Coney Island

I haven’t been to Coney Island in decades. I went there for a concert at the Amphitheater.
Once I got off the train I felt scared. It was way too seedy for my taste.
One thing I did enjoy was reminiscing about the good old days and watching the new generation of children’s excited faces as they waited their turn to ride.
I stopped for a funnel cake and the Mexican lady gypt’d me. I gave her $ 20. For a $ 7.00 funnel cake, which she charged me $ 9.00 cause «she thought I asked the guy for strawberries» and gave me back $ 1.00, So the scam it to have you concern with not asking for strawberries and not that you gave $ 20.00. When I saw what she did, I felt sorry for her, My thoughts were «she needs it» so I left it alone.
It’s not my type of place as an adult. Not even to go too the beach. Once you’ve traveled and see how beach water and surroundings should really look like, you cant go back to swim in the sewer.

Some of my fondest memories are deeply entrenched having grown up and spent many warm spring and hot summer days in Coney Island, days long gone that I shared with my grandparents, parents, siblings and cousins come from riding the rickety wooden Cyclone roller coaster that left us all with incredible headaches but it is something we happily endured and looked forward to everytime we visted here. As a matter of fact the last time I rode the Cyclone was with my dad who is no longer with me today but I never will forget that no matter how old you are we’re all a kid at heart, my dad looked forward to the Cyclone ride even at the age of 50. Definetly beautiful memories here.
The numerous summer fieldtrips, cotton candy, sandy beaches that were’nt the cleanest but was still pure fun in the sun for us. Who could ever forget the still standing and operational Wonder wheel & Polar Express ride that remain Coney Island amusement ride staples and have endured throughout all these years and the cheesy boardwalk games where you won those huge overstuffed animals and was the highlight of your summer.
You gotta love Coney island it’s a place that I’ve grown up with and now enjoy it for the Obscene scenes you can see here, the huge diversity of people from all backgrounds and cultures that gather here year after year to enjoy the Coney Island life with their friends and family. The half dressed and absurd parades. All good stuff!
I come here now because I’m a huge house head music lover and dancer, I love the new Coney Island Arts Wall where there is now all sorts of Food trucks and a dedicated section for House Music with tables and seats to sit and listen and plenty of space to get up and dance. This is my thing, I love watching the coney Island dancers and dancing with them. It’s a scene not to be missed, The music is fabulous, the vibe is free, fabulous and full of loving spirits coming together and dancing to your own beat of the drum.
* House Music All summer long every Sunday *
The Boardwalk has much to see and do, theres plenty of eats and drink in and around Coney Island but you just have to stop by at least once and get yourself A famous Nathans Hot Dog!
One of the best places to visit in NYC!

From the perspective of a theme park, I give it 4 stars. I had always wanted to ride the Cyclone, even as a child. Last summer I finally got to cross that item off the bucket list. Everything else is like a ²⁄₃ star rating. I never realized how all you had to do was hop on the train and you could be at the «beach» fairly quickly. The train itself was a little sketchy and some weird dude kept creeping me out, but I’m not basing my review off of the train ride.
The beach was like nothing I had ever witnessed before. It was nice because you could go out pretty far and just float around. The issues came when I saw a used tampon casing float past me. Then a few moments later a maxi pad. And finally a bandaid floating by. At that point I decided it was probably safer on the sand and not in the water. Unfortunately people trash this place and I just don’t know why. There are some sketchy people on the boardwalk, but I stay clear. This was during daylight hours, I’ve heard horror stories of night time here. It was nice enough, but I don’t know that I would get in the water again. I am a germaphobe and want to gag just sitting here thinking about what floated past me.
I would go and pay 9 bucks to ride the Cyclone again. The other rides really didn’t do much for me. They were okay, just no different from other theme parks. I’m kind of sad I didn’t have a Nathan’s hot dog, but I’m sure we’ll go back again. I didn’t hate Coney Island, I guess I just thought it would be more.

You don’t have to go on the rides at the amusement park to enjoy yourself at Coney Island. There’s the beach, the pier, and the awesome view along the boardwalk along the coast. it’s like the next best thing to the Santa Monica pier.
Other attractions include the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest on July 4^th, the Brooklyn Cyclones (A minor league), and that’s all that I can think of right now. Come accordingly and appropriately that is suitable for your crowd (aka don’t bring your kids here at 2AM).

Ich hatte mich so sehr auf coney Island gefreut. Musste an alte amerikanische Filme und mit denen verbunden Kulissen von coney Island denken. Eine Stunde mit der Subway sind wir von Manhattan nach Brooklyn gefahren. Im Endeffekt war ich wirklich sehr enttäuscht. Der Park war wohl vor vielen vielen Jahren/​Jahrzehnten der absolute Bringer. Die Betonung liegt auf WAR! Die Fahrgeschäfte sind einfach in der Zeit stehen geblieben, der ganze Park runtergekommen. Und es versprüht auch keinen Charme aus vergangen Tagen– nein es ist einfach runtergekommen. Zudem kommt hinzu das nicht mal alle «Buden» offen hatten. Man sieht fast nur Einheimische die das Gebiet in der Hand haben. Einer dieser hat uns in der Bahn schon freundlich darauf hingewiesen das man sich als Tourist zu späterer Stunde besser auf den Heimweg machen sollte, da dieses Gebiet von Drogen und Kriminalität geprägt sei und man als nicht– einheimischer hier nicht sicher wäre. Die Fahrgeschäfte sind außerdem nicht gerade günstig. Jede Attraktion kostet Geld, und auch wenn man den New York Pass hat hat man lange nicht alles frei. Die Fahrt mit dem Kettenkarussell dauerte Ca 15 Sekunden. Dann war es vorbei! Und so ist es mit jeder Attraktion… Der Strand war ganz süß und die Fressbuden ebenso. Dennoch kommt hier nicht wirklich Wohlfühlstimmung auf. Die Toiletten am Strand stinken, sind alt und stark verschmutzt.
Wer hier einen gemütlichen Tag auf dem Rummel erwartet liegt hier falsch. Ich empfand den Trip fast schon als Zeitverschwendung obwohl ich mich so sehr darauf freute.

I went in the winter so there weren’t a lot of people but it was still a lot of funn! We went on the wheeling ferris wheel, went to an amazing sideshow by the seashore and enjoyed a coney dog!
It’s fun to just walk around and see what is on the boardwalk.

I am biased writing this review, as I’ve always wanted to go to Coney Island.
It did not fall short. Sure, it does not have the cleanest beach or the nicest view… but it’s Coney Island!!!
I went looking for the teacup ride (from Uptown Girls) in the amusement rides, but found out it had been removed. It was quite a sad moment.
The Ferris Wheel was pretty sick though. Loved being on top of the wheel and seeing everything.

UPDATE: When I got home on the news they stated someone had been shot in the leg
Coney Island the home of the Infamous Cyclone and Luna Park. Where legends have been made and where all walks of life have enjoyed their times with their families many years…
Plenty rides have been redone and plenty of cosmetic improvents especially after Hurricane Sandy back on Oct 29, 2012. UNFORTUNATELY, you still have the same rug rats and lowlives that have nothing better to do but swarm the area with their attitudes and nonsense. No more than arriving after several pics that I took and as we were waiting on line at the booth in Luna Park to pay did we notice a herd of people running as if something bad was taking place. I quickly turned grabbed my kiddies and family and made a improntu exit while fearing the worst was yet to happen. Thank Goodness we got to the car unharmed and wasted no time in driving away…
So this place that I hold dear memories of from my childhood and was hoping to make new ones with my kids has left me with a sour taste and disgusted feeling. If you go you may want to consider bracing yourself for a nightmare of possibilities…

The best part about coney island is that it offers plenty of «non-​beach stuff» to enjoy beyond the sand. Most importantly, we conquered the cyclone, and in true xo music video style, we yelled «beyon-​saaaayyy» at every drop. Good times. $ 9 to ride. A few other coasters at the park, too.
You can also «bump bump bump your ass off» at the bumper cars, get some solid ice cream, and try a hot dog at Nathans. I went with the pepper and onion dog, which was on point. Good choice. The boardwalk has a couple bands and djs playing, surrounded by crowds having a dance party and getting down.
On the beach and boardwalk, they are fairly lax about alcohol — we bought a six pack and were pouring them into ice cups right on the beach with no hassle, and we were certainly not alone.
If you plan on driving, expect parking to be a massive ordeal and take a load of time.

Located in the far Southern reaches of Brooklyn, Coney Island is a fun way to spend the better part of a day. There are two separate amusement parks, including the famed Luna Park. Personally, I feel that the ride tickets are insanely overpriced (even by New York standards), so I’d say choose wisely as to what you want to ride or the money will add up quickly. I did notice they give NYC public school students with good grades either free rides or heavily discounted rides-​kudos to them for providing that reward! Of note, the Wonder Wheel famed ferris wheel and the Cyclone, the also-​famed roller coaster built in the 1920s. There’s also a carousel, bumper cars, and two separate haunted house attractions, in addition to the abundance of typical carnival-​type games.
My personal favorite part of Coney Island is the boardwalk and the beach. The beach is admission-​free so it will get crowded. My friend and I were still easily able to scout out a clear spot to lay down our towels even on a hot summer day. Keep in mind there is very little shade on the beach so either wear thick sunscreen or resign to the fact you will look like a lobster (as I did) by the end of the day. On the boardwalk, there are quite a few places to eat and drink, although, as expected, they get insanely crowded. It was quite difficult to get a table just to have a drink. Many people eat along the boardwalk, and of course Nathan’s famous hot dogs is there, but I suggest going down a little further. My friend and I found a really great little Caribbean restaurant (although the name escapes me) that we enjoyed. Don’t forget to take in the view from the piers too! I got some really nice photos of the «Coney Island skyline».
Some other notes: the New York Aquarium is also here, so if you have time that makes a great way to break up a beach day. Also, while you can get here via transit, I’d recommend driving if you’re able to do so. Parking can be tight but it wasn’t impossible and the drive is much quicker than the subway.

I mean, it’s a free beach, how can you hate it! But maybe my review will be for all of my fellow outgoing introverts out there… yes, that’s a thing.
Because, you actually can hate it… when it’s the weekend in July & it’s a perfect 80 degrees & you’re waiting in line to use a toilet for 45 minutes because a screaming child’s mother is changing them in the stall even though there are 14 signs telling them not to.
Also, most of the quality food & drinks will be overpriced, but welcome to tourism!
On a weekday or weeknight when it’s a little less hectic, it will definitely fulfill your beach needs. For a less touristy experience, definitely try Brighton Beach or even the outskirts of Long Beach in LI. :)

Don’t go to Coney Island in the winter is the lesson of the day. Everything was closed and the ghost town feeling was definitely in the air. Took almost an hour on the train from Manhattan and I wish that I could get my hour back. Kind of shady environment in that «hold your purse close to you» way.

The rides are dope and I like this place exept its a bit gangsta! a lot of gangbangers are selling nutcrackers and other things and its not that I care but I feel bad when mad chidren are around watching this. Then I care! … Bottom line, its a great place but the neighborhood is shady so be weary where you park! enjoy luna park and have fun!

It’s the Coney Island I remember only with some newer rides and the like. We watched the Polar Bear Plunge this year, and I still can’t believe how many people do that, it’s crazy. Most places were closed as it was winter but Nathans was open. Will go back in summer, maybe will catch the hotdog eating championship?
They did have free WiFi but it was pretty slow.

Nice for a curious wander around, Coney Island. But the area surrounding all the rides, amusements etc made me feel unsafe.
We got to go on the Cyclone, which was bone shakingly fun.
But an impending downpour meant we had to abandon a visit to the beach. So really this review is about the coaster and the amusements, of which the former was the only thing we paid to experience.
Perhaps I’ll be back another day to get a better chance to experience it all. And update this review.

I was somewhat disappointed when I finally made it to this historic attraction. Everything I had heard and saw on TV made it seem so much bigger and grander than it was. Basically, it was about a two mile stretch consisting of a beach, a boardwalk and an amusement park. I feel like somewhat of a grinch for not giving this landmark a higher rating, but I didn’t really feel the magic.
It’s very easy to get here if you’re looking for a day trip. It was a long subway ride to Brooklyn (about 50 minutes taking the N or the Q trains from Times Square), but once you step off the train, the boardwalk is almost literally a block away. We did come during off season so maybe that had something to do with it not being as exciting as I had hoped. We did not ride any of the roller coaster rides, however, I did marvel at them and how antique they seemed (and they are) compared to roller coasters at larger amusement parks. There’s a charming and beautiful carousel off the boardwalk. The long piers offer nice views of the Atlantic ocean, the beach and all of Coney Island. Quite a few eateries line the boardwalk offering hot dogs, ice cream and such. Pets are allowed on the boardwalk, but not on the beach during the season (they are allowed on the beach only during off season).
Coney Island existed in its full glory in a bygone era. What there is today is a sad remnant. I would still encourage you to see it once though if you can.

It’s filthy and it’s nothing like the Atlantic City Boardwalk (circa 2012).
If you go to either end of the boardwalk, it is nice in that it’s quite and windy and a great spot for reflection/​jogging. But for entertainment, the boardwalk is pretty stale. Other than the Cyclone, the Aquarium, a couple of bars, way too many carnival games, there’s not much there. If you’re looking for fried oreos, then maybe this is your go-​to spot. But unfortunately, it’s no longer really an amusement park.
PS. The beach sucks and is full of glass.

A really fun place to spend the day! My visit was before Hurricane Sandy so I’m not sure the places in my photos are still there. I always enjoyed hanging around getting my pictures of the pier and beach too.
The amusement park is historic. I must admit i would not want to live in this neighborhood. You need to be a true blue beach person. The people traffic in the summer must get hectic.
The place is kept clean, people are friendly and I love the architecture.
I don’t go when it is too warm. I didn’t find many trees to sit under. There were plenty of benches to relax.
If you haven’t been, you should go at least one time. I’m sure they have replaced the wooden boardwalk by now.
Feel free to let me know if I get any information wrong!

This place has an awesome boardwalk. We first took a brief stroll around and did a geocache. Then we went for lunch at the main Nathans. I wish all Nathan’s had the same menu as this one, tons of non-​hotdog options.
We then went to one of the two amusement parks. My wife and daughter got the unlimited 4 hour pass.

How did I forget to review Coney Island?! Well I forgot that you can review everything under the stars on Unilocal.I will sum my experience up as. um, unqiue.
We started our visit off right with a trip to the original Nathan’s Famous!
Rode the Cyclone and the Tickler. On the way up for the first drop, my friend asked Boyfriend was he ready, we got a «I don’t like rollercoasters.» I am pretty sure this ride jumped off of the wooden tracks on the way down.
On the Tickler I felt like I as about to fly off the side of the ride but I didn’t since I am now writing this review.
Downsides:
–rides are expensive, $ 40 got us 5 rides and 2 games
–certain rides do not take cash, you have to get a pass
–a LONG subway ride back to the city.
Coney Island, I recommend that you visit at least once if you are in NY.

This is the place where I was raised for most of my life. I love Coney Island to a certain degree. This is the place where most of my fun moments were made and memories were cherished. I still frequent it a lot because I have several family members that live here.
Coney Island is the home to the original Nathan’s frankfurter… one of my favorite spots. Oh the memories at the amusement park and it still has the same layout only it has been revitalized and looks much better. There are several new amusement park attractions.
There are tons of new businesses and restaurants here which was truly needed in this neighborhood. Piece of Velvet, Applebee’s, It’s Sugar are a few of the businesses here.
I absolutely love to walk on the boardwalk or just sit on the bench and do a little people-​watching lol. Coney Island will always be a part of me.

Getting here with the subway is easy but takes like 40 minutes from the Brooklyn Bridge.
I must say I wasn’t wowed by Coney Island. It looks cool in the old fashioned way though.
When you go here be prepared to spend money and to loose money. People in the stands are all about hustling and getting your money. I was shocked how dishonest people can be. And I was fooled «Come and play for free» they said to me — then showing a sign with how much a game is. «Now try one more time» and all of a sudden they get hostile and show completely different signs of the prices. $ 20 for a game. Never listen when they promise you a free game for fun.
Try the Freak Bar and have a cool labelled Coney Island beer.
It would have been cool if the music had been accordingly — more like old time circus music, but t is more of a nightclub and super loud. And there are people everywhere in the summer. Beach is crowded and maybe not the beach I would go to.
Maybe you appreciate it more if you ride the attractions — which we didn’t.

How can you not love Coney Island?
Oh. Maybe it’s because it’s grimy, crowded, trashy (in many ways), occasionally dangerous, tacky, expensive and cheap, all at the same time.
But it’s also the Freak Show… both the one you buy a ticket for, and the free one available on the boardwalk and the beach. It’s the Cyclone, and the Cyclones. It’s sunshine, sand, and sea. It’s families camped out in tents on the beach. It’s alive. It’s a little strip of nature, barely keeping itself from being overrun by the city. It’s the Wonder Wheel. It’s Totonno’s. It’s the guitarist on the boardwalk with WAY too many birds. It’s Brooklyn.
It’s a constant tale of rising and falling, moving up and down faster than the Thunderbolt. It’s the beach off the F Train. It’s the Aquarium, and The Warriors. It’s Ruby’s. It’s people pretending like whatever they are wearing is adequately covering their body. It’s Smorgasburg (as of recently). It’s the Hot Dog Eating Contest. It’s melted ice cream and chili cheese fries. It’s warm beer, and fat men passed out in the sun. It’s fishing from the pier, and the Mermaid Parade. It’s history; our own, and Brooklyn’s.

I now live right in the area, so I have the ability to come here pretty frequently. Is it somewhat grimy and yucky? Yeah, I guess I can see that. but not to the extent that some people are saying. It’s not a bad way to spend a day or walk around for a bit!
My boyfriend and I frequent the boardwalk when we want to get out for a short period of time at night. I personally love seeing the lights from the shops and rides as we walk and watching people scream their heads off on the rides. Coney Island offers a lot of food stand choices which usually specialize in the typical «boardwalk fare» of hot dogs, burgers, chicken, ice cream, popcorn, cotton candy, beer, soda, etc. There is sometimes entertainment, some kind of music playing on the boardwalk. I’ve spent a day doing Luna Park and the rides and I honestly had a great time, there are enough rides that it took us all day to explore. There are different levels of intensity for everyone, and I loved being on the historic and famous Wonder Wheel. Coney Island is home to the famous Mermaid Parade which I did for the first time this year and it was GREAT, so many people and so entertaining. Anyone can sign up and walk in the parade. There is a Coney Island freak show and freak bar which are pretty cool. I love going here on Monday nights because they show movies on the beach instead of movies in the park! It’s completely free and it’s great to set our a blanket, bring some snacks, and enjoy the show. I will however say, that all times I’ve watched a movie here, some people really have no etiquette and social awareness and their need to scream, yell, and bring attention to themselves can really ruin the film. best to sit closer to the front! There are also some shops that sell t-​shirts and souvenirs. It’s definitely not the place it was in it’s hey-​day, but I really like it.
A little bit of seaside life and fun for people living in New York City.

Baden in NYC. Also wenn man einen längeren Urlaub in New York macht ist im Sommer ein Ausflug nach Coney Island keine schlechte Sache. Man kann schon recht gut baden gehen und der Strand ist auch schön.
Allerdings sind die Fahrgeschäfte jetzt nicht wirklich der Bringer uns IMHO mehr Dekor als Grund dahin zu machen (vielleicht mit den kleinen noch spaßig ;-))
Die Läden auf dem Boulevard sind ok aber schon recht teuer und teilweise wird auch nicht das beste Essen oder Getränke gemacht.
Tipp: im heißen Sommer unbedingt an einen Schattenspender denken und die Schwimmsachen vorher anziehen. Richtige Umkleidekabinen außer die öffentlichen Toiletten habe ich nicht gesehen. Und die sind immer ziemlich nass.

«Everybody plays the fool. There’s no exception to the rule.»
They got me. I’m not from New York. My concept of Coney Island was implanted by the good folks in Hollywood who featured it in dozens of movies. Every time, it looked like a nice clean place to visit with the family. I thought of it as Brooklyn’s Disneyland.
Then I got there last Sunday.
If this was really Brooklyn’s version of Disneyland, then their mascot would have to be hepatitis. This has to be the dirtiest place in New York. I found used condoms in places that ethically and logistically baffle the mind. The beach looked like the living embodiment of everything Captain Planet warned us about at the end of every episode back in the day.
The rides were overpriced. Seven dollars per person for bumper cars? The food wasn’t good (sorry, Nathan’s), and there was a street that was literally lined end to end with trashbags piled four feet high. My daughter begged to leave after twenty minutes. She didn’t want to ride anything, eat anything, or look at anything.

It’s an experience! With so much history, I definitely think it’s worth the trip. I kind of expected a very run-​down almost ghost-​town type place, but this was definitely NOT the case. As soon as you get off the subway (about 1 hour from Manhattan), you feel the energy. People are excited because they’re going to the beach, the boardwalk, amusement park, junk food. What’s there not to love?
I stopped by the famous original Nathan’s hotdog restaurant before walking to the pier and along the boardwalk. There were a few amusement parks, and I ended up going on the Cyclone wooden coaster, which is awesome btw.
The beach itself is OK. Way too crowded on the weekend…

Yuck yuck yuck! Now I know why I haven’t been here in 15 years! But I figured Brooklyn is changing, maybe Coney Island is also, I also heard that they have bars on the boardwalk now, so one night we decided to take a ride out there, found a parking lot $ 25 and walked over, all I kept thinking is why am I here, while holding tight to my purse, and never taking out my iPhone. I seen that they now have smorsburg, which was very smell, nice graffiti work on the walls though… attempted to get Nathan’s, the lines were ridiculously long, so walked to the one on the boardwalk, while walking you see thugs, Drug addicts, the lowest of the low, it actually shocked me that families were there with small children. Basically never again!!! Maybe I will try in another 15 years to see if the environment has changed.

I come here every year. And it never changes! I love it. The vibe, the food, the people.
Coney Island will always be a staple spot to chill and watch fireworks, movies on the beach, and just to watch the beautiful scenes.
The vibes from the people are amazing. Everyone comes out with their families just to celebrate. You can take your children on rides (which are really expensive). The food is expensive too, $ 5 for a hot dog $ 6 for a beer. That is very pricey.
BUT SO WHAT! Its always a party on Coney Island ! Love it.

Excelente lugar que me perdí la primera vez, pero que pude conocer en mi segunda visita a la Gran Manzana.
Hermoso parque de diversiones a orillas del océano, gran lugar para tomar un café o una cerveza mirando al atardecer.
Los juegos son buenísimos, muy pintorescos, como sacados de una película.
Desde Manhattan se llega en más o menos una hora de metro

Luna Park et Coney Island … C’est plus que mythique !
A une petite heure de métro du centre de Mahattan, on tombe sur un vrai bord de mer qui semble tout droit sorti des 60’s californiennes ! Musique, parc d’attraction qui a l’air pas loin de s’effondrer, un bord de plage hyper agréable …
Le conseil du jour: préparez vous psychologiquement à vous bruler les pieds sur le sable. A force, je le sais, et à chaque fois je traverse l’immense plage en gueulant jusqu’à l’eau: le sable est hyper hyper chaud. Enfin comme une plage, quoi. :)
Le bon plan c’est les bars qui bordent la plage; notemment un qui sert des Frozen Margaritas et (attention le bonheur est à son comble) des VIRGIN FROZEN PINA COLADA … Joie supreme.
Faites un tour à la fête forraine, c’est obligatoire :) Et surtout testez la grande roué qui a des cabines fixes et d’autres qui sont mobiles et bougent sur un rail secondaire … Sensations fortes pour sur, et jolie vue !
A faire également: un tour par le restaurant Nathan’s qui organise le concours du plus gros mangeur de hot dogs tous les ans !

C’est un lieu incontournable a faire seul mais surtout en famille. A 45 mn de train de Manhattan superbement desservie, la plage est au bout de la rue. Mais surtout il y a les attractions foraines formidables… Historiques pour certaines. Il faut éviter le week end car tous les new yorkais s’y rendent en masse des qu’il fait chaud.
En revanche, l’endroit est vraiment bien sécurisé même la nuit.
Je recommande ce lieu pour la famille et les jeunes enfants afin de prendre un bol d’air frais en dehors des buildings.

Aunque no tengas muchos días para conocer NYC, y eres un explorador curioso y no un turista standar, me permito recomendar el parque de diversiones de Coney Island en el bello barrio de Brooklyn. Te sientes transportado a los bellos incios del siglo XX, con unas atracciones magníficas donde puedes pasar un gran día con niños, pasear por la playa, y si tiene suerte poder visitar un espectaculo de burlesque. No olvides The Cyclone, la montaña rusa de madera que enmarca este hermoso lugar. Y si a eso le sumas la carga sicoanalítica con la que fue creado el parque y un Dreamland que nunca fue, pues tienes una experiencia genial. ;)

Coney Island lässt sich von Manhattan bequem mit der subway erreichen (Linien D, F, N, Q). Die Fahrt dauert je nachdem, wo man in Manhattan startet ca. 1 Stunde, ist aber sehr interessant, da ab Brooklyn die subway fast ausschliesslich überirdisch fährt und es viel zu sehen gibt.
Der Ausgang der subway station liegt direkt an der Stillwell Ave auf der man nach ca. 300 Metern die Strandpromenade erreicht.
Auf dem Weg dorthin kommt man auch bei Nathan’s, bekannt für seine Hotdogs vorbei, wo jedes Jahr am 4. Juli ein Hotdogessen stattfindet.
Auf dem Boardwalk befindet sich ein Haus mit sanitären Anlagen und vielen Imbissbuden. Natürlich sind dort auch die vielen Fahrgeschäfte und die bekannte Achterbahn — den Cyclone. Es wirkt schon alles etwas veraltet, leider auch teilweise etwas runtergekommen. Dennoch kann man den Charme vergangener Tage erahnen und auch diese leichte Schmuddeligkeit versprüht ein besonderes Flair.
Wir waren jeweils nur im Frühling und im Herbst da, also nicht zur Hochsaison, die im Sommer stattfindet. Wenn alles belebter und alles offen ist, wirkt das ganze sicherlich auch besser.
Der Strand ist auf jeden Fall toll und gross und an einem schwülen Sommertag bestimmt eine gute alternative zu Manhattan, wo unter Umständen kein Luftzug geht.
Hinfahren, ganz gleich zu welcher Jahreszeit, kann ich auf jeden Fall empfehlen, denn wie gesagt, die Fahrt dorthin hat auch was.

Ce lieu est juste mythique, beaucoup de films & clips vidéos (Requiem for a dream, The Heavy.) sont tournés à Coney island, qui malgré son nom n’est pas une île.
Une longue plage, un grand parc d’attraction, des jetées, le tout au sud de Brooklyn, c’est plutôt agréable et très fréquenté par les cainrys. par contre le trajet en métro depuis Manhattan ou Williamsburg est plutôt long (1h), les quartiers traversés plutôt pauvres.

hier habe ich noch einen angefangen Beitrag zu Coney Island rumliegen. Im April, als ich nach einem Besuch bei Nathan’s (
) auf dem boardwalk entlang schlenderte, Luft 19, Wasser 14 Grad Celsius, mit Blick auf den Parachute Jump,
(Seit Juli 1977 ist der Turm eines der offiziellen Wahrzeichen New Yorks und steht seit 1989 unter Denkmalschutz.)
war ich nicht gerade die Idee gekommen ins Wasser zu gehen.
Photo link:
Coney Island $ boardwalk
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Coney Island $ Parachute Jump $ Fallschirmsprungturm Vorsorglich hatte jedoch die baywatch, damit man auch einen Verrückten verhaften könnte, alle paar hundert Meter rote Flaggen in den Sand gerammt. So war nach den aller Orts angeschlagenen Baderegeln, das Baden bei Strafe verboten.
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Coney Island $ Baden verboten Heute bei diesen sommerlichen Temperaturen, kommen mir meine Badeerlebnisse in den USA vor einigen Jahren wieder in den Sinn, wenn ich die Fotos von Coney Island sehe. Am Strand oder im Schwimmbad tragen Männer Boxershorts oder ein noch etwas größeres Hosenkaliber. Normale Badehosen, bei Männern sind zwar nicht verboten, erregen aber Aufsehen, etwa wie bei uns ein String-​Tanga.
Frauen sind bei Badeanzügen und Bikinis nicht so eingeschränkt, aber oben ohne Baden ist bei Zahlung einer Geldstrafe verboten. Ein Kleinkind ohne Badekleidung herumlaufen zu lassen, kann teuer werden. Es gibt keine Ausnahmen vom Nacktbadeverbot! Zum Umkleiden muss man unbedingt die bereitgestellten Kabinen benutzen. Die Badehose unter dem Handtuch zu wechseln kann schnell mal 50 $ kosten. Kinderpornographie wird in den USA strengstens verfolgt und geahndet. Schon möglicherweise geringe Verdachtsmomente werden von einer wachsamen Bevölkerung an die zuständigen Stellen weitergeleitet. Deshalb sollte das Fotografieren nicht vollständig bekleideter Kinder (auch der eigenen) unterlassen werden! Die Grenzen zwischen harmlosen Familienfotos und strafbaren pornographischen Fotos verlaufen in den Augen der Ermittlungsbeamten fließend.
Eine Anzeige kann langwierige Ermittlungsverfahren, im schlimmsten Fall sogar Gefängnisstrafen nach sich ziehen. In diesem Sinne, viel Spass beim Baden im very old Europe!

C’est chouette d’être a la mégapole et a la plage. C’est un aspect de NYC que l’on oublie parfois quand on vie en France. Un plage pas trop bondée avec tout ce qu’on attend d’une plage

Mein Vorgänger hat es schon wunderbar beschrieben. Wir waren recht früh morgens schon dort (Zeitumstellung :-) was total schön war, war die Menschen wach werden zu sehen.

Auch wenn der Lack ab ist, so hat diese Gegend doch unglaublich viel Charme. Die Fahrgeschäfte sind veraltet, locken eigentlich noch nicht mal mehr unerfahrene 6-​Jährige, die Hot-​Dogs von Nathans sind nicht der Bringer –nacktes Brötchen, nackte Wurst und Senf/​Ketchup in Selbstbedienung) und leider viel zu teuer (essen MUSS man trotzdem wenigstens einen) und die Fahrt hier heraus ziemlich lang. trotzdem schön, denn nach dem Trubel in Manhatten ist man wie in einer anderen Welt. Auch im Sommer ist der Strand nicht voll. Touristen kommen nicht zum Sonnenbaden nach NY und die New Yorker arbeiten unter der Woche. Außerdem ist der Strand breit genug, dass jeder sein Plätzchen darauf findet.

Une plage immense, une promenade le long de la plage, un parc d’attraction à faire le soir essentiellement, voilà de quoi passer une bonne journée en dehors de Manhattan. Facile d’accès par le métro ligne N, compter ¾ d’heure à partir de Times square.

Wer mehr als eine Woche in NYC verbringt, dem dürfte Manhattan evtl. schon zu klein werden. Nicht nur für Fans des Films The Warriors ist ein Abstecher nach Coney Island da durchaus eine willkommene Abwechslung. Die Gegend hat sicherlich ihre besten Tagen hinter sich, aber gerade der dadurch entstandene spröde Charme bietet seinen ganz eigenen Reiz. Wenn die dog days des Sommers vorüber sind, hat man den breiten Strand unter der Woche manchmal ganz für sich und lange Spaziergänge. Der Vergnügungs-​Park und die anderen Attraktionen wie Bumper Cars und Schießstände erinnern an eine Kirmes der 50er, 60er oder dergleichen und versprühen eben jenen Charme des leicht gammeligen, abgeranzten Teils, der vor etlichen Jahren mal modern war und als nonplusultra der Freizeitgestaltung gegolten haben könnte. So ganz will man das beim heutigen Zustand ja nicht glauben. Das Highlight des Jahres bleibt in Coney Island der Hot-​Dog-​Eating-​Contest am vierten Juli, bei dem regelmäßig ein schmaler — aber muskulöser — Japaner 300-​Kilo-​Kolosse in Grund und Boden (fr)isst!
Hot Dogs bekommt man beim legendären Nathan’s natürlich auch an anderen Tagen, obwohl man für die Würste nicht wirklich nach Brooklyn juckeln muss. Zum einen sind die Dinger nicht so der Bringer und zudem dauert die Fahrt mit den Linien D, Q, N oder F bis zur Endhaltestelle Stilwell Ave gut und gerne 50 Minuten. Auch wenn man zu den eher abenteuerlustigen Urlaubern gehört, sollte man doch mit Anbruch der Dunkelheit wieder im Zug zurück nach Manhattan sitzen. Direkt hinter dem Vergnügungspark gibt es mit den Housing Projects für sozial Schwächere (wer will: Ghetto) eine Gegend, die bestimmt nicht zu den Sichersten der Stadt gehört.