Coney Island Beach and Boardwalk

Not a great beach to swim at because of the way everyone trashes the beach but the boardwalk is the best.
I saw great bands at the old Cha Cha's and always love watching the pop and lock crowd dancing to impromptu DJs at the end of the day on a weekend.
One of the best shows of my life was when Sick of It All played during a Warrior's movie convention and I was surrounded by fans wearing all the Warriors vests singing along while the amusement park and Wonder Wheel lit up the night around us. It was also the only time in my life the men's room line was longer than the women's. At least when I sang my usual "Gotta gotta gotta go", everyone got my Agnostic Front reference :p

SOIA: https://youtu.be/67m-VvAzF5M

It's almost timeless! It's the perfect place for a cooldown in a heatwave in summer, my Wife was the first person who took me here even though I've been to the amusement park with my family in times past but not the beach! It's the ultimate couple with child free destination and if your pockets are ok you can also pick up a few good bites and drinks!

One of my favorite place outside the city, preety quit most of the time. Lots of fun activities & food places . Love the seafood restaurants! One of the great thing about this place is that Very rarely I have seen this beach dirty.

Lots of people I see come to fish here. They look like they having a blast. If you wanna find a quit place to just relax, eat , this is one the places !

Btw, they also have some yummy seafood you definitely need to try !

I visited Coney Island for the first time this past March while Luna Park was closed. It's a roughly hour-long ride by train from Manhattan, and I wanted to explore somewhere new with my fur nephew cavapoo. We came the day before Luna Park was to open for the spring season, and enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon walking along the boardwalk and taking in the blue skies and the ocean. One of my NY local friends told me I'll probably disappointed by Coney Island coming from California, since they called Coney Island "the New Yorker's idea of what a beach is like" and that the rides feel janky. For me, I was just excited to explore a new spot in New York and check out Coney Island for myself for the very first time. My cavapoo puppy nephew had a blast here too!

I am not a fan of amusement parks as roller coasters and rides make me dizzy and cause me physical discomfort, so I wasn't particularly interested in Coney Island. However, my husband was interested in checking it out as Coney Island is a well-known attraction, so we went after our visit to Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Because it was mid-week and just before their busy season, the amusement park wasn't overly crowded, which is not a bad thing, but it looked a little depressing. As mentioned, I don't like amusement park rides, but my husband convinced me to go on the ferris wheel, which was alright, as we were in a cage, and we chose one of the cars that did not swing. But at $10 a ticket, we went on once and then took a walk around the amusement park and then headed towards the boardwalk.

During our entire nearly-three week trip, the weather was unbearably hot. However, the day we went to Coney Island, June 1, it was quite cold and windy, making the stroll along the boardwalk a little uncomfortable. We went into a bar for drinks and relief from the cold, and then my husband had a hotdog at Nathan's, which is apparently a very well-known hotdog stand (I had never heard of it). I didn't have a hotdog because I hate hotdogs and I was still stuffed from that Rueben sandwich at Yellow Magnolia Cafe at the botanic garden.

If you like amusement parks, then Coney Island may be worth visiting, otherwise there really isn't much to see, and it quite a long subway ride from everything. I did find the seagulls interesting, however, as they looked and sounded quite different from the seagulls here in Vancouver. Apparently the seagulls we observed on the boardwalk are called "laughing gulls".

[Yelp collections: East Coast 2022; NY Summer 2022]

Not sure how I haven't reviewed before....

This boardwalk is centrally located within the aquarium, the beach and Luna Park.

You can easily make a day out of it with so many things to do depending on someone's preference.

There's also tons of places to eat and shop alongside the boardwalk.

The boardwalk is also very clean, which surprised me.

While vacationing in NYC, we decided to plan a day at the iconic Coney Island, New York Aquarium and Brighton Beach. We took the Q train subway ride about an hour from Manhattan to the end of the southwest section of Brooklyn. We were there during the week in the off season so no amusement rides operating but several food concessions were open. The wide boardwalk and the view of the ocean, make it a great place to stroll. We continued the walk to Brighton Beach. It was a nice day.

We spent a couple of hours enjoying the boardwalk this past weekend, while we were visiting the NYC area attractions. It was very easy to find street parking, and there is also parking garages as well. We decided to park on the street, because we just wanted to grab some local food and enjoy the beach.

It was not very crowded on either the boardwalk or the beach, which was great for travelers. There were a few street vendors along the boardwalk, so if you want to get a snack it's available. The fall weather was great for us, and I'm sure that it'll be getting cooler very soon.

I literally went there only to ride the coaster. We came from the Aquarium next door, and we were going to get food at L&B Spumoni after, so it was just a quick stop.

But the boardwalk and the beach looked nice, and maybe it would be fun to come for the day and get some hotdogs and fries at the original Nathan's across the street.

The Coney Island Boardwalk is a great destination for anyone looking to enjoy a beautiful day at the beach. I was pleasantly surprised by how clean and well-maintained the boardwalk was, with plenty of beautiful murals to admire as I strolled along.

There are plenty of shops and restaurants to choose from, making it easy to grab a refreshing drink or a bite to eat. Whether you're in the mood for a classic hot dog or a more substantial meal, there's something for everyone.

In addition to the shops and restaurants, Luna Park and the aquarium are both located nearby, offering even more opportunities for fun and entertainment. Whether you're looking to ride some thrilling roller coasters or get up close and personal with some amazing sea creatures, there's no shortage of things to do in the area.

But perhaps the biggest draw of the Coney Island Boardwalk is the beach itself. With about 3.5 miles of shoreline, it's the perfect place to relax and soak up some sun while enjoying the refreshing ocean breeze. Whether you're looking to take a dip in the water or simply lounge on the sand, you're sure to have a great time at this iconic New York City destination.

Overall, I highly recommend a visit to the Coney Island Boardwalk. With its beautiful murals, great selection of shops and restaurants, and nearby attractions like Luna Park and the aquarium, it's the perfect place to spend a fun-filled day at the beach. You can also people watch and catch the wide variety of characters New York City produces :)

Holy Cheap, Borderline Dangerous, Fun, Batman!!
This is the place where you come, drink their brand of beer, and go home with a splinter, a hangover...and possibly a love-bite from a local rat.....and amazing memories. Fun times for all...once. Mayyybe twice. Ever..