Palisades and Asbury Amusement Parks

[MADHAT1]

I went to Olympic Park many times in the 50's & early 60's. I grew up in Linden and went there just about every summer. I did go to the World's Fair in NY in 1964 and again in 1965. I only went to Palisade's once and Rye Beach once. I think I went to Rye in 1960. I went to Palisade's probably in about 1965 or so. I went to Asbury several times with my parents.

Darn we probably passed by each other at Olympic park at one time or another in the late 50s/early 60s.
I also went to Rye Beach in 1960, on a school outing.
Worlds Fair in 64, Coney Island a few times back in the day
Went to Asbury a few times. Also went to Steel Pier in AC as a kid with my parents .
Never went to Palisades .

 

[zappaa]

All this time I thought you to be a young pup Madhat.:)[cheers]

 

[RUBigJ]

I went to Palisades Park, Asbury Park. Bertrain's Island and the New York World's Fair probably several times.

 

[zappaa]

Palisades Amusement Park swings all day and after dark.
Ride the coaster get cool in the waves at the pool
You'll have fun, so come on over, you only need a dime.

 

[virginiaru]

Worlds Fair and Asbury Park. I was raised in Monmouth County and had countless visits as a child and a teen to Asbury. As a small child I remember a place on the boardwalk (towards the Casino) called I believe Soda City. It had a number of soda machines with different flavors, all delivered in the little paper cones. (no doubt a much smaller place than I remember as six year old). As a teen I used to ride with friends the circuit going up and down Ocean Ave. and Kingsley (?). a la American Grafitti.

 

[beaced]

I went to Olympic Park many times in the 50's & early 60's. I grew up in Linden and went there just about every summer. I did go to the World's Fair in NY in 1964 and again in 1965. I only went to Palisade's once and Rye Beach once. I think I went to Rye in 1960. I went to Palisade's probably in about 1965 or so. I went to Asbury several times with my parents.

 

[beaced]

Rye Beach was the setting for the end of BIG with Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins on the boardwalk saying goodbye.I recognized it instantly.When I was 5-6 years old I went to a private school in Harrison,NY,The Kohut School for Boys. We took an outing to Rye beach one time and it just stuck in my memory bank.

 

[jmg75]

Several "Altar Boy" trips to Palisades Park (entrance + $5.00 spending money lasted all day) and many hitch-hiking trips down the GSP to Asbury Park. Concerts at the Conv. Center, also $5.00; Chicago Transit Auth, Iron Butterfly, Rascals and a few more. I feel sorry for kids today. Those concerts would be $105.00.

Wow. Altar Boy trips. Brings back a lot of memories. We made several trips to Palisades Park and the World's Fair, and quite a few to Shea Stadium.

Grew up five miles south of Asbury Park, so I spent a lot of time there. Loved it as a kid. Like several other posters, I went to quite a few concerts at Convention Hall and several of the other theaters. (St. James maybe). Also played High School basketball in Convention Hall. It was cold, drafty and the floor had a million dead spots, but we loved it. The annual Christmas Tournament was a great time.

Cooked hamburgers in a boardwalk joint (Barbara Jean's) for several summers. Asbury Park was a great towwhen we were kids. Glad to see it come back a little.

 

[RUwilsonNC]

Yup - Palisades, Olympic and Asbury Park. World's Fair in 1965. Saw some good concerts in Asbury Park. Deep Purple, West,Bruce & Lang, Humble Pie, Ian Hunter among others.
One of my most memorable concerts was at Seton Hall in the mid 70s (?). Went to see Mott the Hoople and there was this back up band called Aerosmith - they stole the show.
And don't forget Bowcraft on Rt.22 (lame in comparison of course - but worth a mention)

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

And don't forget Bowcraft on Rt.22 (lame in comparison of course - but worth a mention)

Bowcraft??? That is still around, I haven't been to it since the late 1990's I want to say 1999. Last time I went was just for the Arcade.

Also don't forget Keansburg Amusement Park , the poor man's Asbury Park.

and Seaside Heights which had a ton of Arcades.

 

[MSRU71]

Or the wild mouse, as kids we all heard the stories of people being launched off the cyclone and falling to their death, I was scared out of my wits of it.

Zappaa, How's this for a memory. Saturdays at Rizzuto-Berra Lanes in Clifton, sipping YOO HOO and hoping your dad would stop in.

 

[ho26rus]

Re Bowcraft
5-6 years ago I was taking my kids there
Maybe not Palisades but 20 good and 2 great rides for the 6-9 old range
Drove by it the other day and its still up and running

 

[RU Husky]

Went to Palisades Park in 1951 as a reward for being a student school crossing guard ( must have been a thousand of us there that day). Our family summered in Bradley Beach in the early '50s and we would walk on the boardwalk thru Ocen Grove to Asbury at least once a week. Years later I returned to Asbury with my kids for the kiddie rides. My father also had a business which served accounts in Asbury and I would often assist my Dad. I loved watching the early morning sunrise.

I also remember taking a field trip in high school to the beautiful Paramount Theater in Asbury to see Ben Hur.

 

[RU-Kidding]

Saw Dickie Betts and Great Southern at Eagle Rock Reservation, West Orange for a free concert circa 1977. The crowd was estimated at 25-30,000. John Sher was the promoter.

 

[megadrone]

Asbury Park, Seaside Heights, and my birthday trip was always to Bowcraft. Never went to Palisades Park -- it closed when I was 6.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Just noticed Bertand Island (Lake Hopatcong) used as a location in "Purple Rose of Cairo".

 

[beaced]

Used to go the the Monte Carlo Salt Water Pool in Asbury Park.Back in the late '50's.

 

[RUBand]

Remember going to Asbury with my parents when I was in grade school There was a gas powered car ride (can seat one or two people), you steered within an enclosed track, wood boundries, about a foot space on each side, was a blast.

 

[rutger80]

Went to the World's Fair in 64 and 65.
Never went to any of the above mentioned parks, but did go on an end of year trip for student crossing guards to Atlantic City. Got to see the diving horse on the Steel Pier and I believe, an old soul group, the Chi-Lites.

 

[RutgersMO]

Besides me, who can say they went to both?
Such a great childhood memory for me!

Does Olympic Park count?

MO
PS Was just in Asbury early July...convention brought back a lot of memories.

 

[SkilletHead2]

As a kid growing up in places like Zanesville, Ohio, and Downers Grove, Illinois, Palisades Park was just an ad in Superman comics. We weren't even sure it was a real place.

 

[RU#1fan]

Rye Beach was the setting for the end of BIG with Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins on the boardwalk saying goodbye.I recognized it instantly.When I was 5-6 years old I went to a private school in Harrison,NY,The Kohut School for Boys. We took an outing to Rye beach one time and it just stuck in my memory bank.

I too remember trips to Rye Playland. Going to high school in Westchester County this was our local amusement park.

 

[zappaa]

As a kid growing up in places like Zanesville, Ohio, and Downers Grove, Illinois, Palisades Park was just an ad in Superman comics. We weren't even sure it was a real place.

We would drive thru Ohio every summer on our way to Missouri. I remember my mom stopping with my brothers and I at State fairs. Ohio is legendary in the State Fair department!
Weird animals, bearded ladies, two headed snakes, Amazon woman....my god, the memories....amazing what we Americans did back in the 60s

 

[RU Husky]

Our high school senior class trip in 1961 was to Rye Beach. Left and returned at a pier in either Linden or Elizabeth. Went across NY Harbor and up the East River . Some rowdies threw some deck chairs and teachers' belongings overboard on the trip back and that put an end to that annual ritual at WHS. Also remember a thunderstorm making the return trip interesting.

 

[Erney2EY]

Don't forget Olympic Park in Maplewood!!! I think it was Maplewood.... Over 50 years ago... I remember the Mouse roller coaster.What fun!!

 

[ho26rus]

As a kid growing up in places like Zanesville, Ohio, and Downers Grove, Illinois, Palisades Park was just an ad in Superman comics. We weren't even sure it was a real place.

As I remember those Superman comics also had a 3 frame cartoon of a guy, with girlfriend, having sand kicked in his face on the beach. Then after reading Charles Atlas book , in 2 weeks, was transformed into weight lifters body.

 

[SkilletHead2]

We would drive thru Ohio every summer on our way to Missouri. I remember my mom stopping with my brothers and I at State fairs. Ohio is legendary in the State Fair department!
Weird animals, bearded ladies, two headed snakes, Amazon woman....my god, the memories....amazing what we Americans did back in the 60s

Ah, the old neighbourhood!

 

[RUDutch]

Anybody remember the Steeplechase ride at Coney Island. It was sort of a carousel horse on a track that went on the top of the building. I was too young to go alone but I remember riding it double with my dad. No way could they get liability insurance for such a ride now.

 

[ho26rus]

Anybody remember the Steeplechase ride at Coney Island. It was sort of a carousel horse on a track that went on the top of the building. I was too young to go alone but I remember riding it double with my dad. No way could they get liability insurance for such a ride now.

I remember something like that.
I was there the other day with some friends from Europe. They have a few pretty good adult rides

All in all , cleaner, more organized parking wise, and I suspect a lot safer


Going back some was a great ride at Seaside. It was a wild mouse on the pier and when it was on one side it felt like you were going over the side, then steadied

Now we have rides , at 6 flags, like kingdom Ka that scare the hell out me just watching

You can add Dorney Park to list of parks that have improved over time

 

[RutgersMO]

Don't forget Olympic Park in Maplewood!!! I think it was Maplewood.... Over 50 years ago... I remember the Mouse roller coaster.What fun!!

Yeah...I mentioned that earlier. I LOVED that park. Some kind of mini roller coaster (wild ride) ....loved it as a kid (hate it as an adult).

We had to take a bus to get there....I was 5-6 and begged my father to get a car: result- he learned how to drive at 46 (he was originally from Eastern Europe) / we got a car within the year.

MO

 

[OntheBanks]

Palisades, Keansburg & Asbury Park a number of times as a kid. Took my kids to Bowcraft on Rt 22 once or twice.
Oh, in Asbury Park there was a arcade that contained a machine that you could put your name on a round piece of metal and the example on the machine actually had my name on it. It was there when I was a kid and still there years later when I brought my kids.

 

[ruhudsonfan]

I'm a little young for most of these parks, but just wanted to say great thread.