Pier in Coney Island

Saturday afternoon. We stand by Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island’s main station. Most people living on Coney Island, located in southernmost Brooklyn with its famous beach on the Atlantic Ocean, are Hispanic or African-American. Previously the area was a major resort and home of amusements parks as the Steeplechase Park, the heart of Coney between 1897 and 1964. Its founder George Tilyou once said: “If Paris is France, Coney Island, between June and September, is the world.”

Above the beach is the Riegelmann boardwalk, named from Borough President Riegelmann and reputed to be the world’s longest. On the crowded boardwalk we see a teenage girl in the middle of a crowd. She sings with a clear, powerful voice resembling of Beyonce and receives lots of whistles after her performance. On Coney Island, it’s the mixture of people that contribute to the special atmosphere.

Before you leave New York City, visit Coney Island at least once. The D-line from Bronx in north passes through Manhattan and over the East River on Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn. The ride with the subway from Midtown Manhattan takes about an hour.