See a concert, enjoy a delicious dinner and dance all night.

If your nighttime plans in Gravesend don’t include a major concert at MCU Park, a sporting event at Aviator Sports Complex, or a trip into the city for a show, you will find plenty of other interesting activities and nightlife in the area.

From Russian dance clubs to pubs, bowling and delicious restaurants, you will have a great time planning your evening. If you like the idea of taking a trip to modern-day Russia without the airfare and passport, head over to Rasputin for an evening of dancing, cabaret, plenty of food and interesting music. Rasputin is a hot spot on Coney Island Avenue in Gravesend where vodka is served in shots and miniature bottles and the food comes in large quantities and multiple courses. It’s a fun atmosphere and you are sure to have a great time.

If you are in the mood for something a little lower key, check out the Draft Barn pub. If you like billiards and games, you might want to stop by Pyramida Billiards & Sports Club, Gotham City Billiards Club, or go bowling at Shell Lanes. If you want something totally different, visit the Nirvana Restaurant Lounge & Hookah Bar, La Boheme Lounge or Arabian Nights. And if you like the lounge vibe, check out Passion Café, Adam’s Lounge, Blue Velvet Lounge or Downhouse Lounge. And if you are really feeling adventurous, head to the Red Karaoke Lounge and sing your heart out.

You will find all varieties of live music and entertainment in the Gravesend area. And if you happen to be in the area in the summer months, be sure to check out the annual Siren Music Festival produced by the Village Voice. It takes place on Coney Island and features renowned and emerging artists on two outdoor stages. It is a free, all-day and all-ages event that celebrates music and the freedom of expression.

Hers was the first land title granted to a woman in the New World.

Although the first known European to land in the Gravesend area was Henry Hudson in 1609, Gravesend’s true founder was a woman named Lady Deborah Moody who secured a land grant for the 7000-acre area in the 1640s.

Lady Moody was a widowed, English expatriate who left her home country in search of religious freedom in 1639. She supported Anabaptism, which was the idea that baptism should only occur during adulthood since children cannot commit to a religious faith. When she encountered persecution in her first home in the New World, which was Saugus, Massachusetts, she moved on with the intent of forming a more open community. She found the town of Gravesend in 1645 in the Dutch colony of New Netherland after being the first woman in the New World to be granted a land title. A few years later she negotiated with the native Lenape population for the land that would become Coney Island as well.

Moody helped establish one of the first planned communities in the US and included a perfect square surrounded by a 20-foot high wooden palisade. Two main roads, Gravesend Road (now McDonald Avenue) and Gravesend Neck Road, bisected the town, dividing it into four distinct quadrants. The original town square that was part of Moody’s planned community is still evident in the arrangement of the streets in the Gravesend area of Brooklyn. Moody became quite influential and was known to have a relationship of mutual respect with the governor Peter Stuyvesant. She was also often described by her contemporaries as “a dangerous woman.”

Moody was born in 1586, widowed in 1629, and is believed to have died sometime around 1659. Urban legend has it that she was buried in an unmarked grave in the Old Gravesend Cemetery, and the house that is believed to have been her home still stands in Gravesend today on Gravesend Neck Road.

One of Coney Island’s historic landmark rides.

Today the famed Parachute Jump on Coney Island is a landmark rather than an amusement park ride, but it is still loved by visitors and residents alike. It is an open-frame steel structure that towers 262 feet above the boardwalk and was completely dismantled, refurbished, and reassembled from 2002 to 2004.

The Parachute Jump was based on functional parachutes which were held open by metal rings during both the ascent and descent. Twelve cantilevered steel arms sprouted from the top of the tower, each of which supported a parachute attached to a lift rope and a set of surrounding guide cables. Riders were belted into a two-person canvas seat hanging below the closed chute, then hoisted to the top, where a release mechanism would drop them, the descent slowed only by the parachute. Shock absorbers at the bottom cushioned the landing for riders. Each parachute required three cable operators, which was costly for operators to maintain.

During its years of operation at Steeplechase Park, the Parachute Jump attracted half a million riders each year.

The concept behind the Parachute Jump was created by Stanley Switlik and George Palmer Putnam, Amelia Earhart’s husband. The first public jump that took place from their invention in New Jersey was performed by Amelia Earhart herself in 1935. The ride at Coney Island was originally built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens. It was moved to its current site in 1941, which was part of the Steeplechase Park amusement park. Today the Parachute Jump is the only remnant of the original Steeplechase Park that’s still standing. The Parachute Jump is believed to have ceased operations in 1968, four years after the closure of Steeplechase Park, though that date has been the subject of debate. In 1980, the Parachute Jump was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Amusements, baseball, and New York heritage.

What could be better than spending a day exploring the American cultural icon of Coney Island? With its rides and attractions, historical landmarks, and Brooklyn Cyclones baseball, Coney Island offers hours and hours of fun for the whole family.

Start the morning with a stroll on the beach and famed Boardwalk and then try your luck with games of chance. Or you might want to spend the morning exploring the ocean’s mysteries at the New York Aquarium. Then grab a bite to eat at one of the many classic eateries — don’t forget about Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand!

For the afternoon head over to MCU Park and see the talented Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team take on area rivals and other minor league teams. Maybe you’ll get lucky and it will be Bobble Head Day or Hat Day, and you’ll score some free Cyclones merchandise. And if it’s not baseball season, catch a show, concert or other major sports event at MCU. The park hosts a variety of festivals and shows all year long.

After the game, go visit the Cyclones’ namesake, the Cyclone Roller Coaster, which is one of the oldest wooden coasters still in operation. See the completely restored Parachute Jump, which was originally the Life Savers Parachute Jump at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and was the first of its kind. And finally, finish the day with a sunset ride on the Wonder Wheel.

The Wonder Wheel is a steel Ferris wheel that opened in 1920 and stands 150 feet tall. It holds 144 riders and is part of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park today. Soar 150 feet above the Atlantic and take in the ocean and city views.

If you choose to spend a day on Coney Island while you are in New York, or if you live locally but just haven’t ever made it to the famous Coney Island, it will be a day you and your family won’t forget.

Visit the local library.

Local public libraries offer a variety of educational and creative programs and activities for kids and families, and often they are free. The library is a great resource for families looking for quality activities while on a budget.

The Gravesend Library is part of the Brooklyn Public Library system and originally opened in a brick building on Avenue X in 1962. In 2001 it underwent significant renovations including new lighting, furniture, shelving, art objects and 11 new public access computers.

The Gravesend Library offers a variety of programs for both kids and adults. One of the most popular kids’ programs is Toddler Time on Mondays. Toddler Time offers a wonderful opportunity to engage in interactive play and enjoy stories with children aged 18-36 months.

There’s also a cozy Art Gallery in the Gravesend Library, offering frequently changing exhibits by New York and local artists.  Take in some inspiring local art while enjoying quiet time and a good book. The library also offers a monthly Book Discussion Club for Adults and a Talking Circle program for Senior Citizens. Other programs include internet workshops on topics like Travel for Less where participants can find out how to find the best deals for travel destination by using the Internet. There are also after-school programs, chess instruction for kids, and a whole variety of other classes and workshops.

The library is also committed to providing resources for Gravesend visitors and residents of a variety of nationalities and ethnicities. It is home to large collections of Russian and Chinese books and DVDs, and a midsized collection of Italian, Hebrew, and Spanish language materials.

The Gravesend Library is located at 303 Avenue X at West 2nd Street in Brooklyn. Two trains will get you there, the F and the N. Take the F train to Avenue X station, go two blocks east to the library, or take the N train to 86th Street station, then go six blocks east. If you take the bus, you’ll want B1 to Avenue X at West 2nd Street, and then go two blocks east to the library.