Upstate New York has been quietly sitting on one of the country’s oldest amusement parks for well over a century, and this summer it just gave people a brand new reason to make the trip. 🌊
Seabreeze Amusement Park, tucked along the shores of Lake Ontario in Irondequoit just outside Rochester, has debuted Reef Runners, a first-of-its-kind dueling family waterslide that’s the only one of its kind anywhere in the Northeast.
Here’s everything worth knowing about the new ride, the historic park it just landed in, and whether it’s worth the drive from the city.
Race your friends down the Northeast’s first dual family waterslide
Standing 50 feet tall with more than 1,000 feet of slide, Reef Runners is the largest single investment in Seabreeze’s 146-year history, and it’s the first attraction of its kind anywhere in the Northeast.
Two riders climb into their own figure-eight inner tube and race side by side down a chute packed with quick drops, high speed corners, rally points, saucers, and enclosed sections nicknamed “hives,” with up to four guests launching at once across both lanes.
Every twist sends riders in a different direction than the one before, so no two trips down feel exactly the same, and it all ends in a splashy run-out basin at the bottom.
It’s built for nearly everyone, with single and double tube options and a minimum height requirement of 42 inches, so most families can jump in and start racing right away.
Built by ProSlide Technology, a Seabreeze partner of more than 35 years, and standing as the only dueling racer slide of its kind in the Northeast, this is the only spot in the entire region where you can turn a water ride into a genuine head-to-head competition.
A park with more history than almost anywhere else in the country
Reef Runners isn’t just landing in any random park.
Seabreeze is the fourth-oldest operating amusement park in the entire United States and the 13th-oldest in the world, having first opened its gates back in 1879.
It has stayed in the same family’s hands for generations, now run by a sixth-generation family member who grew up literally playing amusement park operator as a kid.
The park’s Jack Rabbit roller coaster, a wooden coaster that first opened in 1920, is officially the oldest continuously operating roller coaster in North America and the world’s 12th-oldest coaster still running, giving thrill seekers a chance to ride a genuine piece of American amusement history in the same afternoon as the brand new Reef Runners slide.
What else is worth doing while you’re there
Seabreeze splits into a full amusement park and an attached water park, so there is plenty to fill a day beyond the new slide.
- Jack Rabbit: The park’s signature wooden coaster, built in 1920 and officially the oldest operating roller coaster in America.
- Screamin’ Eagle: An upside-down thrill ride that flips riders 70 feet in the air for anyone chasing an adrenaline rush.
- Log Flume: Home to the steepest drop of its kind in the country, making it one of the park’s most talked-about water rides outside of Reef Runners.
- Sea Dragon: A swinging Viking ship ride that’s a go-to for families looking for a milder thrill.
- Lakeside setting: The park sits along the shore of Lake Ontario, giving the whole visit a breezy, lakeside feel that’s different from a typical inland amusement park.
Planning the trip from NYC
Seabreeze sits in Irondequoit, New York, just outside Rochester, making it a genuine upstate getaway rather than a quick day trip.
The drive from New York City runs about 5 to 6 hours depending on traffic, so this one works best as a weekend trip through the Finger Lakes region rather than a same-day outing.
For anyone road-tripping upstate this summer, pairing a stop at Seabreeze with other Finger Lakes attractions turns the long drive into a full getaway instead of just a pit stop.
🌊 You can check ride hours, ticket pricing, and season pass options directly on the Seabreeze website.