History
In 1926, Charles Jenkinson acquired the land that Jenkinson's sits on. In 1928, Jenkinson's Pavilion opened, featuring a candy shop, soda fountain, novelty store, and a swimming pool. [4] In 1929, Jenkinson's expanded, adding a dance hall and mini golf course. [4] The beach was acquired in 1934 and Charles built a bathhouse. [4]
In 1937, Charles died and his son Orlo took over the business. [4]
In 1949, a miniature train ride was added. It ran along the beach to connect the operations at the inlet to the Pavilion. [4]
In 1954, Jenkinson's opened a small kiddie park. [4]
In 1964, Orlo died and his son took over the business. Without the hands-on leadership that Orlo provided, the growth of Jenkinson's stagnated. [4]
By the late 1970s, Jenkinson's was struggling and it was acquired by Pasquale "Pat" Storino. Upon purchasing Jenkinson's, Storino renovated the Pavilion, adding an arcade, concession stands, games, and a restaurant. [4]
In 1978, a dinner theater was added to the Pavilion. [4]
In 1980, a waterslide complex replaced the swimming pool and mini golf course. Storino also acquired Fun Fair, a small kiddie park located across the boardwalk from the Pavilion. [4]
In 1983, the Storino family purchased Holiday Playland, a small amusement park located towards the southern end of the boardwalk. It was renamed to Jenkinson's South. After the 1983 season, many of the thrill rides were replaced with family rides. [4]
At the end of the 1987 season, Fun Fair was replaced by a new mini golf course. The Storinos also purchased Herman's Amusements, an amusement park located next to Jenkinson's South. [4]
On November 22, 1989, the Pavilion burned down from a fire that occurred in the kitchen during a renovation. After burning down, the Pavilion was rebuilt with a food court, full-service restaurant, live entertainment, a bar, and an arcade. [4]
In 1991, Jenkinson's Aquarium opened. Additionally, the water slides were removed, due to the popularity of the beach and competition from nearby water parks. [4]
In 1998, the park added a fun house, a type of attraction that had largely disappeared by the late 1990s. The Fun House continues to be updated every season, with new theming and obstacles. The Fun House anchored a multi-year renovation of the boardwalk which included many new additions. [4]
In August 2025, the park announced the addition of Patriot's Run, a new roller coaster for the 2026 season. [5]
