Swan Boats Are Back (With Pelicans and Dragons!)

Swan boats—once a fixture of summer life in Asbury Park—will return after a prolonged absence.

Posted May 9, 2011 by Ashley J. Cerasaro

As sure as the swallows return to Capistrano, so too the swan boats are returning to Asbury Park.

“They used to be the highlight of Asbury Park aside from the Carousel,” says Linda Occhipinti, who, along with fellow South Jersey resident Joseph Gambarony, is bringing the pedal-powered swan boats back to Asbury’s Lake Wesley this summer. “We thought it would be great to bring back something people loved so much,” she explains.

Adding to the fun, they’ll have pelican and dragon boats, too.

The partners received approval from the City Council in the spring and were to begin offering rides on weekends by mid-May from 11 am to 8 pm. Summer hours, beginning late June, will be daily from 10 am to 8 pm. The cost of a half-hour ride—departing from Lake Avenue near Heck Street—is $18 for two riders, $20 for three and $22 for four.

“I hope everybody comes down and tries out the boats,” Occhipinti says. “Some people think it’s just for kids, but that’s not true. It’s a fun family activity.”

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