What is your go-to place for fun this summer in New York City? Some places in New York will forever be a source of amusement. So, if you are taking a vacation trip in the city and want to spend the day doing something fun, then several historic amusement parks in NYC can make your day.
In this post, we have curated a list of the best amusement parks in New York City, where you can experience the best time of your life with friends and family.
Luna Park In Coney Island
In the first place is the Luna Park in Coney Island, a recreated version of the old Luna Park, which was founded in 1903, and it even has some of the park’s rides and attractions. The older version had some of the most thrilling rides in the world. Now there are newer versions in this park as well.
For instance, children can ride the B&B Carousel, and adventure seekers can zoom down New York City’s most renowned and historical roller coaster, the Cyclone. The thunderbolt is still a part of the park. The Luna Park has everything from shops to rides to eateries and snack stands. The highlighting elements of the park include almost 30 rides in total, some for kids, which include a game arcade. Then there are some adventurous rides for adults who want to feel like carefree kids again. It is open seven days a week in the summer, and on Fridays, you may view the weekly fireworks display.
The standard entrance fee is $20, while the kids under seven and the senior citizens can get in for $12 and $16, respectively. The park is functioning between spring and fall every year.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel
The next park on our list is Deno’s Wonder Wheel, adjacent to Luna Park and in Brooklyn. The park opened in 1920 and gained attraction because of its amazing wonder wheel. It was a Ferris wheel like no other in that era. The 150 feet tall wheel had cabins attached, which both moved and remained at their places depending on the mode.
Steve and Dennis Vourderis own the place. Initially, it only had the wheel, but during the 1950s, other rides were added to the park. The park now has six rides for adults and sixteen rides for kids. There are three roller coasters, with the Phoenix roller coaster being the newest addition. This is the latest attraction among the locals and tourists in NYC. Other than these, a “haunted house ride” in the park is known as Spook-a-Rama and bumper cars.
The best part of the park is that there is no entrance fee; you only have to pay for the rides.
Victorian Gardens Amusement Park
The Victorian Gardens is the amusement park in Central Park, right in Manhattan. For people who live in the city’s hub and are looking to spend some quality fun time. They don’t have to travel much if they are visiting Victorian Gardens.
The park is for all age groups, featuring rides such as Rainbow Wheel, Jump Around, Family swing, Bigfoot, Aeromax, and Grand Prix. Other than the rides, the park has different private areas that you can reserve to host a gathering or any event, such as birthday parties, luncheons, etc. The management also helps the organizing parties with the catering like restaurants in the parks can provide the food and full course meals if you want to hire them.
The park stays open all seven days of the week; the ticket prices are lower on weekends, starting from $17. In contrast, if you want to visit the park on a weekday, the price will start from $19, a bit higher than the weekend rate.
Playland Park
If you are looking for some old-school carnival magic for kids with a bit of a long drive, Playland park is the best place to visit near NYC. The theme park, located at a distance of around 30 miles, is about 100 years old and now comes on the list of “National Historic Landmarks.” Art Deco heavily influences the park’s theme, making it stand out among other parks.
The Grand Carousel, installed in 1915, remains a popular attraction of the park. Next to it are the coasters for kids and other games as well. Apart from the kids’ area, there are numerous adult rides, such as adventurous coasters and an arcade. There is a boating area as well as a waterpark inside Playland Park. The park has weekly events, such as live shows, musicals, and fireworks in the summer.
Fantasy Forest Amusement Park
The Fantasy Forest Park is located in Queens, New York. The only family park that operates from April through early October is in the heart of the flushing meadow-corona park. The park is not as big as the others on this list, but it certainly has its charm. The park is famous for its carousel from the World Fair of 1964-65. Then there are other rides, such as “Corona Cobra Coaster,” a kids’ coaster and the only one in Queens, and the “Bouncy Baja Buggies.” There are games that kids can play with their guardians, such as “toss the ring,” “Hi-Striker,” “Basketball Shoot Out,” and “Rising Waters.” These are pretty classic games, but all available in a single place.
There is no entrance fee, and each ticket starts from $4.25. The option of a wristband for $27 is also available, which gives access to unlimited rides on non-holiday weekdays. Amenities like free parking, clean restrooms at a short distance, first aid, and special consideration for companions of kids who are differently enabled are free to ride on the rides with them.
These are the best amusement parks in NYC; we hope you have a great time in any of them.