Best amusement parks in the US

disneyAmusement park fun and some of the best roller coasters

Long lines, greasy food, hordes of children and plush toys – amusement parks are a summer staple for children and a common vacation stop for families.

Whether you’re a ten-year old child, a parent, a college student or just somebody looking for something fun to do – amusement parks are the answer. Here are some of the best amusement parks from in the US, besides Disneyland, Universal Studios, Six Flags and Sea World.

Cedar Point Cleveland, Ohio
Cedar Point has more roller coasters (15) and rides (68) than any other park in the world? So if you love roller coasters, lines and that feeling when your stomach drops – Cedar Point is definitely the place to go. Using hydraulic technology, the newest addition to the park, the Top Thrill Dragsters, stands 420 feet tall and can zoom from 0-120 mph in just four seconds. Your hair might be a little messed up after that ride. The park also has tamer rides including an antique carousel, a petting zoo, stage shows and an ice show called “Snoopy on Ice.” This spring, the park will add the Wicked Twister, which claims to be the world’s tallest. If you need to cool off from the summer heat, the park has an 18-acre water park called Soak City – the admission is extra though.

Busch Gardens Tampa, Florida
What began as a brewery surrounded by gardens and birds, has turned into one of the biggest amusement park attractions. At Busch Gardens they have real animals instead of people dressed up like them. The park has a 29-acre wildlife area where elephants, rhinos, zebras and antelope roam and it also is one the largest zoos in Florida with over 2,700 animals. Don’t worry this African themed park has several roaster coasters that are sure to turn your stomach, including the famous wooden, double twist coaster, the Gwazi, whose trains whiz past each other at 100 mph.

Astroland Amusement Park Brooklyn, New York
Located on the famous Coney Island, Astroland is the granddaddy of amusement parks, featuring the world-famous Cyclone. Built in 1927, this wooden roller coaster has 2,620 feet of track that winds through 16 direction changes, 18 track crossovers and an 80-foot, 60-degree drop – the ride is sure you make your stomach drop and screams to ensue. Charles Lindbergh did say the roller coaster was scarier than flying the Atlantic solo. The park also has dozens of other rides, a Ferris wheel, carousel, three arcades, two restaurants, the Surf Avenue flea market, a skating rink and a fishing pier.

Legoland Carlsbad, CaliforniaWith over 30 million Lego bricks, Legoland is a child’s dream come true. The park aims for children age 2 to 12, but welcomes all Lego-lovers. The Miniland USA is a must. Where else can you see the White House, Golden Gate Bridge and New York City skyline in one place? You can’t touch the models, but there are buttons to push that make thinks move in the models. Don’t worry, there are 50 rides, three roller coasters and a clubhouse where kids can build and play with Legos. There’s also an area where pre-teens can build and program their own robots in conjunction with MIT’s Media Laboratory.

Paramount Parks Carowinds Charlotte, North Carolina
From new thrilling coasters like the Top Gun and Vortex to the old-fashioned, but still scary wooden coasters like the Hurler, Carowinds has plenty to offer. For younger parkgoers, there is Scooby Doo’s Haunted Mansion, where youngsters can hunt ghosts, collect Scooby snacks and help solve mysterious. For comic book readers, the Seventh Portal 3-D ride simulator brings to life the comic book world of Stan Lee.

By: Jillian Scheeler

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2 Responses to “Best amusement parks in the US”

  1. How I Lost Thirty Pounds in Thirty Days
    May 4th, 2009 at 11:52 am

    Hi, nice post. I have been pondering this topic,so thanks for writing. I’ll definitely be coming back to your blog.

  2. Ricki
    May 4th, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    Dollywood is an excellent amusement park! The lines are short and you can buy a q-pass which will send you straight to the front of the line even when they are long. We go there at least twice a week and spend almost every day at least an hour a day at Splash Country.

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