There's No Place Like Home (or Coney Island)

by Elaine Chernov

The local colloquialism.

BROOKLYN, NY – Sometimes the best part of traveling is coming home. A reader story.

FIND IT

Coney Island
1208 Surf Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11224

Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs
1310 Surf Ave. & 1129 Boardwalk Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11224

At the center of the amusement park is the world-famous Wonder Wheel, a New York City Landmark built in 1920.

A mix of family-owned food institutions, new arcades, and boardwalk drink kiosks make for good strolling.

From the 1880's until World War II, Coney Island was the largest amusement area in the United States.

It began attracting Manhattanites in the 1830s, when carriage roads and steamships reduced travel time to just two hours.

The Boardwalk links the excitement of Coney's amusements and the sweeping calm of beach and ocean. You can see all the rides from here.

It's funny how being on foreign soil can make you long for your own sandy shore. Elaine Chernov, a Fathom reader, shares her rose-colored photographs of homecoming day.

A trip to the Middle East — my first solo adventure — went a bit awry when I had all my important belongings stolen while camping in the Negev Desert. After a challenging recovery period, and a new passport from the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, things picked up. I finished the trip on borrowed money, coupled with a lot of fist-shaking at the desert's nomadic tribes.

After about 20 hours in transit, I made it to New York City with a one-day layover before my final leg to Chicago. Friends picked me up and spent the day re-assimilating me into American culture by way of Coney Island. I'd been there before on a spring break trip in college, but the park had been closed for the last several years. This visit coincided with the reopening of Luna Park. I took it as a sign.

After some classic American fare, namely a Dunkin' Donuts coffee and a Nathan's Famous hot dog, I took a few snapshots while relishing the sunshine. Surrounded by carnival games and Puerto Rican families, it couldn't feel more like home. After a thrilling ride on the rickety, American flag-topped Cyclone, I finally breathed a sign of relief.

As much as I love traveling, I have a new appreciation for home.

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