My favourite human created place in North America is Coney Island. It is first on my list whenever I am in New York City. It holds a certain eccentic mystique and I feel like I have stepped back in time when I visit. I can feel the ghosts of Coney Island's heyday embedded in the boardwalk and gaudy flashing lights. If you want to listen to a great song about Coney Island check out this . It captures a sadness that the place holds and memories of happier times that are gone. Whenever I am there I think of the man in the song and imagine I have stepped back in time to a more innocent era. I try to feel what sleeping on the beach would have been like. There is a proper Vaudeville style sideshow complete with real life "freaks" on Coney Island. The Zoltar that was featured in the movie "Big" is at Coney Island and it still works, you can get your fortune from it! The rides are classic and so are the Carnies and nothing beats a giant lobster sandwich while gazing out to the open Atlantic ocean from the big sandy beach. I recommend the 45 minute commute on the F train, it's a great escape.