The Amity Boardwalk

Between Earthquake — The Big One and Jaws is a winding stretch of road that offers up a typical New England boardwalk as a child might see it — bright and shining. Of course, the originals are a lot shabbier and far more weather-beaten, the games a bit more threadbare, but never mind. This is the movies, after all, and with the genius of the best set designers Universal has to offer, everything should be perfect.

Here you can try your skill at knocking over plastic glasses with a whiffle ball, tossing a softball into a farmer’s milk can, or playing skee-ball. If you fancy yourself a superhuman, try ringing the bell with a mighty blow of your sledgehammer. You can also test the skill of the Amazing Alonzo, who bets you that he can guess your weight or age. Games cost several dollars and, as with the seaside attractions they mimic, the odds are heavily weighted towards the house. Universal, however, makes it easier to win at least something and the prizes, while modest (or ugly, depending on your mood), are a cut above those you’ll find along, say, the Jersey shore.

Trick Photography Photo Spot

Just before you cross the bridge over the lagoon to Expo Center, you encounter one of those clever spots where you can use the “hanging miniature” technique to snap a unique souvenir photo. Here, you can pose your family in front of the Space Shuttle, ingeniously plunked down on top of the future home of The Simpsons in the background.

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