Coney Island, Peninsula in southern Brooklyn, New York
Coney Island is a peninsula at the southern end of Brooklyn, New York, with a long sandy beach and a wooden boardwalk facing the Atlantic Ocean. Along the boardwalk, amusement rides, food stands, and older entertainment venues sit side by side, most of them open from spring through fall.
In the early 1800s, Coney Island was still a true island surrounded by tidal waters, visited mostly by wealthy families staying in seaside hotels. When new rail lines made it reachable for everyone, the beaches and amusement parks that grew up there became a gathering place for the whole city.
The name of the peninsula likely comes from the Dutch word for rabbit, since wild rabbits once lived in the dunes. Each summer, the Mermaid Parade draws crowds of people in colorful costumes through the streets, making it one of Brooklyn's most recognizable seasonal events.
The beach and boardwalk are free to enter, while rides at Luna Park require payment. A visit works best during the summer months when most of the attractions are open, since much of the area closes down outside the warmer season.
A hotel shaped like a giant elephant once stood on this beach and greeted arriving immigrants before the Statue of Liberty was built. Almost nothing remains of it today, but for a time it was one of the first landmarks that travelers spotted when sailing into New York Harbor.
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