April 22, 2005 - Visitors looking to experience Brooklyn's world famous Coney Island will now be able to do so via Gray Line New York Sightseeing's Day Trip. Visitors will experience the exciting attractions, amusement park thrill rides, the boardwalk, the ocean, and famous hot dogs!
Discovered by the Dutch in 1609, Coney Island's boardwalk opened in 1923, and the world's most famous roller coaster, The Cyclone, opened in 1927. Visitors can stroll on miles of beach, take pictures with 10,000 animals at New York Aquarium, not to mention many restaurants and shops to satisfy every taste.
The daytrip on deluxe motorcoaches are available daily, April through September. Departing from Gray Line's flagship Visitors Center located at 777 8th Avenue (between 47th & 48th Streets), tickets are $59 for adults and $47 for children, which include roundtrip transportation, admission to Astroland with an unlimited use wristband including The Cyclone, admission to New York Aquarium, a ride on Deno's Wonder Wheel and a VIP Super Savers Booklet providing special discounts to Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, Nathan's Restaurant, sideshows and souvenir shops.
"I am delighted at the opportunity to bring our visitors to historic Coney Island with all the sights and thrills," said Thomas Lewis, President of Gray Line New York Sightseeing, "It is a fun day trip that visitors and metro New York residents will certainly remember long after they leave the boardwalk."
"I'm proud that Gray Line Tours has realized what Brooklynites have known for decades: that Coney Island is truly the most exciting and inviting urban beach in America," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "And with Coney Island's resurgence adding to Brooklyn's tourism boom, I foresee a day when Gray Line will organize day trips from Brooklyn to the outer borough of Manhattan."
"Coney Island has a rich history for good reason," said Dr. Paul Boyle, Director of the New York Aquarium. "It's an amazing scene! The beach is beautiful – a vista onto the Atlantic. The historic Boardwalk has inspired movies, songs, and generations of entertainment. Today, the Aquarium is full of delightful, mysterious, and fascinating animals, and a ride on the Wonder Wheel or Cyclone will get your heart pumping. Coney Island is a great family experience."
Editor's Notes:
Gray Line has been operating sightseeing and ground transportation services since 1926, offering everything from daily tours to special event planning, and is one of the largest bus operators in the region.
Gray Line New York Sightseeing is a Stagecoach Group company, of Perth, Scotland. Stagecoach Group is a leading international transportation group, with operations in the UK, the USA, Canada and New Zealand. The Group's businesses, which include bus, train, tram, express coach, and ferry operations, operate around 16,000 vehicles and rolling stock and employ around 30,000 people. In the UK, Stagecoach is one of the biggest bus operators and also runs the largest rail franchise, South West Trains. Formed in 1980, the company floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1993 and now has an annual turnover of around £1.3 billion.
