Welcome to Coney Island, the only U.S. attraction with a hot dog named after it (probably).
Home to some of the most historic amusement parks in America, Coney Island is a delectable tourist destination overflowing with early twentieth century nostalgia. While it once was a true island, Coney Island is actually a peninsula pretending to be an island, located at the southern tip of one of New York’s most exciting boroughs — Brooklyn.
The park is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and remains open on weekends until the end of October. Unfortunately, the frigid winter months prevent the amusement parks from operating year-round.
On the bright side, visiting Coney Island in the off-season won’t even remotely resemble walking around your local enclosed amusement park, looking at shuttered rides while stress-eating cotton candy. Though it may experience its most notable bustle during the summer, Coney Island has much more to offer than just its amusement parks. It’s also a beach, a neighborhood, and randomly, the home of the world’s first polar bear club.
So before you cross a Coney Island visit off of your to-do list for this winter, let’s take a look at the six things that will make your off-season trip to Coney Island worthwhile. We’ve ranked them here from best to bestest.