Fodor's Expert Review Mermaid Parade

Plan a trip to Coney Island in mid to late June for the neighborhood's biggest event of the year, and you'll without a doubt have something to talk about for months to come. The costumes (or lack thereof) and floats are memorable, with some pretty outlandish presentations. It can get hot and crowded and hedonistic—more akin to Mardi Gras, with some nudity, than the Thanksgiving Parade, so you may wish to leave the kids at home.