Coney Island

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One of the city's last great outposts of urban decay, Coney Island's current resurgence began in the mid-eighties, with the efforts of Dick Zigun and the Coney Island Hysterical Society to preserve and restore the landmark neighborhood. But this beachfront is far more than an archivist's trove. It's a thriving nexus all summer long, as crowds upward of 10,000 a day throng the beaches and boardwalk. Three seasons a year, bus- and train-loads of eager locals and international tourists flock to the thrill rides that line the boardwalk from the famous, wood-track Cyclone to the double-ring Wonder Wheel. While some may find the area a bit tacky, developers envision Coney Island's glitz-and-glamour reinvention, complete with four-star hotels, a water park, a tourist-ferrying dirigible, and an extravagantly restored boardwalk with retail outlets to rival Vegas. But it's the simple, tactile charms of today's manifestation that make it hard to resist: the scent of corndogs, the rasping call of the carny barkers, and the white-noise thump of the breaking surf on the beach. — Helen Zelon

The legendary ride is a two-minute run boasting an 85-foot drop at a 60-degree angle, six about-face turns, twelve sheer drops, and eighteen track crossovers.

Brooklyn Cyclones
The Mets' farm team, plays all summer long in Keyspan Park with tickets starting at about $10.

Circus Sideshow
All summer long, the classic ten-in-one freak show presents knife-swallowers, tattooed contortionists, and various self-mutilating performance artists.

Tours
Who better than a local historian and former guide in the Belizean jungle to explain the ins and outs of Coney Island? Join Captain Bob on Saturdays and Sundays for a walking tour.

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