Whether you prefer a ride on a classic carousel or a modern roller coaster, New York has plenty to offer. From the iconic Luna Park at Coney Island to the kid-friendly Fantasy Forest in Queens, you’ll find something for everyone.
This list is sure to get your adrenaline pumping! So don’t delay – plan a thrilling day trip with your family today!
Splish Splash Water Park
Located on Long Island, 60 miles east of New York City, Splish Splash is one of the country’s best waterparks and boasts more than 20 different water slides, rides and attractions. There are also two wavepools, a lazy river and a large kiddie area. The park’s attention to guest safety, slow-moving currents and many child-oriented attractions make it a favorite among families with young children. In addition, thrill-seekers will find a good number of rides that will take their breath away including Bombs Away, Riptide Racer and Shotgun Falls.
For those who prefer to relax, the park’s Lazy River is particularly inviting. Unlike many other lazy rivers where it can feel like anarchy, Splish Splash has attendants to help guests onto single or double tubes and provide other assistance as needed. There is also Surf City, a four-foot wave pool that accommodates a big posse of body surfers.
The park also offers cabana rentals. Cabanas include food service, lounge chairs and a personal locker. The cabanas are available in several different areas of the park and can be reserved online or by phone. Children under 3 get in free and visitors who arrive within three hours of the park’s closing time receive a reduced admission price.
Getting to Splish Splash Water Park is easy and convenient with the park’s shuttle bus that departs from the Ronkonkoma train station daily. The shuttle will drop you off at the park and return you to the train station on your way home. For those who plan on spending more than a day at the park, a season pass is available. For details and prices visit the Splish Splash website.
Six Flags Great Escape
This theme park is a delight for kids and adults alike, with rides for all ages. The park is not only a fun place to ride roller coasters, but it also has a water park and an on-site hotel. The theme park is open May through October.
Its history can be traced to its humble beginnings as Storytown USA, a Mother Goose-themed amusement park that opened in 1954. Today, the park still has much of its sweet charm, with quaint village elements such as a Goosy Gander store and Humpty Dumpty cottage. Shoehorned into this whimsical atmosphere are a few thrill rides, including the fast-paced Comet and the first looping coaster ever built.
Other thrills include the Huss Condor, a unique two-towered chance freestyle, and the new Adirondack Outlaw, a skycoaster. The park also has a few fun flat rides, such as the log flume and a giant Ferris wheel. The park also has its own on-site resort, called Great Escape Lodge, which offers traditional and themed rooms. Rooms are often offered as a bundle with park tickets, and are available with a discount during the off-season.
Unlike most Six Flags parks, Great Escape is not shaped like a circle. Its layout is more of a star, which means you will have to do quite a bit of backtracking throughout the day to get everything in. The best way to tackle the park is to split the rides into different sections. For example, you can ride the roller coasters in one section of the park, and then head over to the water park for a refreshing break. Then you can head back over to the rides in a new area of the park.
Great Adventure
Located around a 20-mile drive from NYC, this theme park in Jackson, NJ is the home to some of the world’s most intense roller coasters. It also has a water park, Hurricane Harbor, and is the 2nd largest theme park across the globe. The park was opened in 1974 by entrepreneur Warner LeRoy and it was purchased by Six Flags in 1977.
This park is a must-visit for anyone looking to add some excitement to their vacation. The park is full of jaw-dropping thrills, but it also has plenty of other family-friendly rides for those who aren’t into the extreme stuff. It is a great place for families to come together and have some fun.
Some of the most famous attractions at the park include Kingda Ka, The Giant Loop and El Toro. These are some of the most high-speed, record-breaking roller coasters in the world. The park also has several rides for the kids like the Bugs Bunny Camp Carousel, National Park Water Tower and the Harley Quinn Crazy Train.
The park also has a mini-village, which is an idea borrowed from LeRoy’s Over the Rainbow floral park. It features antique cars, a koi pond and children’s playground. It is a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
In summer 2016, the park rebranded itself as Metropolis and it added Justice League: Battle for Metropolis a 4D dark ride to replace Batman and Robin: The Chiller. The Lakefront area of the park was rethemed as well, with all rides and structures getting a nautical makeover. In addition, a new X-Ride simulator and a Cyborg Cyber Spin attraction were also added.
Sea World
Thrills and marine animal attractions combine at Sea World for an experience that’s both fun and informative. The park has a wide variety of attractions and shows that are designed to be entertaining for adults and children alike, from educational animal encounters to wild roller coasters. There’s even a Sesame Street 4D adventure.
The first SeaWorld opened in Aurora, Ohio on May 29, 1970. It was originally an animal park with only a few sea lions and dolphins but quickly grew to include other sea mammals as well as educational shows. Today, the SeaWorld chain of parks inspires millions to protect animals and their natural habitats through the power of entertainment.
Guests can see marine life in live shows, such as the Orca Encounter, which gives an insight into the lives of killer whales in the wild. Other animal attractions are the Seal & Otter Show, a comedic show with sea lions and otters, Ocean Discovery, an educational dolphin and beluga whale show, and Sea Lions Tonite, a nighttime sea lion performance.
Other rides at SeaWorld include Shipwreck Rapids, which turns a winding river into whitewater rapids, and Manta, a thrilling flying roller coaster. The New Atlantis precinct offers more thrills with three all-new attractions: Leviathan, Trident and Vortex.
SeaWorld’s Halloween events, Howl-O-Scream, are a fun, family-friendly event that adds a bit of fright to the fun of visiting the park during the day. The event is separate from admission to the park itself and must be purchased as a ticketed event. During the day, visitors will find that the park is still very much as they would expect, with just a few extra haunted decorations around.
Belvedere Castle
Belvedere Castle in New York City is a small castle that sits on a cliff overlooking The Great Lawn in Central Park. It is a popular place for tourists and locals alike to take pictures, so it can get crowded quickly. It is a beautiful landmark that has been designed with both Gothic and Romanesque architecture styles. The castle has two balconies that offer breathtaking views of the city skyline and some of the most famous landmarks in the area.
It is named Belvedere because it translates to “beautiful view” in Italian, and it definitely does live up to its name. It was originally built in 1865 by Jacob Wrey Mould and Calvert Vaux as a Victorian folly, which is a building that has no practical use. It is now a tourist attraction and one of the most visited sights in New York.
The castle is located in the middle of Central Park, so it’s easy to reach by car or on foot. It’s also a popular spot for cyclists and joggers. The best time to visit the castle is during the week, when it is usually less crowded.
If you’re visiting the castle on a weekend, be sure to arrive early. The castle is most busy during the afternoon on sunny weekends, and there may be a wait to climb up to the top of the tower. It’s also worth avoiding the crowds on rainy or snowy days.
To get to the castle, you can take the 81 St-Museum of Natural History subway stop or the 5 Av/E 90 St bus line. The Moovit app makes it easy to find the fastest route to Belvedere Castle from your current location. The app is available for download on iPhone, Android, and Windows phones. Over 1.5 million users, including those in Manhattan, trust Moovit as their all-in-one transit app.
