Revamped Jones Beach State Park Readies For Start Of Summer Season

WANTAGH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Just days away from Memorial Day Weekend, Jones Beach State Park is undergoing a major renovation to provide more recreational options to more people.

Dozens of employees on Tuesday were hard at work putting the finishing touches on the two newest features at the beach, a state of the art playground and the Boardwalk Cafe -- a nearly 8,000 square foot eatery.

"This is going to be fast and convenient for people who visit," one worker said.

New York State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey toured the area Tuesday morning ahead of the holiday weekend. She says she's thrilled with what the beach will soon offer families.

"You go to the beach but there are all kinds of things to do to keep you there all day and then you can eat," said Harvey.

Drone Force 2 got a bird's eye view of the newest features that are part of the $65 million makeover. In addition to the playground and cafe, there will be a new adventure play area complete with a zip line.

Other recreational spaces parallel to the beach and boardwalk will get either renovated or completely redesigned between now and 2020.

People who spoke with CBS2 said they're excited about the new projects. Some even say they've been waiting a long time to be seeing these kinds of improvements.

"We pay a lot of taxes so it's nice we'll have something to show for it," one beach-goer said.

"It's good but I worry about the traffic getting worse," said another.

Visitors will be able to enjoy the playground starting this weekend, while the Boardwalk Cafe is slated to open mid-June.