New York has no shortage of fun things to see and do, but if you're looking for some old-fashioned family fun, nothing beats a visit to one of the state's amusement parks. Summer months are perfect for riding thrilling roller coasters and splashing around in waterparks, but there's plenty to do during the rest of the year as well - why not take a haunted theme park tour to celebrate Halloween or pay a visit to Santa's Workshop in the winter? There are more than enough New York amusement parks to keep the whole family entertained, but here are the best of the best.
Adventureland
Established in 1962, Adventureland is the most popular amusement park in Long Island. There are more than 30 rides for visitors to enjoy, including water slides, roller coasters, bumper cars, and a Ferris wheel. The park offers many other attractions as well, including an indoor arcade, an excellent selection of fun outdoor carnival-style games, 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 either 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 mini-golf course. Most of the rides are aimed at young children between the ages of 2 and 8; highlights include bumper cars, a water slide, a tilt-a-whirl, 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 packages with food and 2 hours of unlimited access to the rides. Special events are held in the park on holidays like Easter and Halloween, and hours of operation vary according to the season.
1824 Shore Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11214, Phone: 718-975-2748
Coney Island Cyclone
Dating back to 1927, the Coney Island Cyclone 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 more than 2,600 feet long, and it features an 85-foot drop that takes riders to speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. There is no admission fee to enter Luna Park, so visitors who only 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
Only a few miles away from Darien Lakes State Park, Darien Lake is the biggest water and theme park in the state of New York. The park boasts rides for all ages, including a family-friendly raft ride, 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 waterpark, which offers a wave pool, a lazy river, and plenty of water slides. There is a plethora of on-site accommodation options for anyone who wants to extend their stay at the park, including a campground, a hotel, and even cabins.
9993 Alleghany Rd, Corfu, NY 14036, Phone: 585-599-4641
Deno's Wonder Wheel Park
Set 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 both swinging and stationary cars that was built in 1920 and declared a New York Landmark in 1989. There is no admission fee to enter 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
Kids N' Action
Catering specifically to children, Kids N' Action is an indoor entertainment center with a four-story play structure, a go-kart track, and an exciting steel roller coaster. Older children can enjoy a selection of arcade games and carnival-style redemption games, while toddlers can have fun in the special toddler section, which offers a mini ball pit and a slide. Guests can choose between passes that provide access to the entire facility or only to the soft play structure, and birthday party packages with pizza, drinks, and cake are available for groups of at least 10 children.
1149 McDonald Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11230, Phone: 718-377-1818
Luna Park, New York
As the namesake of the original Luna Park, which existed in Coney Island during the early 1900s, Luna Park is an exciting urban playground with rides and attractions for people of all ages. Some of the most thrilling attractions include the famous Coney Island Cyclone and the exhilarating Thunderbolt roller coaster, but the park also offers kid-friendly rides like the Seaside Swing, entertaining fairground-style games, and plenty of dining and shopping opportunities. The park is open between the end of March and the end of October, but exact hours of operation vary according to the season.
1000 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224, Phone: 718-373-5862
Playland Park
Often referred to as Rye Playland, Playland Park is a seasonal amusement park open May through September. There are more than 50 different rides and attractions in the park, including five roller coasters, a carousel, and plenty of fun kids’ rides. Visitors can make use of 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 highlights of the park include an ice-skating rink, a mini-golf course, a boardwalk that offers great views of Long Island Sound, and a children's museum full of fun interactive exhibits.
1 Playland Pkwy, Rye, NY 10580, Phone: 914-813-7010
Santa's Workshop
Tucked away in a hamlet in Wilmington called North Pole, Santa's Workshop was one of America's first theme parks and has been running since 1949. Visitors will find themselves in a charming Christmas-themed village with a candy shop, a reindeer barn, a toymaker, and plenty of other quaint buildings. Parades, pageants, and musical performances are held regularly, and there is also an excellent selection of fun rides aimed at children 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 providing family-friendly fun in upstate New York. One of the biggest attractions is the park is a classic hand-carved carousel built in 1996, but there are also four thrill-inducing roller coasters and other rides suitable for all ages. Access to the water park is included in the price of admission, and it offers tube slides, a 260,000-gallon wave pool, and an interactive water playground. There are plenty of food and beverage options inside the gates, and the park is open between the middle of May and the middle of September.
4600 Culver Rd, Rochester, NY 14622, Phone: 585-323-1900
Sylvan Beach Amusement Park
Sitting on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake, Sylvan Beach Amusement Park is a retro amusement park with activities that the whole family can enjoy. The selection of traditional midway rides includes bumper boats, a tilt-a-whirl, and a roller coaster, and there are also plenty of fun carnival-style games and arcade games to choose from. Food can be purchased from the on-site snack shack and burger stand. Brave visitors can stick around after the park closes to take a spooky guided ghost tour of the property, and the park's hours of operation vary according to the 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 bobsled ride, and a daredevil dive, but there are plenty of calmer rides suitable for the whole family as well. There is also an exciting waterpark with tube slides, body slides, a lazy river, and a 500,000-gallon wave pool. The park is open between mid-May and the beginning of November, and a special event known as Fright Fest is held on weekends during the fall.
89 Six Flags Dr, Queensbury, NY 12804-6215, Phone: 518-792-3500
Huck Finn’s Playland
Known formerly as the Hoffman Playland, Huck Finn’s Playland isn’t just a fun family-friendly amusement park, it’s also a piece of New York’s history. The park was first opened in 1951 by its then owners, Ruth and Dave Hoffman. In 2014, the couple announced their retirement, leading to the near closure of the park until 20,000 of the area’s residents came together alongside the Huck Finn warehouse, to save the playland. With a new name and new management, Huck Finn’s Playland was born, keeping the tradition of being the premier amusement park in Albany. Hop on the adrenaline-pumping thrill rides like the Scrambler, the Paratrooper, and the Tilt-A-Whirl, or enjoy one of thirteen kiddie rides available with your children. Truly, Huck Finn’s Playland has everything you need to make incredible memories with your family.
25 Erie Boulevard, Albany, New York 12204, Phone: 518-242-7575
Harris Hill Amusement Park
Planning a family outing or weekend getaway in New York? Make sure to add the Harris Hill Amusement Park to the agenda! Founded in 1947, the Harris Hill Amusement Park features tons of fun rides, games, and great food, all of which are designed to make your trip as extraordinarily fun as possible. The park offers arcade games, fun amusement rides, a great miniature golf course, and even a driving range to their patrons. In terms of concessions, guests can re-energize themselves in the middle of an action-packed day care of American snack classics like hot dogs, french fries, sodas, and tons more.
557 Harris Hill Road, Elmira, New York 14903, Phone: 607-732-1210
LEGOLAND New York Resort
For families who want to enjoy a fun family getaway together in New York, LEGOLAND is undeniably one of the best options. The resort is an easy drive west of New York City in Goshen and is guaranteed to keep you and your family entertained for an entire weekend. At LEGOLAND, families can watch fantastic shows, meet incredible LEGO characters, tune in to 4D movies, and even explore a natural maze. The park isn’t short of rides and attractions either with awesome rides designed for all ages. Families can ride, splash, climb, and build their way through LEGOLAND’s seven-themed lands with rides like the LEGO Factory Adventure Ride, the NINJAGO Ride, and the Dragon Coaster. Guests can even get their own official LEGOLAND Driver License inside LEGO City or explore incredible creations made of millions of LEGO bricks at Miniland.
1 Legoland Boulevard, Goshen, New York 10924, Phone: 845-410-0290
