Brutal Weather Doesn't Dampen The Memorial Day Weekend Spirits Of Many In The Tri-State Area
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It has been a rainy and wet Memorial Day weekend.
That means a lot of people in the Tri-State Area have had to alter their plans, CBS2's Kiran Dhillon reported Sunday.
After a roller coaster of a year, most of us had high hopes for Memorial Day weekend. And despite the rain forcing a lot of people indoors, some folks did find a way to have a good time.
READ MORE: Despite Rainy Weather, Bright Smiles On The Jersey Shore This Memorial Day Weekend
At the amusement park inside American Dream in New Jersey on Sunday, it was all smiles.
"It was fast, crazy, and I thought I was going to die," one kid said.
"It was really fun and exciting!" another person said.
READ MORE: New Yorkers, Tourists Try To Make The Best Of A Soggy Start To Memorial Day Weekend
Long Island mom Kim Malone says after the stressful past year, nothing was going to stop her from bringing her two kids to the park for some rest and relaxation.
"We didn't know the weather was going to be ... we just wanted to come," Malone said.
Other parents had a similar idea, bringing their two boys in from Queens for a day of rides and thrills. But they admitted they did have to change their weekend plans because of the rain.
"We probably would have been at a barbeque somewhere, the beach or a pool, something more outside fun," Stephanie Garcia said.
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While many of the people at American Dream said they were disappointed by the weather, they were not going to let a little rain stop them from having a lot of fun.
But while business may have been booming in New Jersey, it was a slower start on Coney Island.
Foot traffic at Lola Star gift shop was so slow, Jessica Rose spent her day doing inventory.
"It's kind of a washout. It's kind of, you know, it's a bummer because every Memorial Day weekend, we're usually packed," Rose said.
Another place that's also usually packed that wasn't was Times Square. The rain kept big crowds away Sunday, but some tough New Yorkers were still determined to make the most of their weekend.
"There's so much to do here. You can just walk up the block ... you got Ripley's, Madam Tussauds ... so much different places to eat," said Cherylle Roderick of Queens.
"The weather ruined our plans for Hershey Park, but we still found a way to be out of the house," Khyiah Harley added.
Back at American Dream, mom Sydney Mathis from Long Island agreed. She brought her kids to the water park and said compared to last year's Memorial Day weekend that was spent social distancing, this one was a blessing.
"It just feels great to be out and not cooped up in the house. It just feels great," Mathis said.
Still, she admitted she is hoping for a sunny Memorial Day on Monday.
CBS2's Kiran Dhillon contributed to this report
