A Place in Our Minds Where Summer Never Really Ended
Some places don’t simply entertain us.
They become part of our family’s story.
For generations of Cincinnati families, summer didn’t officially begin when school let out. It began with a drive, or better yet, a boat ride to Coney Island.
Long before smartphones, streaming services and endless digital distractions, the banks of the Ohio River echoed with the click of roller coasters climbing their first hills, the cheerful melodies of the carousel and the delighted squeals of children racing toward what seemed like the biggest swimming pool in the world. Parents unfolded lawn chairs. Teenagers laughed with friends beneath shady trees. Grandparents smiled as another generation discovered the same simple joys they had experienced decades earlier.
For well over a century, Coney Island wasn’t simply an amusement park.
It was a summertime tradition.
Its story began in 1886 when a former apple orchard along the Ohio River was transformed into Ohio Grove: The Coney Island of the West. What started as a peaceful picnic destination soon blossomed into one of the Midwest’s favorite amusement parks, drawing visitors by foot, streetcar (the first was horse-drawn in 1859), automobile and even steamboat.
In fact, for many Cincinnati families, the adventure began long before they reached the front gate.
Thousands arrived aboard the elegant Island Queen, the beloved excursion steamboat that cruised the Ohio River carrying eager passengers to Coney Island. Children leaned over the railings, watching the shoreline grow closer while parents soaked in the river breeze. As the park slowly came into view, anticipation grew with every passing minute. For many visitors, riding the Island Queen wasn’t simply transportation; it was part of the experience itself, creating memories that lasted just as long as the day spent inside the park.
Once through the gates, there was something for everyone.
Wooden roller coasters thundered overhead. The Ferris wheel lifted riders high above the river. Midways buzzed with games, laughter and the aroma of fresh popcorn and cotton candy. Moonlite Gardens welcomed dancers beneath the stars while families wandered from ride to ride, making memories they didn’t yet realize would last a lifetime.
Then came the attraction that would forever define Coney Island.
In 1925, the park unveiled Sunlite Pool, a swimming pool unlike anything most Americans had ever seen. Covering more than four acres, it was celebrated as the world’s largest recirculating swimming pool. Its towering diving platforms, enormous waterslides and crystal-clear water became the centerpiece of countless family vacations, birthday celebrations and carefree summer afternoons. For many Ohioans, learning to swim at Sunlite Pool became a rite of passage.
Like every great destination, however, Coney Island adapted with the times.
Repeated flooding along the Ohio River and limited room to expand led park owners to make a difficult decision. In 1969, the amusement park was sold, and many of its rides and much of its spirit found a new home when Kings Island opened in nearby Mason in 1972.
Many assumed that would be the end of Coney Island.
It wasn’t.
Sunlite Pool remained, eventually joined once again by family rides and attractions. While Kings Island became synonymous with towering roller coasters and record-breaking thrills, Coney Island embraced a different identity. It became the place where families gathered for a slower, simpler summer day. There was comfort in its familiarity. Parents introduced children to the same pool where they had once splashed as kids themselves.
Eventually, though, even cherished traditions evolve.
After the 2019 season, Coney Island permanently retired its amusement rides as attendance increasingly centered around Sunlite Pool and its water attractions. The park shifted its focus entirely to aquatic fun, allowing one final generation to create memories around the famous pool.
Then, in 2023, another chapter quietly came to a close.
Following its annual Nights of Lights holiday event, Coney Island permanently closed after the property was purchased by Music & Event Management Inc. (MEMI), an affiliate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Sunlite Pool closed with it, ending nearly a century of laughter, swimming lessons, family reunions and treasured summer traditions along the Ohio River.
The story of the property isn’t over.
Plans call for the site to become the new Farmer Music Center, a state-of-the-art entertainment campus adjacent to Riverbend Music Center. A new generation will gather there for concerts and special events, creating memories of their own while standing on ground that has welcomed families for nearly 140 years.
Still, ask almost anyone who grew up around Cincinnati about Coney Island, and chances are their eyes brighten before they begin telling a story.
Maybe it was conquering the high dive for the very first time.
Maybe it was sharing cotton candy while waiting in line for a favorite ride.
Maybe it was dancing at Moonlite Gardens, waving from the Island Queen, or spending an entire afternoon in the cool blue waters of Sunlite Pool.
The details may differ.
The feeling never does.
Places like Coney Island remind us that destinations don’t disappear when the gates close. They simply move from maps into memories, where every visitor becomes part of the story. And as long as those stories are told, Vacationland lives on.
Explore more Vacationland: Echoes of Ohio’s Nostalgic Destinations
By Frank Rocco Satullo, The OhioTraveler, Your Tour Guide to Fun
