wheel
The Wonder Wheel is the oldest continuously operating ride in NYC, since 1920. It stands 150 feet tall, and has 24 cars that go round and round on the Ferris wheel. It’s part of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, which has a carousel, kiddie roller coaster, arcade, bumper cars and train station more suitable to little kids.87.
8. Have a ball at MCU Stadium
The Brooklyn Cyclones – aptly named – play Minor League baseball in Coney Island this season from June 25 to September 6. They’ll actually play against the Jersey Shore Blue Claws this weekend. Some season highlights include Bark in the Park on July 7, everyone gets to run the bases on July 9, and a WWE Championship Title jersey promotion on July 17.
9. Explore curiosities & oddities
The Coney Island Circus Sideshow is still up and running on the weekends, the last permanently housed circus sideshow in the U.S. A combo of side shows, freak shows, string shows and ten-in-ones, it’s all about the bizarre and unique here. The family-friendly shows are held inside an air-conditioned theater for when you need a break from the heat. You’ll see sword swallowers, fire eaters, glass walkers aerial and variety artists.
The Coney Island Museum is all about nostalgia, with photos, paintings, books, amusement park objects and vintage signs dating back more than 100 years – it’s part history lesson, part curiosities and wonders. It’s the only accredited institution singularly dedicated to preserving the unique history of “the People’s Playground” – but it’s open only on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Freak Bar has vintage arcade games, a jukebox, and the infamous Tchotchke Wall, along with pop-up exhibitions by local artists and Coney Island’s mascot Sideshow Cat. Its hours depend on when the Sideshow is open.
There’s the Coney Island Pinball arcade, too, where games are only 50 cents each!
10. Check the events calendar
Coming in strong is the annual 4th of July tradition: The Hot Dog Eating Contest hosted by Nathan’s Famous. The world’s most competitive – and hungriest – eaters get 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs with buns as they can. Joey Chestnut has won a record 17th times, winning last year after eating 70.5 dogs and buns.
The Coney Island Film Festival, in May, was dubbed one of the coolest film fests in the world, according to MovieMaker Magazine. You can see a variety of movies in the animation, comedy, drama, documentary, experimental, feature, horror, music and sci-fi genres.
One of the biggest draws every June is the Mermaid Parade, which brings thousands of people from NY and around the world to march down the boardwalk in their best under-the-sea costumes. It’s considered to be the biggest arts parade in the country, and crowns King Neptune and Queen Mermaid every year.
The annual Polar Bear Plunge sends hundreds of swimmers into the frigid Atlantic Ocean on New Year’s Day, every year since 1903. Coney Island Polar Bear Club members swim weekly in the ocean all winter long.
11. See a show
The Coney Island Amphitheater, formerly known as the Ford Amphitheater, has a lineup of shows ranging from Foo Fighters to Wu-Tang Clan to Willie Nelson.
Coney Island is located along Surf Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. The beach is free, but parking is either on the streets or in neighboring parking lots.
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