Seabreeze Amusement Park facts for kids

Seabreeze Amusement Park, often called Seabreeze, is a really old amusement park in Irondequoit, a town near Rochester, New York. It's one of only 13 trolley parks still open in the United States.

Seabreeze is located in northeast Irondequoit, right where Irondequoit Bay meets Lake Ontario. It first opened on August 5, 1879. The National Amusement Park Historical Association says it's the twelfth-oldest operating amusement park in the world, and the fourth-oldest in the United States! Its most famous ride is the Jack Rabbit, a classic "out and back" roller coaster. It's the fourth-oldest operating roller coaster in the world, opening in 1920. The Norris family owns and runs the park, and many of them have lived there for a long time.

Park History: A Fun Journey Through Time

Seabreeze Amusement Park started as Sea Breeze Grove on August 5, 1879. The first visitors arrived by train on the new Rochester & Lake Ontario Railroad. This train line was built just to bring people from Rochester to the park. It was super popular right away!

Back then, the park didn't have rides. Instead, it had beautiful gardens with walking paths. There was a pavilion for snacks and cigars, a dancing area, and picnic spots. The park was on a pretty cliff, and people loved the views and cool lake breezes. They enjoyed concerts and vaudeville shows. There was even a baseball field for local teams and picnickers. The park was so popular that a local pastor joked that the trains to Sea Breeze were full, but churches were empty! So, they started holding church services in a tent at the park. This way, people could enjoy Sea Breeze and still go to church.

A hotel called the Pavilion Hotel was built in 1885 for entertainment. It only lasted three seasons before a fire destroyed it. But the Bay Railroad didn't give up! They built a new Pavilion Hotel in 1888. It had a big dining area with a stage for shows and special events.

The very first amusement rides weren't actually inside the park itself. They were in the area around it. In 1886, a man named Joseph Stahley built a roller coaster. Another person, Frank Moore, had a carousel by the lake. People traveled to Sea Breeze by train or steamboat all day long.

A sad train accident in 1899 caused the Rochester & Lake Ontario Railroad to go bankrupt. A new company, the Rochester & Suburban Railway Company, took over in 1900. They updated the railroad to an electric trolley line. They also improved the park. Free shows happened daily, bringing thousands of people to the already popular park. The new company let other businesses set up shops in the park. In 1901, Sea Breeze Grove was renamed Sea Breeze Park, starting a new period of growth.

The first permanent ride, a Figure 8 roller coaster, was added in 1903. Other new fun things that year included a laughing gallery with funny mirrors and a small zoo. In 1904, George Long, Sr. brought his family's carousel to Sea Breeze. In 1906, a Circle Swing ride opened near the hotel. The Figure 8 roller coaster was removed in 1915. A new, faster coaster called the Dips was built.

In 1919, a nearby park called Ontario Beach Park closed. So, Seabreeze worked hard to become a huge and famous amusement center. They added new rides, fixed up the grounds, and updated everything. In 1920, a water ride called the Old Mill opened. The famous Jack Rabbit roller coaster also opened that year. A huge outdoor dance hall called Dreamland was built. There was also a new miniature railroad for kids. These new attractions were a big hit, and record numbers of people came to the park.

In 1921, a thrilling new ride called the Virginia Reel was built. A modern Circle Swing ride called the Airplane Swing opened. There was also a cool bumper car ride called Dodgem. In 1922, a Whip ride was added. A fun-house under Dreamland called Hilarity Hall also opened. By 1923, the park was known as "The Park of Rides" because it kept adding so many new attractions.

On the night of August 26-27, 1923, a fire started in the Old Mill ride. The south end of the park burned down. The Old Mill, Dreamland Dance Hall, Hilarity Hall, and part of the Jack Rabbit roller coaster were lost. Huge crowds came the next weekend to see the ruins. But crews had already started cleaning up! By 1924, the burned parts of the park were rebuilt. A new dance hall, Danceland, was built next to the Jack Rabbit. The Old Mill was rebuilt, and a Caterpillar ride was also added.

One of the most interesting attractions was the Natatorium. This was a giant saltwater swimming pool built at the south end of the park. The water was heated to 72 degrees. It was salted to feel like the Atlantic Ocean. The water was also cleaned using special lights and filters. The pool area had clean locker rooms with 6,500 free lockers. There were 800 changing booths, showers, and toilets. A stage at one end hosted shows. The other end had a restaurant and a lounge. The pool could hold 5,000 swimmers at once! It was run by Charlotte Boyle Clune, an Olympic swimming champion from 1920. She and her team offered swimming lessons and diving shows. They were known for how safe their pool was.

Rides and Attractions: Fun for Everyone!

Today, Seabreeze has many exciting rides. Besides the famous Jack Rabbit and the beautiful Carousel, there's a spinning roller coaster called "The Whirlwind." The park also has a "Raging Rivers" water park and many other modern and classic amusement rides.

The Quantum Loop roller coaster was built but removed in 2003 because many people didn't like it. The Whirlwind coaster replaced it in 2004. The Revolution 360 opened in 2010. In 2014, the Wave Swinger opened. It used to be called the Yo-Yo and Great Balloon Race.

Dry Rides: Thrills and Family Fun

Thrilling Rides

• Time Machine: This spinning gondola ride opened in 2017.
• Jack Rabbit: A wooden roller coaster that opened in 1920. It has a 7-story drop, several hills, and a dip inside a dark tunnel.
• Whirlwind: A steel spinning roller coaster. It opened in 2004, replacing the Quantum Loop. The ride starts with a 5-story drop and then spins through turns and loops.
• Log Flume: One of the oldest log flume rides in the country! It has a very steep drop that gives you a fun "airtime" feeling.
• Bobsleds: A unique roller coaster with wood supports and a steel track. It has short drops and flat turns.
• Music Express: A fast ride that spins you around with strong side-to-side forces.
• Wave Swinger: A classic swing ride that spins you high in the air.
• Revolution 360: A U-shaped ride where a spinning vehicle goes up and down the sides.
• Sea Dragon: A big swinging ship ride that swings back and forth.
• Screamin' Eagle: A ride that flips you upside down! It opened in 1998.
• Bumper Cars: A classic bumper car ride where you can crash into your friends!

Family Rides

• Great Balloon Race: A tower ride that slowly goes up and down. The spinning gondolas orbit around the tower. It opened in 2014.
• Carousel: A beautiful carousel that opened in 1996. The original one burned down in 1994.
• Twirlin' Tea Cups: A ride with spinning "tea cups" that you can make spin faster yourself. It opened in 2011.
• Train: A children's train that travels under the Log Flume, over bridges, and through tunnels. It opened in 1974.
• Seabreeze Flyers: A ride where you can control your height in the air using rudders. It opened in 1979.
• Tilt-a-Whirl: A classic ride with spinning carts on a moving platform. It was updated in 2015 and is now green and purple. It opened in 1976.
• The Spring!: A small drop tower ride that bounces you up and down. It opened in 2003.

Kiddie Rides

• Bear Trax: A family roller coaster that's perfect for younger kids. Adults can ride with a child.
• Barnstormers: An airplane ride where kids can control how high they fly. It opened in 1955.
• T-Birds: Miniature 1955 Ford T-Birds that travel on a track.
• Star Rockets: A ride where two children sit back-to-back and fly in a circle.
• Flying Turtles: A unique small roller coaster that goes in circles over bumps.
• Kiddie Boats: Four small boats that travel in a circle around a pool.
• Kiddie Swings: A smaller version of the Wave Swinger, just for kids.

Waterpark: Raging Rivers

• The Wave: A wave pool with big waves that crash every ten minutes. It holds over 260,000 gallons of water!
• Helix: A bowl waterslide that spins you around like you're getting "flushed down a toilet."
• Soak Zone: A water playground with sprayers, water cannons, and a giant bucket that dumps water every few minutes.
• Hydro Racer: A four-lane racing waterslide where you slide headfirst on a mat.
• Riptide Tube Slide: A fun tube slide with turns and dips.
• Vortex: Another tube slide, but this one is enclosed and green/blue.
• Looney Lagoon: A water play area in the middle of the Lazy River. It has small slides and a water mushroom.
• Lazy River: Relax and float along a slow-moving water channel on an inflatable tube. Watch out for water surprises!

All of Seabreeze's lifeguards are highly trained. They have monthly "safety audits" to make sure they are ready for any rescue. The park even uses a special doll named "Timmy" that looks like a drowning child to test the lifeguards!

Food Services: Yummy Treats!

• Seabreeze Grill: Serves hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, fries, and salads.
• California Grill: Located in the waterpark, serving hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, and slush puppies.
• Waffle Stand: Famous for Seabreeze waffles, fried dough, and funnel cake fries.
• Summertime Treats: Offers slush puppies, nachos, ice cream, popcorn, and candy.
• Walk-away Tacos & Subs: Serves tacos, empanadas, submarine sandwiches, and salads.
• Chicken & Fries: Has fresh-cut fries, boneless buffalo wings, and chicken fingers.
• Expressway: A spot for mix-your-own slush puppies, ice cream, and snacks.
• Pizza & More: Serves pizza slices, cheese sticks, cookies, and salads.
• Sprinkles: Offers soft ice cream, sundaes, shakes, and floats.
• Dippin' Dots: Two locations for these tiny, frozen ice cream beads.

Shows, Shops & More

• Cirque En Vol: A fun show to watch.
• Gift Shop: Where you can buy souvenirs.
• Carousel Museum: Learn about the history of carousels.
• Fun and Games: Play carnival games to win prizes.
• Arcade: Play video games and other arcade classics.
• Seabreeze Surf Co.: A shop for beach-themed items.

Former Rides and Attractions: What Used to Be Here

Over the years, Seabreeze has had many different rides. Here are some that are no longer at the park:

• WipeOut!: Twin racing waterslides.
• Radical Run: A body slide that was part of the Bermuda Triangle.
• Gyrosphere: An indoor ride with laser effects and music. It was replaced by Music Express.
• Banzai Pipeline: A 5-story drop body waterslide. It was replaced by Hydro Racer.
• Zoom Flume: Another body slide from the Bermuda Triangle.
• Bermuda Triangle: A group of three body slides that twisted around each other.
• Yo-Yo: A swing ride that spun chairs in circles. It was replaced by Wave Swinger.
• Crazy Cups: An older version of the Tea Cups ride. It was replaced by Twirl'in Tea Cups.
• Flying Scooters: An earlier version of the current Seabreeze Flyers.
• Quantum Loop: A steel roller coaster with two loops. It was removed in 2003 and replaced by Whirlwind.
• Greyhound: A wooden roller coaster that opened in 1916 as "Dips." The building for the Bumper Cars used to be its loading station.
• Figure Eight: Seabreeze's very first roller coaster, opened in 1903. It was removed in 1915.
• Wild Cat: A wooden roller coaster that operated from 1926 to 1935.
• Bunny Rabbit: A kiddie roller coaster that operated from 1985 to 1996. It was replaced by Bear Trax.
• Round up: A circular ride that used G-forces to stick riders to the wall as it tilted.
• Paratrooper: A circular ride with swinging gondolas that spun at an angle.
• Ghost Train: A spooky ride with carts that moved past low-light scenes. It was destroyed in the 1994 fire.

The Jack Rabbit: A Roller Coaster Legend

The Jack Rabbit is a famous "out and back" wooden roller coaster at Seabreeze. It opened in 1920. It's the fourth-oldest operating roller coaster in the world! It's also the second-oldest in the USA. It is America's oldest roller coaster that has been running continuously since it opened.