Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Connecticut Bridgeport Pleasure Beach

Pleasure Beach

The once abandoned ruins of a Victorian beachside amusement park are now back in working order.

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Added By
pumaliontiger
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
  alisonrodriguez / Atlas Obscura User
  alisonrodriguez / Atlas Obscura User
  TheKopasClan / Atlas Obscura User
  TheKopasClan / Atlas Obscura User
  TheKopasClan / Atlas Obscura User
  TheKopasClan / Atlas Obscura User
  TheKopasClan / Atlas Obscura User
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

On June 16, 1996, a fire destroyed the only bridge leading from the mainland to a peninsular barrier beach jutting between Long Island Sound and the salt marshes of Bridgeport and Stratford, Connecticut. Access to the peninsula became limited to either hiking from a parking lot in Stratford or by boating from Bridgeport.

The line dividing the two towns runs through the peninsula. The Stratford portion, called Long Beach West, was once home to a number of seasonal cottages which were demolished in 2010. The western end of the peninsula, called Pleasure Beach, is owned by Bridgeport.

Pleasure Beach was originally an amusement park founded in 1892. Steam ferries transported merrymakers across the Lewis Gut to the park, where they could ride the rollercoaster, play carnival games, or grab the brass ring on the carousel (the horses of which now run the backstretch at nearby Beardsley Zoo). Bridgeport purchased the land in 1919 and took control of the park in 1937. The park was bankrupt by the 1960s and had become a scene of drug use by the 1980s, although the shore itself was still used by beachgoers at the time of the fire.

In 2009 the buildings housing the carousel and bumper cars were demolished by order of the city fire department. At the time, urbexers could still investigate the badly vandalized pavilion, weedy parking lot, Polka Dot Theater, and several smaller buildings.

In 2010 the city received a $1.9 million federal appropriation to clean up the beach, build or upgrade docks and infrastructure, and purchase a pair of water taxis. In 2014, the water taxis began operating for the summer. A new paved walkway leads from the dock to the restored pavilion, and the boardwalk to the beach (parts of which had been destroyed by fire) has been repaired. About half of the parking lot has been replaced by grass and picnic tables. The surrounding woods and weeds are thick with turkeys, rabbits, and foxes, while in summer, ospreys ride the thermals overhead. Sections of the dunes are fenced off to protect nesting piping plovers.

Related Tags

Abandoned Abandoned Amusement Parks Amusement Parks Ruins Beaches

Know Before You Go

As of February 2018, there is no entrance to Pleasure Beach other than to walk from Long Beach Park in Stratford. The bridge that used to connect the mainland of Bridgeport to this outlet has been burned and is no longer in use. You can find parking at Long Beach, followed by a 1.8-mile walk to your destination. This will take about 35 minutes. Once you've walked most of the way, bear to the right and you'll eventually come across an old paved road that will take you straight to the entrance.

Be advised, there is security equipment once you arrive to Pleasure Beach (mainly security cameras attached to buildings and electric towers.) This path is frequently monitored by the City of Bridgeport via these systems. It is also highly suggested that you travel in a group for your safety if you decide to go due to the seclusion from populated areas and response time for any medical or law enforcement help.

The carousel has been demolished and all that remains is the theater (yellow octagon building) and the wooden pavilion. You can’t walk to many of the abandoned buildings as they are in a conservation area and there are huge fines, especially during endangered bird breeding months.

Community Contributors

Added By

pumaliontiger

Edited By

Jackson Kuhl, e1savage, missingfilm, TheKopasClan...

  • Jackson Kuhl
  • e1savage
  • missingfilm
  • TheKopasClan
  • alisonrodriguez

Published

February 20, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasure_Beach
  • http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Finch-Fire-officials-had-role-in-Pleasure-Beach-24482.php
  • http://www.connecticutmag.com/Blogs/On-Connecticut/August-2010/No-Fun-at-Pleasure-Beach/
  • http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/New-plan-for-Pleasure-Beach-4621848.php
Pleasure Beach
Pleasure Beach
Bridgeport, Connecticut, 06607
United States
41.163442, -73.16663
Get Directions

Nearby Places

P.T. Barnum Museum

Bridgeport, Connecticut

miles away

Remington Shot Tower

Bridgeport, Connecticut

miles away

Zaffis Museum of the Paranormal

Stratford, Connecticut

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bridgeport

Bridgeport

Connecticut

Places 8
Stories 3

Nearby Places

P.T. Barnum Museum

Bridgeport, Connecticut

miles away

Remington Shot Tower

Bridgeport, Connecticut

miles away

Zaffis Museum of the Paranormal

Stratford, Connecticut

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Bridgeport

Bridgeport

Connecticut

Places 8
Stories 3

Related Places

  • Hamburg, New Jersey

    The Gingerbread Castle

    Once in a state of dilapidation, this candy-inspired fortress is now being revived.

  • A tiger in Jungle Habitat.

    West Milford, New Jersey

    Jungle Habitat

    This disastrous New Jersey safari park saw animal attacks, escapes, and disease before being abandoned.

  • The swing ride

    Rock, West Virginia

    Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

    This abandoned amusement park was built on a site with a dark history.

  • New Orleans, Louisiana

    Abandoned Jazzland

    A theme park that suffered massive flooding during Katrina was abandoned, and now proves irresistible to trespassing explorers.

  • Lancaster, South Carolina

    Springs Park

    A nearly century-old amusement park is quietly decaying in a riverside forest in South Carolina.

  • Nikko, Japan

    Abandoned Western Village

    This western-themed amusement park is host to a large number of decaying animatronic cowboys.

  • Ōsaki, Japan

    Kejonuma Leisure Land

    A quaint amusement park now sits, rusting and forgotten among the foliage.

  • The park was built in 1980, and has a few of the decade’s icons still on hand.

    Seoul, South Korea

    Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park

    Plenty of old carney magic still haunts this photogenic amusement park.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.