Walking around New York City is in itself a thrilling experience, but if you are looking to spend your summer vacations or weekend holidays with your family in an old-fashioned way, then none can beat a visit to an amusement park. So New York is the best place to visit.
It is a fact that New York has always had plenty of parks with exciting roller coaster rides and riveting themes. So, if you’re around New York City, looking for adventures, and also want to have some fun, then check out one of the best New York City amusement parks listed below.
The best amusement parks in New York City will make you scream, laugh, and run faster than a speeding bullet!
Table of Contents
Midway State Park
Families enjoy themselves at Midway State Park, which has been one of the most entertaining amusement parks since 1898. Midway was originally a trolley park, but it is much more than just a place to ride the trolleys.
Visitors to the park may picnic, catch rides on the vintage carousel, or take trips in go-karts around the track. They may also relax while enjoying the beautiful views of Chautauqua Lake.
Opening Season: Midway State Park is open on the following holidays and weekends: Memorial Day weekend, Labor Day weekend, June weekends, and some selected days in July and August.
Timings: Between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Entry Fee: The price of a ticket to the park varies depending on what day you visit, what attractions you wish to see, and whether it’s a holiday or a weekend. Check Midway State Park ticket pricing here.
Pet-Policy: Only two pets are allowed in the park, but they must be kept on a leash. Pets are not permitted in the ride area, playground, or near the pool.
Adventureland
Adventureland, a popular amusement park on Route 110 in East Farmingdale, was established in 1962. With more than 37 attractions, including three water slides, two roller coasters, bumper cars, and a Ferris wheel, it’s easy to see why Adventureland is such a fun place to visit.
When Alvin Cohen and Herb Budin first opened the amusement park, they operated it as a park with a restaurant, mini-golf, and four rides: the carousel, Iron Horse train, Little Dipper Coaster, and boats. Although some of these attractions have been closed since that time, the park has continued to add more visitor attractions like Paratrooper, Granny Bugs, 1001 Nights, Satellites, and more.
Opening Season: Adventureland is open on the weekends during March, May, September, and October. In the summer, it’s open every day.
Timings: Between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Entry Fee: Please be sure to have your own admission ticket before entering the park, because they don’t allow guests to enter without them. You can check their online and offline prices here: Adventureland ticket pricing.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
Deno’s Wonder Wheel, a family-owned restaurant park with 22 rides, including three roller coasters, is located in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, and has a long history of family attractions, including the Wonder Wheel, the Parachute Jump, and many others.
The park has many attractions for all ages, from a few adult rides to rides for kids, and, of course, the Spook-a-Rama, an indoor haunted house that will give you a real scare. This is the perfect place for couples who want to do date ideas in summer, here they can do various types of activities and have fun.
Opening Season: Currently, they are closed. The good news is that the park will be celebrating its 37th anniversary on April 10, 2022, with a free ride for the first 102 visitors to Deno’s Wonder Wheel. If you are in New York City around that time, it would be an exciting experience to visit the beloved amusement park.
Timings: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entry Fee: Deno’s Wonder Wheel is free to get into; however, ticket packs or individual tickets are required in order to ride the rides. Check Deno’s Wonder Wheel ticket pricing here.
Luna Park in Coney Island
Luna Park is an iconic amusement park that first opened in 2010, located in Coney Island, New York City. The park was designed by an Italian company that built 19 rides for the park together, which makes it a total of 28 visiting attractions now, of which 6 are roller coasters.
Rides for different age groups include family rides, kiddie rides, thrill rides, scream zones, and Victorian garden rides. Thunderbolt, Luna 360, Cyclone, and Electro Spin are among the most popular ones.
Opening Season: The park is open year-round but only on weekends.
Saturday: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Entry Fee: Pay for individual rides at the location or buy the extraordinary wristband for unlimited rides from their website.
Tip: Before going to the park, check their parking calendar, as it may vary depending on the day or the weather.
Playland Park
Rye Playland, often called Rye Playland, built-in 1928, is a Long Island Sound amusement park that many people enjoy visiting every year. It has a total of 46 visitor attractions so far, of which 7 are roller coasters and 3 are water rides.
In 2019, Playland reopened its first ride after a decade of inactivity. A planned opening for its 2020 season was canceled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the park offers rides for all age groups; the Dragon Coaster and Crazy Submarine are some of the most famous ones.
Opening Season: Playland Park is temporarily closed now, but it will reopen in late May, followed by weekends only until June 21st, then on a daily basis from June 21st to September 6th, and again on weekends from September 9th to September 25th.
Timings: have yet to be determined.
Entry Fee: The ticket pricing varies depending on the area of residency and does not include tax. Check out Playland Park ticket pricing here. For better deals, go for their season passes.
Adventurers Amusement Park
Adventurers Amusement Park, located in Brooklyn, is a family-friendly park with a wide variety of thrilling rides and is a great place for celebrating birthdays and group gatherings where they can take advantage of special packages.
The park has many rides for people of all ages, but most of the rides are geared toward children between the ages of 2 and 8. These include the fire engine, bumper cars, fun slides, Peter and Paul, wet boats, tilt-a-whirl, and more.
Opening Season: The park is closed in the winter season and reopens in the month of April.
Timings: Two sessions are available: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Entry Fee: You can book tickets for one person or a group at a time. Unlimited rides are available with the “Pay One Price” system, except for Go Karts and Mini Golf. Check Adventurers Park ticket pricing here.
Jane’s Carousel
If you are a lover of antique rides, the Jane Carousel is the perfect option for you. Built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1922, this classic 3-row carousel is a perfect place to celebrate your birthday, host a photoshoot or spend some quality time with your family.
Aside from the classic carousel, you will also find some elegant elephant wooden carvings, the finest of which are regarded by John Zalar and Frank Carretta. For more interesting facts, visit their website.
Opening Season: The park is open during different months of the year.
- Winter: During the period from Sept. 13, 2021 – May 15, 2022, only on Thurs.-Sun.
- Summer: During the period from May 16, 2022 – September 11, 2022, all days except Tuesdays.
Timings: Summer hours are 11 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.; winter hours are 11 a.m. to 5:50 p.m.
Entry Fee: Tickets are $2.00 each. Moreover, there is a discount program in which children under 42″ tall and adults may share one ticket.
Six Flags Darien Lake
Darien Lake is one of the most popular amusement parks in New York City, operated by Six Flags, with amenities including a theme and water park, campground, and lodging.
An adrenaline-pumping roller coaster, roller coasters, a culinary creation, and other rides await your visit to Six Flags Darien Lake. Are you planning a family getaway or just celebrating an event? Six Flags Darien Lake is the perfect park to visit.
Opening Season: The park is closed in the winter season and reopens in the month of April.
Timings: Two sessions are available: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Entry Fee: You can buy a one-time pass or choose a comparable, costlier pass with added perks. Check out the Six Flags Darien Lake ticket prices here.
Tip: Buy your passes online to save money.
At Seabreeze Amusement Park
Seabreeze Amusement Park, known to its fans as “Seabreeze,” opened in 1879 in Rochester, New York. It is the twelfth oldest operating amusement park in the world and one of the thirteen trolley parks operating in the United States.
There are more than 70 attractions, including kiddie rides, thrill rides like the Time Machine, bobsleds, or whirlwinds, waterparks, and food locations, for everyone to enjoy, so even the smallest child will not get bored of this park.
Opening Season: The park is closed for now and will reopen on May 21st.
Timings: Between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Entry Fee: You can purchase either a one-day pass, a special event season ticket, or a group pass. Check out the Seabreeze Amusement Park ticket prices here.
Tip: Buy your passes online to save money.
The Cyclone Roller Coaster in Coney Island, NY
And that is who we call the “Mother of Roller Coasters.” The Coney Island Cyclone is a historic roller coaster in New York City that was built in 1927 and is located at the intersecting point of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street. It reaches speeds of up to 60 mph, carrying 24 passengers with a track length of 2,640 feet.
Moreover, entry to Luna Park is free, but if you would like to experience the Cyclone ride, you can purchase individual tickets.
Opening Season: The park is open year-round but only on weekends.
Timings: Saturday: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Entry Fee: Pay for individual rides at the location or buy the extraordinary wristband from their website.
Tip: Before going to the park, check their parking calendar, as it may vary depending on the day or the weather.
Wrapping-Up
So, that’s everything you’d want to know about the best amusement parks in New York City. Take some leisure time with your loved ones and let us know what you thought of these parks! We’d love to hear from you!
Did we miss something? Do let us know in the comments section if you have some other amusement parks on your mind.
