Things to Do in Coney Island (Year-Round)
Coney Island lives on even when the summer is long gone — here are some things to do at this whimsical New York City coastal town this fall!
Just a Short Ride on The Q Train
Coney Island is a beach and amusement park destination that’s located on the very edge of Brooklyn. This magical place should make every New Yorker or tourist’s bucket list, and it was certainly near the top of mine. Realizing that the leaves were already beginning to turn, I decided to explore this amazing attraction in the beautiful fall weather.
I grabbed my guy, hopped on the Q train, took it all the way to the end of the line. There I was completely immersed in what felt like a universe apart from New York City.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog’s
The one thing I heard over and over again from friends when telling them that I was planning my trip to Coney Island was, “You have to go to Nathan’s Hot Dogs!” And go, I did.
After finally trying this iconic New York delicacy, I have to say that I was pretty blown away by these puppies! We ordered a couple of hot dogs and a delicious side of super-thick and crispy fries (which came with a mini fork to eat it with!), and chowed down on one of the greatest versions of this classic American dish we’d ever had.
This specific location on Coney Island is home to the original Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, which has been kicking for 99 years since Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker opened a nickle hot dog stand in 1916. The rest is history — the stand now serves over 435 million hot dogs a year and hosts the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest every Fourth of July. Where can I sign up?
The New York City Aquarium
Yes people, there is an aquarium in New York City. And yes, there are sharks. To walk off our lunch, we made our way over to the New York Aquarium and paid $11.95 each for access to an underwater world with tons of exotic fish, walruses, sea otters, penguins, and loads of other sea creatures.
This place has daily walrus and otter feedings, Seal Shows, and a 4D Theatre experience — but I must warn you that many of these highlights are closed or undergoing construction, as the aquarium is currently rebuilding and recovering from the effects of Hurricane Sandy. The entire aquarium took us only about 30 minutes to go through from start to finish, and many of the exhibits were closed, but it’s never a disappointment to get a close look at underwater creatures.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel
Although most of the amusements parks on Coney Island close after Labor Day, you can still get access on Saturdays and Sunday — or if you’re lucky like us, and happen to come on a school holiday when the Pope is in town!
I felt like I was walking onto a set from an old movie, entering the world of the amusement park and gazing up at Deno’s Wonder Wheel. This attraction has been operating since Memorial Day, 1920. For a total of $14.00, we got two tickets to ride to the top of the ferris wheel. A gorgeous view of Coney Island and the Atlantic coast greeted us when we reached the top at 150 feet in the air. If you’re in the mood for a little classic romance, I have to say that it doesn’t get much better than this.
Rita’s Italian Ice and Custard
Yup — there’s always time in the day for ice cream, especially when you’re on the boardwalk on the ocean with your guy. I did my research to scope out the best place for frozen custard around, and kept coming across Rita’s Italian Ice. This Philadelphian dessert comes in all kind of crazy flavors like Swedish Fish, Sour Patch, and Cheesecake, along with some more classic custard treats. We grabbed a chocolate-vanila twist, kicked off our shoes, and strolled our way on over to the beach after a charming, fun-filled autumn day.
Ice Cream and Long Walks on the Beach
With an ice cream cone in one hand, sitting on the beach was the perfect cherry on top of a wonderful day at Coney Island. I am so glad that I finally got to check this one off my New York City bucket list, and got to see all of the sites that this magical coastal destination has to offer.
