Coney Island and Brighton Beach

Named Konijn Eiland (Rabbit Island) by the Dutch for its wild rabbit population, the Coney Island peninsula has a boardwalk, a 2.5-mi-long beach, amusement parks, and the New York Aquarium. Eating a Nathan's Famous hot dog (1310 Surf Ave., Coney Island) and strolling seaside has been a classic New York experience since 1916.

And then there are the freakish attractions at Sideshows by the Seashore and the Coney Island Museum, the heart-stopping plunge of the granddaddy of all roller coasters—the Cyclone —and the thwack of bats swung by the minor-league team the Cyclones at MCU Park. The area's banner day is the raucous Mermaid Parade, held in June. A fireworks display lights up the sky Friday nights from late June through Labor Day.

A pleasant stroll down the boardwalk is Brighton Beach, named after Britain's longstanding beach resort. In the early 1900s Brighton Beach was a resort in its own right, with seaside hotels that catered to rich Manhattan families visiting for the summer. Since the 1970s and '80s Brighton Beach has been known for its 100,000 Soviet émigrés.

To get to the heart of "Little Odessa" from Coney Island, walk about a mile east along the boardwalk to Brighton 1st Place, then head up to Brighton Beach Avenue. To get here from Manhattan directly, take the B or Q train to the Brighton Beach stop; the trip takes about an hour.