Coney Island Vacations, Coney Island Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Coney Island Vacation Guide

Coney Island is located in the southern most area of Brooklyn, NY. It was a major resort and home of Astroland amusement park that reached its peak in the early 1900s. After the Civil War, C.I. became a resort and became home to public and private beaches. It became a great place for a getaway in the 20th c., especially during the heat of the summer for NYC citizens.

Between 1880 and WWII, Coney Island became the largest amusement area in the US and attracted several million visitors a year. The popularity of C.I. dropped after WWII, and after years of neglect, it became popular once again. One reason why is because of its minor league baseball team, the Cyclones. The team has a huge cult following that brings fans out to Coney Island during the summer months. Today, the park contains different rides and games ranging from skeeball, sideshows and its infamous Cyclone Roller Coaster.

In addition, each year the park is home to the Mermaid Parade, which takes place on Surf Avenue and the boardwalk every June. It is host to events like the Siren Music Festival.

Astroland, one of Coney Island's major amusement parks, and its neighboring privately owned parks, was rumored to close at the end of the 2007 season, thanks to a multi-million dollar purchase by developer Thor Equities. The developer plans to demolish much of the remaining downtown area of Coney Island in an attempt to restore the Brooklyn beachfront and build a $1.5 billion resort to be open year-round.