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List of Best USA Theme Parks

Road trip time? Here are some top national and regional theme parks your family will love visiting!



In the slide show above, you're viewing pictures of major US theme parks. In this two-part article, you'll find some of your best theme park choices for adding to your regional or national USA road trip this year. This page lists the top US theme parks in states from Alabama to Michigan. Or, to find fun theme parks in states Minnesota thru Wisconsin, you'll want to see the Theme Park directory, part 2.








List of major US theme parks, part 1

Looking for fun? Here are theme parks your family will enjoy visiting: Part 1--States from A thru Mic (Alabama thru Michigan)

Is there really such a thing as a "best" theme park? In my opinion, not really. A "best theme park" is wherever you and your family have fun. It may not be the newest; it may not be the biggest. It may not have all the latest bells and whistles, either. The most important thing about a theme or amusement park is that it provides you with a fun place for your family to be together...enjoying one another's company & making life-long memories.

Still, some theme parks are bigger than others, and provide a wider range of activities than others. For families taking the time and spending the money to add a theme park to their road trip itineraries, a theme park should be large enough to provide "something for everyone" in the group. And, it should go out of its way to provide the public with "something new" almost every season, whether that be special entertainment, a new ride, or fresh & exciting merchandise. The best theme parks do feel nostalgic to returning guests...but also give visitors a sense of anticipation that at least one brand-new adventure is about to take place for them.

On the rest of this page, you'll find a list of some American theme parks which fit these criteria. Some, like Disneyland, are household names. Others are only known to those who live fairly close to them...but would still be of interest to anyone traveling into the area to explore. (Note: NOT included on this list are beach boardwalks, family fun centers, or state & county fairs...which are all sources of good family fun, but a bit off-the-topic for this page.)

For still MORE fun amusement parks, please see part 2 of this Theme Park Directory, which has the listings for Minnesota through Wisconsin.


Alabama theme parks

  • Alabama Adventure; phone number (205) 481-4750. Located in Bessemer, AL (Birmingham area;) address, 5051 Prince Street, Bessemer, Alabama 35023. Park website: www.AlabamaAdventure.com Park contact: Email Alabama Adventure here Operating schedule: Seasonal, April thru September. Park info: Features thrill rides (including 3 roller coasters,) family & kiddie rides, concerts, water park. Tallest steel coaster is the Zoomerang, 116 feet/47 mph. The Rampage wooden coaster features a 102 foot drop/56 mph speeds. No Halloween nor Christmas events.


    Arkansas theme parks

  • Magic Springs & Crystal Falls; phone number (501) 624-0100. Location, Hot Springs, AR; address, 1701 E. Grand Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901. Park website is www.MagicSprings.com Park contact: You may email Magic Springs here. Member of the PARC Management group. Operation is seasonal (mid-April thru October.) Park info: Fun things to do include rides for all age groups, shows, water park. Tallest roller coaster is the Arkansas Twister (wood) with a 92 foot drop/50 MPH. The Gauntlet inverting steel coaster reaches a height of 109 feet/speed 50 mph. Features annual Halloween event, called "Magic Screams." No Christmas event.






    California theme parks



    Because of California's good year-round climate, this beautiful West-Coast state draws a large number of visitors 12 months of the year. Many families travel to the region to visit one or more of the state's terrific theme parks. In fact, you'll find 10 good theme park choices throughout California (8 for all ages, and 2 specialty theme parks aimed at families with kids under 12.) Here's the list of major California theme parks in alphabetical order:

  • California's Great America; phone number (408) 988-1776. Located in Santa Clara/San Francisco Bay area, CA; address, 4701 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Here is the California's Great America website, www.CaGreatAmerica.com Park Contact: You may email California's Great America here. A Cedar Fair park. Operating schedule: seasonal, approx late March thru Halloween. This theme park offers guests a good selection of major wooden & steel roller coasters, thrill rides & family rides; an in-park water park (included with admission; seasonal); entertainment and a major annual Halloween event. You can see pictures of California's Great America in the slide show above.

  • Disneyland Park; phone number (714) 781-4565. Located in Anaheim, CA; address, 1313 S. Disneyland Drive Anaheim, CA 92802. The Disneyland website is www.Disneyland.com (which is actually a short cut you can remember for a much longer web address.) Park contact: You may email Disneyland here. Operating schedule: Year-round, 365 days per year. Park info: Disneyland is the 2nd most-attended theme park in the world, with nearly 16 million people visiting last year. Disneyland offers a large selection of family rides noted for their imagination & beauty, and thematically tied-in with Walt Disney's historic movies and TV shows. Major gala Halloween and Christmas events with all the trimmings. Further info: you can view our Disneyland theme park section to see dozens of pictures and get practical trip-planning info, including Disneyland discount ticket information, a selection of Disneyland maps, and discover upcoming Disneyland hours of operation.

  • Disney's California Adventure Park; phone number (714) 781-4565. Located in Anaheim, CA; address, 1313 S. Disneyland Drive Anaheim, CA 92802. The Disney California Adventure website is www.Disneyland.com   You may email Disney's California Adventure here. Schedule of operations: Year-round theme park, open 365 days per year. Park info: Disney's California Adventure is a sister-park to Disneyland; in fact, they share a parking lot and entry plaza. Disney's California Adventure opened in 2001, using California's major industries as the park's themed areas. Currently, it's now undergoing multi-billion dollar renovations & additions to make it look and feel more "Disneyfied." A major roller coaster, California Screamin' has a drop of 108 feet & reaches 55 mph. A major new "E Ticket" ride, "Ariel's Undersea Adventure" featuring all the characters you know and love from the "Disney's Little Mermaid" movie. Highly anticipated for 2012 is the much-awaited Cars Land, an entire themed area of the park which will feature rides & attractions based on the Disney-Pixar movie, "Cars."

  • Gilroy Gardens, phone number (408) 840-7100. Located in Gilroy, CA (inland from Monterey Bay;) address is 3050 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy, CA 95020. Website: www.GilroyGardens.org Park contact: You may email Gilroy Gardens here A Cedar Fair park. Operating schedule: seasonal, approx Easter/Spring break through Christmas school vacation period. Park info: This adorable family theme park will most interest families with kids age 11 and under. Many rides; most can accommodate the entire family, but a few are "kiddie rides" only. Emphasis on landscaping and horticultural features; multiple themed gardens; large lake with swan boats; tropical pavilion. Yearly Christmas event, Gilroy Gardens Holiday Lights.

  • Knotts Berry Farm, phone number (714) 220-5200. Location, Buena Park (Southern California, near Anaheim;) address, 8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, California 90620. Website: www.Knotts.com Park contact: You may email Knott's Berry Farm here A Cedar Fair park. Operating schedule: Daily, year-round; open 363 days a year. Park info: Knott's Berry Farm is one of the Top 20 theme parks in the United States, welcoming over 3 1/2 million visitors each year. Orange County's thrill ride destination. Beloved by locals, the GhostRider wooden roller coaster features a 108 foot drop and reaches 56 mph. Selection of steel coasters, including the 205 ft Xcelerator which reaches 82 mph. Major Halloween event, Knott's Scary Farm; popular Christmas event, Knott's Merry Farm! If you wish, you may view Knott's Berry Farm pictures or discover ways to save money on your Knott's tickets on our Knott's Berry Farm coupons and discount tickets page.

  • Legoland California, phone number (760) 918-LEGO. Location, Carlsbad, CA (northern San Diego County;)address is 1 Legoland Dr, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Website: www.Legoland.com Park Contact: You may email Legoland from this webpage. Dates of operation: Legoland is open year-round, 5-7 days per week (depending on the season.) Member of Merlin Entertainment group. Park info: This entire large theme park is devoted to families with kids under 12 (plus a robotics lab for ages appx 10-14.) Largest roller coaster is the Technic Coaster, with a 49' drop and 35 mph speed. Halloween and Christmas events are popular at the park. The Legoland Resort also includes the Sea Life Aquarium; plus, a 3rd separately-ticketed attraction (a water park) debuted in 2010. We have many Legoland slide shows you may enjoy; here's the main page of our Legoland section. You may also enjoy viewing pictures of Legoland's SeaLife Aquarium and the new Legoland Water Park. If you'd like to discover ways to save money on your admission tickets, please see our Legoland Discounts page.

  • SeaWorld San Diego, phone number (800) 25-SHAMU. Located in San Diego, CA; address, 500 SeaWorld Drive San Diego, CA 92109. Website: www.Seaworld.com Park contact: You may email SeaWorld San Diego here. Schedule: daily year-round, 365 days per year. Park info: One of the USA's top 20 theme parks, with an attendance of 4 million guests annually. Major attractions are animal shows and exhibits; 3 rides include a motion simulator, raft ride and water flume/roller coaster combo. 2 extra fee rides include a Sky Tower and an aerial ride over lovely Mission Bay. Family-oriented Halloween and Christmas events. If you'd like to view SeaWorld San Diego pictures, please check out our Sea World San Diego section. Or, to discover coupons and other great ways to save money when you visit, please see our SeaWorld San Diego Discounts page.

  • Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, phone number 707-643-6722. Location: Vallejo, CA (San Francisco Bay Area;) address is 1001 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo, CA 94589. Website: www.SixFlags.com Park contact: You may email Six Flags Discovery Kingdom here. Operating schedule: seasonal from approx March through Christmas/New Years. Park info: Very large, multi-faceted theme park which includes not only a good selection of major coasters & thrill rides, but also a wide choice of kiddie & family rides, as well. Even those who don't enjoy rides will love the park's marine-life section and shows...plus the park's large land-animal zoo section, as well. Major Halloween and Christmas events annually. To see our pictures and discover ways to save money on your tickets, you may view our Discovery Kingdom coupons and discounts page.

  • Six Flags Magic Mountain, phone number (661) 255-4100. Location: Valencia/Los Angeles, CA; address, 26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355. Here's the Six Flags Magic Mountain section of the www.SixFlags.com website. Park contact: You may email Six Flags Magic Mountain here. Operating schedule: Magic Mountain is open 12 months out of the year, but during the park's slow season, it is open only on weekends and vacation periods. Park info:Six Flags Magic Mountain welcomes over 2 1/2 million guests each year. Magic Mountain is the West Coast's roller coaster powerhouse; its list of coasters & thrill rides includes the unique "4D" roller coaster, named X2. The park also offers many family rides and shows; an annual Halloween Fright Fest, and a New Year's Eve celebration. It has an adjacent water park, Hurricane Harbor (separate admission.) You may see pictures of this park in our Magic Mountain section, and you may discover ways to save money when you visit on our Magic Mountain coupons and discounts page. You may also enjoy viewing our pictures of the California Hurricane Harbor water park.

  • Universal Studios Hollywood phone number 1-800-UNIVERSAL. Location: Universal City, CA (Los Angeles/Hollywood area;) address is 100 Universal City Plaza,Universal City, CA 91608. Website www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com Park contact: email Universal Studios Hollywood here. Operating schedule: Universal Hollywood is a year-round park, open 7 days per week. Park info: Universal Studios Hollywood rolls out the red carpet for 5 million guests each year. Most major attractions are focused upon showing "behind the scenes" aspects of motion picture-making. Rides include Simpsons-themed motion simulator, Jurassic Park-themed boat ride, and Revenge of the Mummy coaster...and beginning mid-2012, an exciting Transformers indoor dark ride. You may see photos of the park in our Universal Studios California section, or you may discover ways to save money when you visit on our Universal Studios discounts and coupons page.


    Colorado theme parks

  • Elitch Gardens; phone number (303) 595-4FUN. Location: Denver, CO; address is 2000 Elitch Circle, Denver, CO 80204. Website: www.ElitchGardens.com Park contact: You may email Elitch Gardens here. Operating schedule: Seasonal, from approx late April through Halloween. Park info: Family fun for all ages, including thrill rides, kiddie rides, family attractions and concerts. Water park included with admission seasonally, from Memorial Day thru Labor Day. Major annual Halloween event, the Elitch Gardens Fright Fest. You may discover ways to save money on your next visit to Elitch's on our Elitch Gardens coupons and discount tickets page, or view pictures of the park's fun rides in our Elitch Gardens section.


    Connecticut theme parks

  • Lake Compounce; phone number 860-583-3300. Location: Bristol, CT; address is 822 Lake Avenue Bristol, CT 06010. Website: www.LakeCompounce.com Member of Parque Reunidos group. Schedule: Seasonal, from mid-May through Halloween. Park info: Operating since 1846, (that's no typo!) this classic amusement park even has a roller coaster from 1927 still in operation. Newer coasters include the Boulder Dash wooden coaster, featuring a 115 foot drop and reaching 65 mph. The Zoomerang steel coaster is 125 ft tall & reaches 45 mph. For guests attending from Memorial Day thru Labor Day, the price of admission includes water park fun. A Halloween event called "Haunted Graveyard" finishes off this park's operating season.






    Florida theme parks



    Florida and the words "theme park" are pretty much synonymous these days! And, why not? Walt Disney World is the number 1 tourist destination on the planet. Add to that a selection of other world-class theme parks, and you'll be touring for MANY days before you finish enjoying all of them! 2012 is a special time for Florida theme park excitement: as you read this, Legoland Florida is enjoying it's very first year of operation after recently opening last fall!

    Here's a list of top Florida theme parks your family would surely enjoy visiting (in alphabetical order):

  • Busch Gardens Tampa Bay; phone number 1-888-800-5447 (toll free.) Located in Tampa, FL. Here is the Bush Gardens Tampa website. You may email Busch Gardens Tampa here. This sister-park to SeaWorld is one of the nation's Top 20 theme parks, with its visitors numbering over 4 million each year. Operating season: Busch Gardens Tampa is open daily year-round. Features: Good selection of major roller coasters, thrill rides, family attractions & shows; zoo-type exhibits and animals; major annual Halloween event; and, yes, even botanical gardens, as its name implies. Adjacent water park (separate admission.)

  • Legoland Florida: phone number, (877) 350-LEGO (5346.) Address: One Legoland Way, Winter Haven, FL 33884...on the grounds of the former Cypress Gardens tourist attraction. (No, Legoland is not located in Orlando itself; Legoland is about 1 hour southwest of Walt Disney World.) Legoland Florida opened on October, 2011...and keeps on growing! What will be new this year? A fun Lego-themed water park! Website: Here is the Legoland Florida section of the Legoland.com website. You may email Legoland Florida here.

  • SeaWorld Orlando; phone number 1-888-800-5447. Location: Orlando, FL. Website: www.seaworldorlando.com You may email SeaWorld Orlando here. Dates of operation: Sea World Orlando is open daily year-round. This world-class marine park is famous for its animal shows, but also features 2 spectacular roller coasters, top-notch educational tours and exhibits, and still other rides and entertainment. Manta is the park's newest ride, a "flying" roller coaster; while Kraken is the park's tallest roller coaster, with a 144 foot drop & 65 MPH speeds. SeaWorld Orlando is one of the Top 10 theme parks in the USA for attendance, with over 5 million people visiting last year.

  • Universal Studios Orlando; phone number (407) 363-8000. Location: Orlando, FL. Website: www.UniversalOrlando.com You may email Universal Studios Orlando here. Schedule: Year-round daily operation. Universal Orlando is a Top 10 theme park in the USA, and has the highest attendance of any non-Disney theme park. A, nearly 6 million visitors entered its gates. Many attractions focus on the "behind the scenes" side of movie-making.

  • Universal's Islands of Adventure, phone number (407) 363-8000. Location: Orlando, FL. Website: www.UniversalOrlando.com You may email Islands of Adventure here. This sister-park to Universal Studios Orlando is also in the Top 10 list of most-attended theme parks in the USA. Nearly 6 million people visited annually during the past several years...many of them to see the new multi-attraction Harry Potter themed area. The Harry Potter theme park area was highly successful with theme park fans, at many times waiting for hours to experience the new rides, drink "butterbeer" and shop for unique Harry Potter merchandise. But here's even MORE good news for fans: because of its popularity, the Harry Potter section of the park will be expanding within the next several years! When can you visit Island's of Adventure? It's open year-round on every day of the year.

  • Walt Disney World (4 theme parks); phone number (407) 824-2222. Location: Lake Buena Vista/Orlando area, Fl. Website: www.Disneyworld.com You may email Walt Disney World here. Schedule: When can you visit Walt Disney World? Any day that you'd like; it's open 365 days per year. The Magic Kingdom is the world's best-attended theme park, with an attendance of nearly 17 million in 2010. In addition, all of the other 3 parks at WDW are among the top 10 most-visited theme parks on Planet Earth, as well. How many people visit these theme parks? In 2010, Epcot received nearly 11 million visitors, while Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom both received over 9.5 million. Wow---that's packing 'em in! The Walt Disney Resort's 4 theme parks are:
    .....Disney's Animal Kingdom; Features zoo animals, but also has rides and entertainment.
    .....Disney's Hollywood Studios; Movie-themed rides and tours, plus entertainment.
    .....Epcot; Educational and cultural rides, exhibits, entertainment and fine dining.
    .....Magic Kingdom; Rides, attractions and character interaction featuring Walt Disney's original characters.


    Georgia theme parks

  • Six Flags Over Georgia; phone number (770) 948-9290. Location: Austell, GA (west metro Atlanta.) Website: www.SixFlags.com You may email Six Flags Over Georgia here. Schedule: operates seasonally from approximately mid-March through October. Open daily during the summer vacation season, and on weekends/holidays during the rest of the year. Well-rounded theme park with good selection of thrill rides & coasters, and also many family and kiddie rides. Major Halloween event; no Christmas event.

  • Wild Adventures; phone number 229-219-7080. Location: Valdosta, GA. Website: www.WildAdventures.com You may email Wild Adventures here. Schedule: Seasonal operations; spring, summer and fall. Good selection of thrill rides, family & kiddie rides, concerts, and Splash Island water park attractions. Also, animal attractions, including a petting zoo, African safari train & animal shows. Extra-fee attractions include go karts and mini-golf.


    Idaho theme parks

  • Silverwood Theme Park; phone number (208) 683-3400. Location: Athol, ID. (Closest theme park to Spokane, WA...other than the Pavilion Rides at Riverfront Park.) Website: www.SilverwoodThemePark.com You may email Silverwood here. Operation schedule: Seasonal, May through September. Several good roller coasters and a tower ride top the thrills; Boulder Beach water park included with admission. The Aftershock steel coaster dominates the skyline at 191 feet tall; with a 177 foot drop and 65 mph speed, it gets riders screaming. The Tremors wooden coaster is another park favorite, with a 103 foot drop, 4 underground tunnels, and a speed of 60 mph.


    Illinois theme parks

  • Six Flags Great America; phone number (847) 249-INFO (4636). Park is located in Gurnee/metro Chicago, IL. Website: www.SixFlags.com You may email Six Flags Great America here. Operational schedule: Seasonal, May through October. Six Flags Great America is a Top 20 US theme park, extending a welcome mat for over 2 1/2 visitors each year. Known for its wide array of roller coasters and thrill rides, this popular theme park also offers a good variety of family and kiddie rides/attractions, as well. Major Halloween event on weekends every October.


    Indiana theme parks

  • Holiday World; phone number 1-877-463-2645 toll-free or (812) 937-4401, local. Location: Santa Claus, IN. Website: www.holidayworld.com You may email Holiday World here. Operating schedule: Seasonal, May through early October. Though the Holiday World theme park isn't as well-known nationally as some of the others, it's name is oft-mentioned by roller coaster enthusiasts. The park's famed wooden roller coaster, The Voyage, has been named the Golden Ticket Awards #1 wooden coaster a number of recent years. Included with admission is the Splashin' Safari water park...home of the Wildebeest water coaster, the world's longest!

  • Indiana Beach; phone number 574-583-4141. Location: Monticello, IN. Website: www.IndianaBeach.com You may email Indiana Beach here. Operating schedule: Seasonal. The park's Cornball Express wooden coaster is a former award-winner; its extremely steep 1st drop makes riding it an experience not quickly forgotten. Good selection of family and kiddie rides. Park has adjacent a sand beach with swimming area on Lake Shafer, and beachside water park (extra fee for water park.) No Halloween nor Christmas events.


    Iowa theme parks

  • Adventureland USA; phone number 515-266-2121 or 800-532-1286 toll-free. Location: Altoona, IA (metro Des Moines.) Website: www.Adventureland-USA.com Operating schedule: Seasonal, approx. May thru September. The park's Dragon steel coaster makes 2 inversions and has an 85 foot drop. Enough fun family and kiddie rides to keep your group busy all afternoon. No Halloween nor Christmas events.


    Maryland theme parks

    Six Flags America; phone number (301) 249-1500. Location: Mitchellville, MD (metro Baltimore area/Washington DC area.) Website: www.SixFlags.com You may email Six Flags America here. Operating schedule: Seasonal, approx mid-April through October. In addition to a good lineup of thrill rides and family attractions, an inside-the-gate water park is included with your admission. Major Halloween event held each October; no Christmas event.


    Massachusetts theme parks

  • Six Flags New England; phone number (413) 786-9300. Location: Agawam, MA (Springfield metro area.) Website: www.Six Flags.com You may email Six Flags New England here. Operation schedule: Seasonal, approx mid-April through October. Six Flags New England's Bizarro roller coaster is a frequent nominee on "best steel coaster" lists, and has won the Golden Ticket award for best steel coaster not just once, but several times. Formerly called "Superman: Ride of Steel," this giant boasts a 221 ft drop, fog-filled tunnels & 77 mph speeds, and its uncommon amount of air time certainly gives riders something to scream about. A robust list of other thrill rides, plus family & kiddie rides and a water park section make this a very versatile theme park. Major Halloween event; no Christmas event.


    Michigan theme parks

  • Michigan's Adventure; phone number (231) 766-3377. Location: North Muskegon, MI (northwest of Grand Rapids.) A Cedar Fair park. Website: www.MIAdventure.com You may email Michigan's Adventure here. Operating schedule: Seasonal, approx late May through early September. The Shivering Timbers wooden coaster, at 122 ft tall (and reaching 57 mph) is the must-ride attraction for thrill seekers. Still more coasters, family rides and a water park (Memorial Day thru Labor Day) round out the activities. No Halloween nor Christmas events.







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