Thrill-seeking families have so many awesome amusement parks and exhilarating rides to choose from! From corporate amusement parks to smaller family-owned venues, here are some top picks in North America. Start planning your family vacations!
Cedar Point
Sandusky, Ohio
Touted as the best amusement park in the world, Cedar Point is filled with thrilling coasters, family attractions and great views of Lake Erie. It has 16 world-class roller coasters, and a new one for 2018. Some notable coasters are Millennium Force, a 310-foot giga coaster; Maverick, a multi-launch coaster loaded with intense turns; and Top Thrill Dragster, a short-but-sweet ride that is the second tallest in the world at 420 feet. Steel Vengeance (built by fan-favorite manufacturer, Rocky Mountain Construction) debuts this year. It offers airtime galore, guaranteeing Cedar Point will remain one of the most visited amusement parks in North America.
Kings Island
Mason, Ohio
Just 3½ hours from Cedar Point, this well-rounded park has a great variety of coasters. The Golden Ticket Awards (Amusement Today’s annual theme park awards show) has given Kings Island the honor of “Best Kid’s Area” ever since they started in 2001. They also won “Best New Ride” in 2017 for Mystic Timbers, one of the best wooden coasters in America. Other notable coasters are The Beast, the world’s longest wooden coaster; Diamondback, an airtime-filled hyper-coaster; and Banshee, the world’s longest inverted coaster. With all the critical acclaim, this park is a must-visit destination.
Canada’s Wonderland
Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
The only Canadian park on this list, Canada’s Wonderland wins guests over with its fun atmosphere and unique attractions. It features some of the most notable non-coaster thrill rides, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. These include Sledgehammer, an overall disorientating experience full of spinning and sudden drops; Soaring Timbers, another bizarre and crazy experience with riders going every direction; and Skyhawk, where riders control the experience. When it comes to coasters, Canada’s Wonderland’s major attractions are Leviathan, a super tall and fast giga-coaster; and Behemoth, an out-of-your-seat hyper-coaster loaded with unique and graceful turns.
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Santa Claus, Indiana
This holiday-themed park, known for its charming vibe and awesome wooden roller coasters, has areas for Christmas, Halloween, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. The Voyage is a world-class wooden roller coaster with loads of airtime and intensity. Thunderbird is an out-of-the-ordinary, steel coaster where riders sit on both sides of the track, instead of on top. The employees at Holiday World have a stellar reputation, which adds to the calming and fun vibe of the park. Make time for Holiday World’s Splashing Safari, considered the best water park in the U.S. with two water coasters and tons of other fun slides. This is an absolute must for thrill-seekers and holiday enthusiasts.
Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson, New Jersey
Known by many as the best in the Six Flags chain, Great Adventure offers some of the biggest thrills in the country. This massive park is home to Kingda Ka, the tallest roller coaster in the world; El Toro, perhaps the best wooden roller coaster ever made; and Nitro, a super speedy and tall hyper-coaster. The park is half amusement park, half zoo, featuring tons of animals, from gorillas to lions. The park also has a massive Bugs Bunny-themed section for the little ones to enjoy. This park is great for families with kids of all ages, from younger children to teens.
--------
Connor Gilbert is a freshman at Mission Bay High school and avid coaster enthusiast.
--------
