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Family-Friendly Amusement Parks in the New York Area

Family-Friendly Amusement Parks in the New York Area

Here are the coronavirus safety restrictions and reopening information for the amusement parks and theme parks in the New York area.


Our guide to amusement parks covers all the excitement your family needs this summer, all within reach of the New York Metro area! Each park's opening guidelines have been updated in response to coronavirus restrictions, but always call before you go to make sure your park of choice is open. Whether you can't wait to get back on your favorite coaster or water ride or would prefer something a little more socially distant (like the Six Flags drive-through safari that allows you to see 1,200 animals from the comfort of your car) we've got your amusement park needs covered.

Amusement Parks in New York

Open:

Luna Park at Coney Island

1000 Surf Ave., Coney Island, Brooklyn

718-373-5862

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Cost: 2-hour Family Fun Wristband: $40; 2-hour Thrill Seeker Wristband: $40

Hours: Depending on the day and weather, hours vary.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Call for information. Wristbands must be purchased online in advance to guarantee entry.

Mild to extreme thrill rides, games, and dining. The Family Fun Wristbands allow access to Convoy, Tea Party, Windstarz, Speed Boat, Seaside Swing, Brooklyn Barge, Magic Bikes, Circus Coaster, Lynn’s Trapeze, Coney Tower, Coney Clipper, Coney Island Hang Glider, Luna 360, Clockworkz, Electro Spin, Atlantic Aviator, Brooklyn Flyer, Tickler, Circus Candy, Fire Patrol, Rainbowheel, AeroMax, Grand Prix, and Mini Mouse. The Trill Seeker Wristband gives access to Coney Island Cyclone, Steeplechase, Sling Shot, Zenobio, Soaring Eagle, Astro Tower, Endeavor, and Thunderbolt.

Adventureland

2245 Route 110, Farmingdale

631-694-6868

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Cost: $39.99 ages 2-24; $ 24.99 ages 25 and older; free for children 1 and younger.

Hours: Saturday-Sunday, 11am-6pm (closing time in May will be 7/8 p.m.)

COVID Safety Guidelines: Face masks required for all guests ages 2 and older. Social distancing on all lines and rides. Separate entrances and exits for all rides.

Open since 1962, Adventureland has roller coasters and thrill rides; family, kiddie, and water rides; and games. Gift cards, birthday party packages, and group rates available.

New this year: Sports Tower.

Adventurer’s Park

1824 Shore Parkway, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

718-975-2748

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Cost: $4, single ticket

Hours: See the calendar on the website. Park hours are subject to change without notice.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Reservations recommended. Masks required for those older than 2. Social distancing enforced.

Calling all adventurers: This amusement park features family rides, water boats, go karts, bumper cars and more. Check the website for more attractions.

 

Fantasy Forest at the Flushing Meadows Carousel

111th Street and 55th Avenue, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens

718-788-2676

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Cost: $3.50 per ticket

Hours: See the calendar online for open dates and hours

COVID Safety Guidelines: Masks required for ages 2 and older. Social distancing enforced. Temperature checks.

One roller coaster, family rides and games, and a carousel are right in the heart of Queens. Don't miss tons of great family-friendly performances throughout the summer as well, every weekend pretty much every Sunday at Flushing Meadows. The carousel was brought to Coney Island in 1964 for the World’s Fair and is the only ride left from the World’s Fair in Queens. Don’t miss the chance to ride this historical gem. Check the website for a complete schedule.

Closed:

Playland Park

Temporarily closed

100 Playland Parkway, Rye

914-813-7010

Along with many rides, Rye Playland has a beach, pool, boardwalk, and pier with lake boating, picnic area, and mini golf. There are fireworks every Friday night in the summer, starting in July.

 

Sylvan Beach Amusement Park

Closed for the season

112 Bridge St., Sylvan Beach

315-762-5212

Features a dozen rides including The Himalaya and Galaxi Coaster. Also available are kiddie rides and games, all on the shores of Oneida Lake.

 

RELATED: Water Parks in the New York Area

Amusement Parks in New Jersey

Six Flags Great Adventure & Wild Safari

1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson

732-928-2000

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Cost: $39.99 and up

Hours: Check the morning of your visit, as park hours are subject to change. A full calendar is on the website, but guests are encouraged to check the morning of their visit, as park hours are subject to change.

COVID Safety Guidelines: All guests including pass holders and members are required to make advance reservations online. See the website for more information.

Wild Safari animal park has merged with Six Flags to become the world’s largest theme park (more than 500 acres). The Safari Off Road Adventure features 1,200 animals from six continents, which you’ll view from an open-air Safari vehicle driven by an expert. The main park consists of a variety of rides, from thrilling coasters to rides for kids.

Diggerland

100 Pinedge Drive, West Berlin (right behind Sahara Sam’s water park)

856-768-1110

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Cost: Day Ticket: Both Parks: $42.95 general admission and $129.95 season pass (both subject to change); Cabana rental $129.

Hours: Weekends, 11am-6pm; May 22-Sept. 16: wee website for details

COVID Safety Guidelines: Contactless admissions and payment options. Social distancing markings and guides. See the website for other measures and procedures put in place.

Families can drive, ride and operate specially engineered real machines, then head over to The Water Main construction theme water park. Over 40 attractions, several in park dining options, an arcade and a gift shop. Also offers birthday parties, group events, camping events, corporate outings, and team-building events. New attractions include Mahindra ROXOR A/T Jeep and air cannons that launch lemons at construction-themed targets (additional charge.)

Jenkinsons Boardwalk

300 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach

732-892-0600

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Cost: Aquarium: $15; $9 children 3-12; $10 seniors; free for children younger than 2. Beach: Weekdays $11 weekdays; $12 weekends; $3 children ages 5-11; free for children younger than 5. Amusement Park: 1 credit $.50, 20 credits $10, 50 credits $25, 110 credits $50, 250 credits $100. Adventure Lookout: $7, Junior $5. Mini Golf: $11; $8 children.

Hours: Check the website as hours are updated often and vary per attraction.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Masks required in ALL indoor attractions, shops, inside Amusement Park, on the rides, and anywhere when you cannot maintain 6 feet

Features several rides and attractions for small children to teens. Attractions include Time Freak (player vs. player interactive game), 7D Dark Ride Theater at South Beach Arcade, (multi-sensory interactive experience), and the South Beach Arcade. The park also hosts free weekly shows and special events; check the website for a schedule.

Opening soon:

Fantasy Island Park

Arcade opening May 8; rides opening May 29.

750 N. Bay Ave., Beach Haven

609-492-4000

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Cost: Prices vary per activity.

Hours: Hours vary; check website for updates.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Check the Safe Play Guidelines on the website for full information.

Boasts 18 amusement rides, games of all types, an arcade, food, a classic carousel, private parties and more. Located in the heart of Beach Haven right on LBI, attractions include skee-ball, a spinning roller coaster, Tilt-A-Whirl, Ferris Wheel, and more.

 

Field Station Dinosaurs

Opening June 19

Overpeck County Park, Henry Hoebel Area, Fort Lee Road, Leonia

855-999-9010

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Cost: $17; free for children younger than 2

Hours: June 19-Sept. 5: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm; Sept. 6-Nov. 14: Saturday-Sunday, 12am-5pm; also open Nov. 11-12.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Call for updated information.

Take the 9-minute trip from NYC and enter a natural oasis featuring more than 30 life-sized, realistic-looking animatronic dinosaurs (including the largest ever made). The exhibition encompasses the latest theories and discoveries in the fields of paleontology, geology, and environmental studies. Participate in more than 40 live shows, games, and workshops. At the Paleontology Lab, kids get a book and can dig for fossils like a paleontologist, and dig for fossils at the big site.

Keansburg Amusement Park and Runaway Rapids Waterpark

Opening Memorial Day weekend.

275 Beachway Ave., Keansburg

732-495-1400

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Cost: Waterpark: $33 for 3-hour entry. All-day parking lot: $7 weekdays; $10 on weekends

Hours: Park closes Monday-Thursday between 10-11pm and weekends and holidays between 11pm and 12am; Waterpark open Saturday-Sunday, 10am-6pm; Monday-Friday, 11am-6pm

Price: Ticket information found here. Individual ticket $1; Sheet of 50 $38; Book of 100 $69; Book of 200 $129

COVID Safety Guidelines: Amusement park goers must wear masks; Waterpark goers must wear masks when waiting on line to enter and waiting on line to make purchases; Masks not to be worn in water

Features dozens of rides for kids and teens, and a water park with a lazy river and more than 19 slides with varying speeds, plus plenty of rides designed for smaller children, including a kids’ lagoon area. Attractions include body slides, a looping roller coaster, a wave swinger, bumper karts, a haunted manor, and the chance to swim with a live mermaid. Many stands and rides that were not open last year due to the pandemic will open in May.

 

 

Land of Make Believe & Pirate’s Cove

Opening Memorial Day weekend

354 Great Meadows Road, Route 611, Hope

908-459-9000

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Cost: $31.89; $28.14 seniors; free for children younger than 36 months

Hours: See website for schedule.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Call for information.

Thrill rides and water rides rule at the 30-acre Land of Make Believe, with its free-fall ride, Pirate’s Cannonball, and rocking tugboat ride, along with Blackbeard’s Pirate Fort. The park is designed specifically for parents to participate with their children. New this year: the spinning coaster, Twisted Timbers.

Morey’s Piers

Opening May 8

3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood

609-729-3700

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Cost: Rates vary; check the website for detailed information. Multi visit pass: $155 for four visits during the 2021 season.



Hours: Hours vary per attraction. Check the website for detailed information.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Face coverings required; maintain social distancing requirements

Morey’s Piers spans more than 18 acres along six beach blocks. It includes three piers and two beachfront water parks: the Adventure Pier, which features coasters, thrill rides, and a raceway; the Surfside Pier, with kiddie and family rides; the Mariner’s Landing Pier, where you can ride traditional rides such as the Ferris wheel and teacups, play in the arcade, and enjoy Boardwalk treats; the Raging Waters waterpark, with kiddie play areas, water slides, and activity pools; and the Oasis Waterpark + Beach Club, which features more water rides for kids and adults.

Playland Castaway Cove

Opening May 1

1020 Boardwalk, Ocean City

609-399-4751

@PlaylandCastawayCove

Cost: 2021 ticket prices to be announced.

Hours:Check the website for a calendar of hours.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Call for information.

On this boardwalk, there are thrill rides, pirate golf, go-karts, an arcade, and kids’ rides as well as food concession stands. Attractions include the Beach Buggies, Extreme Cyclone, Air Race, Happy Swing, Kite Flyer, Pirates Gold Rush, Spin Zone, Golden Galleon, and Tidal Wave.

 

Wild West City

Opening May 1

50 Lackawanna Drive, Stanhope

973-347-8900

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Cost: $29.50; $24.50 children ages 2-12; $22 seniors

Hours: May 1-June 20: Saturday-Sunday, 10:30am-5pm. June 21 to Labor Day: Monday-Thursday, 10:30am-4pm; Friday-Sunday, 10:30am-5pm. Check the website for updates.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Face coverings required Following all state mandates. Temperatures checks for staff and guests before entering the park. Social distancing. Face coverings required.

Watch the best of the Wild West come to life in a real Western town. Enjoy live actions shows all day long on outdoor Main Street. Get a bird's eye view of the town on the Stage Coach, hop aboard the train, deep into outlaw territory and for younger buckaroos ride a pony. Explore the town's shops and museums which replicates the historic 1880's town of Dodge City, Kansas. Visit the barnyard, and watch live demos and learn about the life of a blacksmith, mountain man and school marm from the American Frontier.

 
 

Amusement Parks in Connecticut

Open

Quassy Amusement Park

2132 Middlebury Road (Route 64), Middlebury

203-758-2913

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Cost: Prices vary; check the website for details.

Hours: Check the website for a calendar of hours for both the amusement park and water park.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Face masks required; social distancing of 6 feet required

Features a wooden roller coaster, The Wooden Warrior. Quassy also has the Free Fall 'N' Drop tower. Check out Splash Away Bay Water Park and Quassy Beach for summer water fun.

 

Ocean Beach Park

98 Neptune Ave., New London

860-447-3031

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Price: Parking charge includes admission for up to 5 guests. Weekdays $18; Weekends $25; $10 after 6pm

Hours: Hours vary. Call for more information.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Maintain 6 feet of distance from all others; maintain 15 feet between beach blankets; 5 people maximum per group; wear face covering where close contact; closed until further notice - waterslides and rides

Features a carousel and old-time kiddie and adult rides as well as a half-mile boardwalk, arcade, 18-hole miniature golf course, playground, waterslide, and a beach on the Atlantic Ocean. There are also festivals and nightly entertainment throughout the summer; check the website for a full schedule of events. Ocean Beach Park has an Olympic-sized pool as well as banquet halls with catering abilities.

 
 

Amusement Parks in Pennsylvania

Open

Sesame Place

100 Sesame Road, Langhorne

215-702-3566

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Cost: Most tickets are date-specific, but a single any-date ticket is $79.99 online for ages 2 and older. Children 23 months and younger are free.

Hours: Check the website for a calendar of hours.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Reservations required; temperature screening upon arrival; face coverings required for guests over age of 2

Sesame Place is the nation's only theme park based entirely on Sesame Street. The park has partnered with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards to become the first theme park in the world designated as a Certified Autism Center.

Opening Soon

Hersheypark

Opens April 30

100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey

717-534-3900

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Hours: See website for calendar.

Cost: Check the website for rates.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Reservations required; face coverings required; temperature screening prior to entering

The park features more than 65 rides and attractions, from 20 kiddie rides to 12 breathtaking roller coasters (including the new family coaster the Coco Cruiser) and everything in between. Also features more than 10 water rides on the Boardwalk. Hershey’s Chocolate World is located just outside the main gate to Hersheypark (hersheys.com/chocolateworld).

DelGrosso’s Park & Laguna Splash Water Park

Opening May 29.

4352 E. Pleasant Valley Blvd., Tipton

814-684-3538

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Hours: Ride park: May-August, daily, 12-8:30pm; September: daily, 12-8pm; Water park: May-August: daily, 11am-7pm; Last weekend of August and September, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Cost: All-day fun pass in May and September: $21.95. June-August, $31.95. Season passes and individual ride tickets available.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Masks required for everyone older than 2. Social distancing is enforced, and there is limited capacity.

The DelGrosso family is famous for its pasta sauces, but it’s also known for this family-friendly amusement park featuring miniature golf, go-karts, a waterpark with water works and rapids, and fresh takes on amusement park food. Enjoy the Lazy River and Wave Pool at the Laguna Splash Water Park.

 

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom

Opening May 22

3830 Dorney Park Road, Allentown

GPS Address: 4000 Dorney Park Road, Allentown

610-395-3724

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Price: $35 General Admission Online

Hours: See the website for a calendar for open dates and hours.

What you need to know: Reservations required for single day ticket holders; face coverings required in all areas; health screenings prior to visit and temperature checks upon arrival. Guests must have the park’s app on their phones.

This park features rollercoasters and water rides including Steel Force, the longest steel roller coaster on the East Coast, and HYDRA, the first and only floorless coaster in Pennsylvania. Play in the waterpark, which features three levels of water games and the 70-foot-tall Lighting Falls water slide. This year, the park will debut Seaside Splashworks, a multi-level, beach-themed water play structure, this Memorial Day weekend. This new family attraction will be the largest structure in the water park and features more than 75 play elements to engage the entire family.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Dutch Wonderland

Opening May 15

2249 Lincoln Highway E., Lancaster

866-386-2839

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Hours: Check the website for an operational calendar with open days and hours.

Cost: $38.99 ages 3 and older

COVID Safety Guidelines: Must wear face coverings. Temperature checks upon arrival. Maintain six feet distance from others

Designed for families with young children, this park features 37 kiddie and family rides, including two kid-friendly coasters, bumper cars, a merry-go-round, and more. Duke’s Lagoon features water slides, splash zones, and lounge areas.

Idlewild and SoakZone

Opening some time in 2021. Check back for details.

2582 Route 30, Ligonier

724-238-3666

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Hours: Check the full calendar of hours on the website.

Price: $46.99; $36.99 seniors. Check the website for other packs and rates.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Wear face coverings; temperature checks upon arrival; Six-foot distance from others

At the oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania, you’ll find thrill rides and water park fun as well as attractions just for younger children, including the Story Book Forest, Bigfoot's Mudslide, and the one-and-only Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Kennywood Park

Opening at some point in 2021. Check back for details

4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin

412-461-0500

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Cost: General admission $44.99; $32.99 juniors; $19.99 seniors

Hours: Check the full calendar of hours on the website.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Wear face coverings and maintain 6-foot distance from others

Experience the Black Widow, a giant circle moving in a pendulum motion that swings riders 146 feet above the ground. The Sky Rocket roller coaster takes riders from zero to 50 miles per hour in less than three seconds and features a 95-foot vertical climb. The park also features other thrill rides, a Kiddieland for smaller children, and Olde Kennywood Railroad, where visitors can experience a tour of Kennywood history.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Knoebels Amusement Resort

Amusement parks opening May 1

391 Knoebels Blvd., Elysburg

800-487-4386570-672-2572

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Cost: Ride all day with coasters $38; $25 shorter than 48 inches; Sundown with coasters $25

Hours: Check the calendar on the website

COVID Safety Guidelines: Face coverings required; Maintain social distancing

Take a dip in the 900,000-gallon Crystal Pool that includes waterslides, diving boards, and a play area for young children. You can stay overnight at one of two campgrounds or one of our cottages. In addition to more than 60 rides, visitors can also play a round of golf at Knoebels Three Ponds Golf Club.

 

Waldameer Park & Water World

Opening May 15

3100 W. Lake Road/220 Peninsula Drive, Erie

877-817-1009

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Cost: $45; $35.40 shorter than 48 inches; $34.50 seniors

Hours: Check the website as there are periodic updates.

COVID Safety Guidelines: Masks required to enter Waldameer and Water World - masks may be removed while using Water World attractions

Features more than 75 rides, slides, and attractions, as well as Kiddieland, Imagination Station, and a game-filled midway. Enjoy the Music Express rock and roll ride and The Battle of Lake Erie, a family water complex featuring 103 water attractions, seven slides, and a 400-gallon tipping bucket.

 

What are amusement parks doing to keep my family safe?

Looking to our neighbors in New Jersey, Six Flags Great Adventure is opening with new safety guidelines, including reduced attendance levels and extensive new safety and hygiene protocols. Some New York parks are making similar plans, including The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, with requirements like advance reservations, face masks, non-invasive temperature checks, and social distancing.

 

What can my family do to stay safe when visiting amusement parks?

Bring everything with you.

It’s better to bring items with you than to have to purchase them when you’re out and about, says Giuseppe Aragona, M.D., general practitioner and medical advisor at Prescription Doctor. This includes hand wipes and hand gels to clean your hands and other surfaces frequently, food and drinks, extra clothes, diapers, and anything your family tends to need when you’re away from home. Try to pack your items in disposable containers so you can throw everything away at the end of your visit and won’t bring home any potential contamination.

Check ahead of time

Before visiting any amusement park, be sure to check the website and social media pages for updated COVID-related policies. Be prepared to make timely reservations, pack masks, and talk to your kids about proper social distancing. Then try to verify if there is a restriction on the number of people permitted to enter the park on any given day, says Leann Poston M.D., M.B.A., M.Ed., of Invigor Medical. You’ll want to visit parks that are imposing restrictions on capacity, for everyone’s safety.

Prepare the kids.

This amusement park visit won’t be exactly like other park trips have been in the past, so you want to lay that out for your kids. Explain to them what they will and will not be allowed to do, chat about social distancing, and then make sure their masks fit well.

Keep to yourselves.

“As a virus that is presumed to spread through droplets (i.e. cough, sneeze, speaking) covering our mouth and nose continues to act as an important protective measure. In addition, standing 6 feet apart will help mitigate this risk further,” says Daniel Sinyor, MD, pediatrician at Crystal Run Healthcare. As much as possible, try to stay in your tight-knight family group to help keep cross-contamination percentages low, adds Aragona. Keep your hands to yourself and try to prevent little children from touching anything when you’re at an amusement park. When using the restrooms, try to wait a few minutes before entering if someone just left to allow any aerosolized fluids from the toilet flushing to settle on surfaces, Dr. Poston recommends. Wash your hands thoroughly as you leave the restroom and apply hand sanitizer if possible.

 

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