I’d never made it to Coney Island in the three and a half years I lived on the east coast, so when I went back to NYC for a few days in September, I decided to make it happen.

The season was over, so the entire part was completely deserted—except for the few people working on the rides. The boardwalk, on the other hand, was packed.

While I’m sure the rides would have been fun to see, I’m actually glad I went when everything was deserted—it makes it a little more real, if that makes sense. A bit creepy, more than a bit run-down, it felt like I’d stepped back in time.

Well worth the train from Manhattan.