Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk

The end of the subway line and the edge of the Atlantic: a 4 km wooden boardwalk, a wide public beach, and the rattle of historic rides behind you. Coney Island has been New York's playground since the 1880s, a little faded, still loud, still entirely itself.

What to know

• Take the D, F, N or Q train to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue, about an hour from Midtown.
• Beach season with lifeguards runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day; rides at Luna Park and Deno's run spring to autumn, weekends only at the shoulder.
• Walk east along the boardwalk to Brighton Beach for Russian cafes and a very different crowd.
• Classic Coney sequence: Nathan's hot dog, the Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel, the beach.
• Big days: the Mermaid Parade in June and the Nathan's hot dog eating contest on July 4.