New York has no shortage of fun things to see and do, but if you’re looking for good old-fashioned family fun, nothing beats a visit to one of the state’s amusement parks. The summer months are perfect for riding thrilling roller coasters and splashing around in water parks, but there’s also plenty to do during the rest of the year – why not take a tour of the haunted theme park to celebrate Halloween or visit Santa’s Workshop? Claus in the winter? There are more than enough amusement parks in New York to keep the whole family entertained, but here are the best of the best.
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Adventureland
Established in 1962, Adventureland is the most popular amusement park on Long Island. There are more than 30 attractions for visitors to enjoy, including water slides, roller coasters, bumper cars, and a Ferris wheel. The park also offers many other attractions, including an indoor arcade, an excellent selection of fun outdoor carnival rides, a gift shop, a face painting area, and a food court with several different dining options. . There is no admission fee to enter the park, and anyone who wants to experience the rides can purchase a day pass bracelet or individual ride tickets.
2245 Broadhollow Rd, Farmingdale, NY 11735, Phone: 631-694-6868
Adventurers Amusement Park
Located in Brooklyn, Adventurers Amusement Park is a family-friendly amusement park with rides, games, go-karts, and a miniature golf course. Most of the games are aimed at young children between the ages of 2 and 8; Highlights include bumper cars, a water slide, a whirlpool, and a spinning teacup ride. The park is a wonderful place to host children’s birthday parties, and groups can take advantage of special party food packages and 2 hours of unlimited ride access. Special events are held in the park on holidays like Easter and Halloween, and hours of operation vary by season.
1824 Shore Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11214, Phone: 718-975-2748
Boomers! Medford
With multiple locations across the United States, Boomers! is a chain of amusement parks that understands the true definition of family fun. The Medford location is no exception; The park offers a great variety of activities, including go-karts, bumper boats, miniature golf, batting cages and a 32-foot rock-climbing wall. Visitors can also use the park’s state-of-the-art arcade, which features everything from classic arcade games to virtual reality horse racing games. Special discounts on food and attractions are offered for groups, and there are private party rooms for children’s birthdays and other special events.
655 Long Island Ave, Medford, NY 11763, Phone: 631-475-1771
Coney Island Cyclone
The Coney Island Cyclone dates back to 1927 and is a wooden roller coaster that was originally built as part of the Astroland theme park and is now operated by Luna Park. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, and the track was replaced in 2015. The ride is over 2,600 feet long and features an 85-foot drop that carries riders at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. There is no admission fee to enter Luna Park, so visitors who just want to ride the Cyclone can purchase individual tickets specifically for the ride.
801 Riegelmann Boardwalk, Brooklyn, NY 11224, Phone: 718-373-5862
Darien Lake
Just a few miles from Darien Lakes State Park, Darien Lake is the largest theme and water park in New York State. The park has attractions for all ages, including a raft ride for the whole family, a thrilling slingshot ride that launches riders 300 feet into the air, and a Ferris wheel designed for young children. Visitors can also enjoy the water park, which offers a wave pool, lazy river, and plenty of water slides. There are plenty of lodging options on-site for anyone looking to extend their stay in the park, including a campground, hotel, and even cabins.
9993 Alleghany Rd, Corfu, NY 14036, Phone: 585-599-4641
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park
Located on Coney Island overlooking the beach, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park is a family-owned amusement park with more than 20 rides, including bumper cars and a miniature roller coaster designed for young children. However, the biggest draw in the park is the Wonder Wheel, a unique Ferris wheel with swinging and stationary cars that was built in 1920 and declared a New York landmark in 1989. There is no admission fee to enter to the park, and a free fireworks show is held every Friday night between the end of June and the end of August.
3059 W 12th St, Brooklyn, NY 11224, Phone: 718-372-2592
Fantasy Forest
The only amusement park in Queens, Fantasy Forest is located in Flushing Meadows – Corona Park. The park is best suited for families with children under 12; rides include a roller coaster, a rotating teacup ride, and a whimsical carousel that was originally created for the 1965 World’s Fair. In addition to the rides, the park offers concession stands and classic amusement park rides like tossing rings and a basketball shootout. Wristbands can be purchased for unlimited use on weekday rides, but weekend visitors must purchase tickets.
111th St and 55th Ave, Queens, NY 11368, Phone: 718-788-2676
Fantasy Island
Opened in 1961, Fantasy Island is a classic theme park and water park located a short distance from Niagara Falls State Park. There are more than 40 different rides, slides, and attractions for visitors to enjoy, including a giant gondola wheel, a thrilling roller coaster, and a five-lane racing course. If you’re not interested in the games, there are plenty of other things to do as well, including a lazy river, miniature golf course, and live entertainment. Both season passes and day passes are available, and there’s plenty of free parking for visitors to use.
2400 Grand Island Blvd, Grand Island, NY 14072, Phone: 716-773-7591
Kids N’ Action
Specialized for children, Kids N’ Action is an indoor entertainment center with a four-story play structure, a go-cart track and a thrilling steel roller coaster. Older kids can enjoy a selection of carnival-style arcade games and redemption games, while younger kids can have fun in the special toddler section, which offers miniature golf and a slide. Guests can choose between passes that provide access to the entire facility or just the soft play structure, and birthday party packages with pizza, drinks, and cake are available for groups of at least 10 kids.
1149 McDonald Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11230, Phone: 718-377-1818
Moon Park
As the name of the original Luna Park, which existed in Coney Island during the early 1900s, Luna Park is an exciting urban park with rides and attractions for people of all ages. Some of the most exciting rides include the famous Coney Island Cyclone and the thrilling Thunderbolt roller coaster, but the park also offers kid-friendly rides like the Seaside Swing, fun carnival rides, and plenty of dining and shopping opportunities. The park is open between the end of March and the end of October, but the exact hours of operation vary by season.
1000 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224, Phone: 718-373-5862
Playland
Often referred to as Rye Playland, Playland is a seasonal amusement park open from May to September. There are more than 50 different rides and attractions in the park, including five roller coasters, a carousel, and plenty of fun kid-friendly rides. Visitors can use the beach and pool for an additional fee, and the park is also proud to host free concerts on Thursday and Friday nights during the summer. Other park highlights include an ice skating rink, a miniature golf course, a boardwalk that offers great views of Long Island Sound, and a children’s museum filled with fun interactive exhibits.
1 Playland Pkwy, Rye, NY 10580, Phone: 914-813-7010
Santa’s Workshop
Tucked away in a Wilmington village called North Pole, Santa’s Workshop was one of America’s first theme parks and has been in operation since 1949. Visitors will find themselves in a charming Christmas town with a candy store, reindeer barn, toymaker and many other picturesque buildings. Parades, contests, and musical performances are held regularly, and there’s also an excellent selection of fun rides geared toward kids under 48 inches tall. The park is open between June and December, and special “Christmas in July” packages are offered every weekend in July.
324 Whiteface Memorial Hwy, Wilmington, NY 12997, Phone: 518-946-2211
Seabreeze Amusement Park
Founded in 1879, Seabreeze Amusement Park has a long-standing reputation for bringing family fun to upstate New York. One of the biggest attractions is that the park is a classic hand-carved carousel built in 1996, but there are also four thrill-provoking roller coasters and other rides suitable for all ages. Access to the water park is included in the price of admission and offers tube slides, a 260,000-gallon wave pool, and an interactive water park. There are plenty of food and drink options inside the gates, and the park is open between mid-May and mid-September.
4600 Culver Rd, Rochester, NY 14622, Phone: 585-323-1900
Sylvan Beach Amusement Park
Located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake, Sylvan Beach Amusement Park is a retro amusement park with activities the whole family can enjoy. The selection of traditional midway attractions includes bumper boats, a whirlpool and a roller coaster, and there are also plenty of fun carnival-style rides and arcade games to choose from. Food can be purchased at the on-site sandwich stand and hamburger stand. Brave visitors can stick around after the park closes for a spooky guided ghost tour of the property, and the park’s hours of operation vary by season.
112 Bridge St, Sylvan Beach, NY 13157, Phone: 315-762-5212
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
Owned and operated by Six Flags, the Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is a large outdoor amusement park with more than 135 different rides and attractions. Highlights include a looping roller coaster, an alpine toboggan ride and a daredevil dive, but there are also plenty of more sedate rides suitable for the whole family. There’s also an exciting water park with tube slides, body slides, a lazy river, and a 500,000-gallon wave pool. The park is open between mid-May and early November, and a special event known as Fright Fest is held on weekends throughout the fall.
89 Six Flags Dr, Queensbury, NY 12804-6215, Phone: 518-792-3500
Victorian Gardens at Wollman’s Track
Located on Wollman Rink in New York’s Central Park, the Wollman Rink Victorian Gardens is a seasonal amusement park with more than a dozen colorful attractions for visitors to enjoy, including a mini roller coaster and a classic roller coaster ride. swing. Live interactive shows give visitors the chance to sing, dance, and hula-hoop, and the park also offers in-between games like Whac-A-Mole and ring toss. Various vendors in the park offer traditional carnival snacks like cotton candy and hot dogs, and visitors can choose to purchase an unlimited day pass or individual ride tickets.
830 5th Ave, New York, NY 10065, Phone: 212-982-2229