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Excursions For a Half Day Coney Island: Located just a short subway ride from Manhattan (B, D, F or N to Stillwell Avenue), in south Brooklyn, Coney Island is a popular weekend haunt for New Yorkers and tourists alike, because of its fabulous beaches and amusement parks. Major attractions include the New York Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation, Surf Avenue and West Eighth Street (tel: (718) 265 3400), located halfway to Brighton Beach. The Aquarium is open weekdays 1000-1700 and 1000-1730 on weekends and holidays. It boasts an Aquatheatre, home to dolphins and sea lions, the Sea Cliffs Exhibition, featuring walrus, penguins and giant Pacific octopus, and Discovery Cove, an interactive entertainment complex for children. Entrance is US$11 (US$7 for children). Coney Island’s amusement area comprises several amusement parks, featuring the Cyclone roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel, the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. For a Whole Day Long Island: Situated to the east of New York City, Long Island stretches for 190km (118 miles) into the Atlantic. A popular weekend retreat for New Yorkers, it has also become a major tourist attraction and this is not hard to see why. The island boasts some of the world’s most beautiful white-sand beaches, such as the Fire Island National Seashore. The north and south shores differ greatly – the former is more immediately beautiful, its cliffs topped with luxurious mansions and estates, while the south shore is fringed by almost continuous sand, interspersed with holiday resorts, such as Jones Beach and gay-oriented Fire Island. The quickest way to reach Long Island is via the Long Island Railroad from Penn Station, although numerous bus services cover most destinations. Parking permits for Long Island’s beaches are issued only to local residents. The Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, 330 Vanderbill Motor Parkway (tel: (631) 951 3440 or (516) 951 3440 or (800) 386 6654; website: http://licvb.com) provides further information. Staten Island: The short boat ride on the Staten Island Ferry across Hudson Bay offers spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty, making it an attraction in itself. Staten Island is an upmarket retreat for the city’s wealthier residents and also boasts a number of attractions, including the Staten Island Zoo (tel: (718) 442 3101; website: www.statenislandzoo.org), the Staten Island Children’s Museum (tel: (718) 271 2060) and the Snug Harbour Cultural Centre (tel: (718) 448 2500, website: www.snug-harbor.org). The historic settlement of Richmond offers a fascinating delve into 18th-century New York living. Ferries to Staten Island are free, run 24 hours a day and leave from Manhattan’s Battery Park. The Staten Island Tourism Council, One Edgewater Plaza, Whitehall Street and South Street (tel: (800) 573 7469) provides further information. |
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