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Paragon Carousel

4.6 (24 reviews)
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Updated 1 month ago

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When horses get "sick."
Kade K.

"This merry-go-round is gonna go around three times. If you change your mind about this, you can get off. But once it goes around for the third time, it's too late. You're married." ~ Old time carnival worker When the beachfront Paragon Park amusement park closed down in 1984, local preservationists grabbed up enough parts at auction to reassemble and house the glorious carousel in a twelve-sided stucco building on the boardwalk. And it's a skip away from the tiny one room museum that will give you the entire history of the park and life on the Massachusetts South Shore when radio was AM/FM and satellite was just some nebulous hunk of junk way up in the sky. This merry-go-round has been going around for ninety years and I wonder how many young couples have hopped on amidst happy toddlers and nervous parents, dreamily pretended this ride was only theirs. That's a lot of dreams in ninety years. And you can still get your chance. These ponies still strut. There are over sixty them to choose as your mount along with two Roman chariots for those of us who just want to sit down as the everyone else goes merrily around. The horses are in a constant state of restoration done handily and artistically on-site by artist James Hardison. The painting techniques used are similar to those used in 1928. Bright Japanese colors along with glazing mediums are applied by hand with brushes. I hate the phrase "step back in time" because that makes an activity sound outdated. It's very much present day fun. And yet it's just a merry-go-round. You get on and the friendly staff makes you feel special. Close your eyes, hear the music and maybe you go back to dreaming of your first love, your present love or just your love of being a kid. Then you go next door and get an ice cream cone or some fried clams. Simple. The Paragon Carousel has a mission statement. "To offer a vibrant community experience providing an atmosphere where the majesty of history and artistry meet the world of fantasy and fun, creating lasting memories for all who enter its doors." Success!

Waiting to ride the carousel!
Ben B.

While spending summers at Nantasket Beach, when I was growing up in the 80s, Paragon Park was always a draw for my friends and I. Shortly before my family sold their summer home, the park was sold and part of my childhood ended. However, volunteers banded together to purchase the carousel and had it moved to it's present location. After nearly thirty years at the new location, many of the horses have been restored and the historic carousel continues to thrill children of all ages. At $2.50 a ride, it is a steal and brings back wonderful memories of summers gone by.

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15 years ago

We had my daughter birthday party here. It was a great day. Easy to plan and afforable. Only problem is they don't have bathrooms.

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14 years ago

5 Stars. Gorgeous piece of history here. Nicely maintained, nice staff, fantastic renovation work,

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Review Highlights - Paragon Carousel

Not only is it one of the only remaining pieces of Paragon Park but it also is a must see place when you go to the beach.

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Crescent Park Looff Carousel - The Band Organ

Crescent Park Looff Carousel

4.8(24 reviews)
43.9 mi

The Crescent Park Looff Carousel is a historic carousel that opened in Riverside, East Providence,…read moreRhode Island in 1895. It was built by Danish immigrant Charles I. D. Looff. He was born as Carl Jürgen Detlef Looff in Bad Bramstedt, Holstein (now Germany) in 1852. After immigrating to the United States in 1870 at the age of 18, Looff settled in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and found work as a carver for a furniture factory. He began a hobby of taking home leftover wood scraps from the factory and carving them into carousel animals. He created his first carousel in 1876 and it became Coney Island's first carousel and amusement ride. Looff soon opened his own carousel factory in Brooklyn and continued to build more of the rides. In 1886, Looff was commissioned to build a carousel for Crescent Park (known as "the Coney Island of the East") in Rhode Island. In 1895, he moved his family there and established a new headquarters. He built a second, larger and more elaborate carousel for the amusement park. He also built an adjoining workshop and showroom for prospective buyers. Looff relocated to California in 1910 so he could build carousels for amusement parks on the West Coast. He passed away in 1918 after building close to 50 carousels. Looff is regarded as one of the most important and influential carousel builders of all time. Crescent Park was damaged by the 1938 New England Hurricane. Repairs were made, but the park permanently closed in 1977 with most of the rides being sold at auction. The Looff Carousel was saved and was declared a National Historic Landmark. It has undergone a number of restorations over the years. The platform features 61 horses, a camel, two single dragon coaches and two double chariots. It is one of the last surviving carousels to still be standing in its original location with all of the original components. Today the carousel is open from June through October. It operates on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm - 6pm. Rides cost $2. My family and I recently visited the Crescent Park Looff Carousel. My wife and I have been carousel enthusiasts since we visited the New England Carousel Museum a few years ago. We had heard that the carousel in Riverside was one of the best historic carousels that was still left. This carousel is absolutely beautiful! You can tell that all of the horses were carved by a master craftsman. We also really liked that this one is one of the few that still features a brass ring device. A wooden arm dispenses iron rings that carousel riders try to grab as they pass by. If a rider gets a 'brass ring', then they win a free ride. This whole concept adds a fun competitive element to the ride. As an added bonus, riders can throw them into the cut-out mouth of a clown face painted on a large canvas. We had so much fun riding the Crescent Park Looff Carousel. Our only complaint is that the band organ wasn't operating during our visit. Aside from that, we think that it is probably the BEST carousel that we have ever visited! We hope to return again and again!

I absolutely love the Crescent Park Carousel, and so do my kids. The park is in a beautiful area…read morewith the carousel right across the street. The horses are beautiful, and the building itself fabulous. It has original features, and I love trying to grab for the golden ring. I wish it were open year-round, but it's only seasonal and certain days of the year, so it's a real treat going there in the spring and summer.

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Crescent Park Looff Carousel - Having fun on the carousel!

Having fun on the carousel!

Crescent Park Looff Carousel - The carousel

The carousel

Crescent Park Looff Carousel - Painting of the carousel

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Painting of the carousel

Carousel Family Fun Center - Whitman

Carousel Family Fun Center - Whitman

3.0(51 reviews)
14.8 mi

This place is great! The bars they have for inexperienced skaters to push around are super helpful…read more Food was good, staff were excellent!

Came here for an event on Saturday and it was initially pretty empty but it did get very crowded…read morequickly. You can tell people definitely take this skating thing serious. Felt like I was in the movie ATL and fighting for my life in here, will NOT be back. I've skated before but I am no pro and I will admit that, but I didn't know I was in the damn derby! There were people literally skating within centimeters of you on purpose to try and make you fall. Not to mention it was rather hot in there and peoples wind wasn't smelling too fresh. (If you can't skate, I don't suggest taking a bathroom break with your skates on because, well yeah, use your imagination. Not to mention the floor is slippery as all hell in there) There was not anyone behind the snack bar for quite some time and then when she did come over, it was like she was under too much pressure. (Not sure how, the oven wasn't even working) so we could only get drinks (Luckily we brought our own skates because the way those people were sweating and smelling, no thank you) If YOU CAN skate && I mean SKATE SKATE (you know I mean business because I said it twice) then definitely give it a try. It's not a beginner friendly rink by any means. (No bars to hold on to or any order at all) There was an older woman and man in there getting their money honey, right in the middle of the rink. Worked them up a great old sweat and then sat on them chairs people were sitting to eat. Also (sign the waiver before you go to avoid waiting even longer)

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Carousel Family Fun Center - Whitman
Carousel Family Fun Center - Whitman - Floor with lights on

Floor with lights on

Carousel Family Fun Center - Whitman - Party area

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Party area

Paragon Carousel - carousels - Updated May 2026

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