Jones Beach's WildPlay closed for the 2026 season
The WildPlay aerial course at Jones Beach State Park will not operate this summer. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Jones Beach State Park has just become a bit less adventurous. The WildPlay Adventure Park, a family-friendly obstacle course and zip line playground on the boardwalk, will not open this summer.
The park, located along the boardwalk, was slated to open with limited hours in April and a daily schedule June through early September. The park did not open this season at all.
"We were not able to connect with local families, schools and youth organizations at the level we had hoped, and without that connection we could not build something sustainable for this year," Stewart Scholz, director of park services at WildPlay Element Parks, said in an emailed statement Friday. "We are taking this time to reassess and determine what a better approach could look like. We remain committed to finding a way to bring this experience back to this community in a form that works for our guests, for the park and for us."
A statement on the WildPlay website stated: "We are sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to visiting us this summer. All existing bookings will be fully refunded."
The park, which opened in 2019, featured a Classic Adventure Course, an Extreme Adventure Course and Kids Course (for ages 5 to 12) as well as What’s To Fear, a 40-foot freefall jump experience and a 700-foot zip line along the beach.
The park cost $4.7 million to build and was taken from the $100 million in public and private funding for park upgrades back when former NYS Governor Andrew M. Cuomo took office in 2011. Currently, WildPlay has a multiyear concession licensed agreement with New York State Parks that runs through 2031.
"The aerial adventure course at Jones Beach state park operated by WildPlay will not open this summer. We will evaluate options for future seasons as part of the ongoing efforts to enhance the visitor experience," Dan Keefe, a spokesperson with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said in a statement. "Currently, we have no additional information to share regarding their business decision."
For more information, visit: wildplay.com/jones-beach or parks.ny.gov.
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
