Brooklyn

Coney Island was the first well–known beach resort in the United States, with about 300 visitors arriving each day in carriages during the early nineteenth century. They stayed in the Coney Island House Hotel, enjoyed meals of fresh steamed clams, and bathed covertly in the Atlantic Ocean. In 1847, a fifty–cent steamer service cut the travel time from Manhattan to two hours, and the beach became New York’s favorite summer spot. Although the crowds today are only a fraction of what they once were, it’s still one of New York’s most popular beaches. The highpoint of the summer is the annual Mermaid Parade, which takes place in June along the boardwalk.