Rye Playland: A Westchester Family Amusement Park Since the Early 1900s

Finding an amusement park and beach so near New York City drew me to Rye Playland. I made my adventure to Playland on a 95-degree Friday afternoon with another mom friend and our 4-year-old kids, mine a girl and hers a boy. We planned to split the day between the pool, beach, and amusement park, but our plans were immediately altered when we realized the pool and beach were not included in the $20-$30 admission (dependent on height) to Playland. This was a disappointment, but we made the best of it and opted to stay at the amusement park for the full day. There were enough rides to keep us occupied all afternoon and into the early evening.

Kiddyland at Rye Playland

We began our day in Kiddyland, which is just to the left as you enter the park. This cute area is filled with more than 20 adorable rides for young children, mostly requiring a 36-inch height minimum. Guardians are allowed to accompany children who don't meet the height requirement on several of the rides. Our kids loved the Flying Dragon and the Antique Cars. The Fun Slide and the Red Baron were also big hits.

Following our adventure in Kiddyland, we were just in time to join an adorable dance party happening under a tent in an area between Kiddyland and the rest of the park. It was led by someone in a dragon costume and a very charismatic ring leader. The kids talked a lot about the dance party on the way home--clearly this scored big points with them.

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Playland Rides, Old and New

We cooled off after the dance party with slurpees, and topped off our sugar break with delicious funnel cakes. Then we headed to the main part of the park for the bigger rides. As we made our way through the park, I really enjoyed the gorgeous Art Deco architecture and several plaques showing the history of the rides and photos from Playland in the1930s. Rye Playland still operates seven original rides that date back to the early 1900s! The Dragon Coaster, built in 1929, is such a part of the park’s identity that it is incorporated into the Playland logo. Unfortunately our kids weren't tall enough to enjoy this ride, so we didn't get to experience it. It did look fun, though.

They were tall enough to enjoy a spin on the Grand Carousel. This ride was built in 1915 and has four rows with 48 jumping horses, 18 still horses, and three chariots, all hand-carved. Although the kids loved it as a ride, I may have enjoyed it more as a spectator and lover of carousels.

Another original ride we experienced was The Whip, which basically does what its name implies: whips you back and forth. This ride had our kids roaring with laughter, but I have to admit, it wasn’t my favorite ride, personally. After the Whip we rode on another classic, this one from 1928, the Kiddie Coaster. Although a little jarring, it was fun, and of course the kids thought it was great.

Our favorite rides of all were probably the more modern ones. We loved the Log Flume, which is a traditional log ride that brings you to the top of a hill then drops you down a 1,150-foot chute filled with water. Another fun water ride is the Playland Plunge: You’re guaranteed to get soaked on this one as you drop 50 feet into a pool and make a massive splash. If you’re still looking to get wet you are welcome to stand on the bridge as you exit and get an extra splash from the next car.