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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 parksAlabama Adventure; phone number (205) 481-4750. Located in Bessemer, AL (Birmingham area.) Park website: www.AlabamaAdventure.com Operating schedule: Seasonal. 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 parksMagic Springs; phone number (501) 624-0100. Location, Hot Springs, AR. Park website is www.MagicSprings.com Member of the PARC Management group. Operation is seasonal (mid-April thru October.) 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. New for 2010: Bob the Builder live interactive show.
California theme parksBecause 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. Here is the California's Great America website, www.CaGreatAmerica.com A Cedar Fair park. Operating schedule: seasonal. 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. No Christmas event. New for 2010: Planet Snoopy children's area (replacing Nickelodeon Central.) Disneyland Park; phone number (714) 781-4565. Located in Anaheim, CA. The Disneyland website is www.Disneyland.com (which is actually a short cut you can remember for a much longer web address.) Disneyland is the 2nd most-attended theme park in the world, with 14.7 million people visiting last year. Operating schedule: Year-round, 365 days per 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. Gala Halloween and Christmas events. 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. New for 2010: Michael Jackson's 3D movie, "Captain EO" returned to the park. Disney's California Adventure Park; phone number (714) 781-4565. Located in Anaheim, CA. The Disney California Adventure website is www.Disneyland.com A sister-park to Disneyland; in fact, they share a parking lot and entry plaza. Schedule: Year-round theme park, open 365 days per year. Disney's California Adventure opened in 2001, using California's major industries as the park's themed areas. Currently, it's now undergoing multi-million 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. New for 2010: Major night time show, "World of Color," featuring spectacular lighting, enchanting music, synchronized water fountains, and pyrotechnic accents...and a host of Disney characters! Gilroy Gardens, phone number (408) 840-7100. Located in Gilroy, CA (inland from Monterey Bay.) Website: www.GilroyGardens.org A Cedar Fair park. Operating schedule: seasonal. 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.) Website: www.Knotts.com A Cedar Fair park. Operating schedule: Daily, year-round; open 363 days a year. 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! New for 2010: Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular, a Peanuts-themed nighttime display with lighting synchronized to music. Legoland California, phone number (760) 918-LEGO. Location, Carlsbad, CA (San Diego County.) Website: www.Legoland.com Dates of operation: Legoland is open year-round, 5-7 days per week (depending on the season.) Member of Merlin Entertainment group. 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) will debut in 2010. SeaWorld San Diego, phone number (800) 25-SHAMU. Located in San Diego, CA. Website: www.Seaworld.com Schedule: daily year-round, 365 days per year. One of the USA's top 20 theme parks, with attendance over 4 million 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 aeriel ride over lovely Mission Bay. Family-oriented Halloween and Christmas events. New for 2010: "Blue Horizons" dolphin and acrobatic show, held in the park's newly-enlarged Dolphin Stadium. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, phone number 707-643-6722. Location: Vallejo, CA (San Francisco Bay Area.) Website: www.SixFlags.com Operating schedule: seasonal. 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. Six Flags Magic Mountain, phone number (661) 255-4100. Location: Valencia/Los Angeles, CA. Here's the Six Flags Magic Mountain section of the www.SixFlags.com website. 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.) 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. New for 2010: Mr. Six DanceCoaster for kids. Universal Studios Hollywood phone number 1-800-UNIVERSAL. Location: Universal City, CA (Los Angeles/Hollywood area.) Website www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com Operating schedule: Universal Hollywood is a year-round park, open 7 days per week. Universal Studios Hollywood rolls out the red carpet for nearly 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.
Colorado theme parksElitch Gardens; phone number (303) 595-4FUN. Location: Denver, CO. A PARC Management group theme park. Website: www.ElitchGardens.com Operating schedule: Seasonal. Family fun for all ages, including thrill rides, kiddie rides, family attractions and concerts. Water park included with admission, Memorial Day thru Labor Day. Major annual Halloween event.
Connecticut theme parksLake Compounce; phone number 860-583-3300. Location: Bristol, CT. Website: www.LakeCompounce.com Member of Parque Reunidos group. Schedule: Seasonal. 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 parksFlorida 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! 2010 is a special time for Florida theme park excitement: as you read this, Legoland Florida is getting the grounds of the former Cypress Gardens Park ready to open with a new Lego theme next year! 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. 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. Adjacent water park (separate admission.) New for 2010: Sesame Street characters arrive at Busch Gardens. The "Sesame Street Safari of Fun" kiddie area features playgrounds, a water play area, shows and rides...including the "Air Grover" family roller coaster, plus a water flume, swing ride and carousel. Legoland Florida: no phone number yet. (When will Legoland Florida open? Mark your calendars for Fall 2011; precise date still unknown!) Location: Winter Haven, FL. (No, Legoland will not be directly in Orlando; Legoland will be about 1 hour southwest of Walt Disney World.) Website: LegolandFloridaResort.com (watch for updates to be posted here as progress on the theme park is made.) Would you like to see photos of what Legoland Florida will look like? There will be many, many similarities to Legoland California. We have hundreds of Legoland pictures in our Southern California blog's Legoland California pictures & info section. SeaWorld Orlando; phone number 1-888-800-5447. Location: Orlando, FL. Website: www.seaworldorlando.com 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 nearly 6 million people visiting last year. Universal Studios Orlando; phone number (407) 363-8000. Location: Orlando, FL. Website: www.UniversalOrlando.com Schedule: Year-round daily operation. Universal Orlando has the highest attendance in the USA of any non-Disney theme park. In 2008, nearly 6 million visitors entered its gates. Many attractions focus on the "behind the scenes" side of movie-making, but less so than it's Hollywood sister-park. All eyes were focused on this park in 2009 for the much-anticipated opening of its new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit steel roller coaster, the first coaster to feature a non-inverting loop (as well as the first to offer "choose your own music" capabilities.) Rip, Ride, Rockit's height is 167 feet; and speeds along at up to 65 mph. Universal's Islands of Adventure, phone number (407) 363-8000. Location: Orlando, FL. Website: www.UniversalOrlando.com This sister-park to Universal Studios Orlando is also in the Top 10 list of most-attended theme parks in the USA. Over 5 million people visited in 2008---a record which will soon be shattered by the park's opening of a large, multi-attraction Harry Potter themed area in 2010. The new Harry Potter themed area at Islands of Adventure is widely considered to be the most highly-anticipated new theme park attraction in the USA this year. 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 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 over 17 million in 2008. In addition, all of the other 3 parks at WDW are among the top 10 most-visited theme parks on Planet Earth. How many people visit these theme parks? In 2008, Epcot received nearly 11 million visitors, while Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom both received over 9.5 million. Wow! 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 parksSix Flags Over Georgia; phone number (770) 948-9290. Location: Austell, GA (west metro Atlanta.) Website: www.SixFlags.com Schedule: operates seasonally. 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 Schedule: Seasonal operations. 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. No Halloween nor Christmas events.
Idaho theme parksSilverwood 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 Operation schedule: Seasonal. 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 parksSix Flags Great America; phone number (847) 249-INFO (4636). Park is located in Gurnee/metro Chicago, IL. Website: www.SixFlags.com Operational schedule: Seasonal. 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. New in 2010: The much-loved Little Dipper family coaster (formerly from Kiddieland Amusement park) will open at Great America.
Indiana theme parksHoliday World; phone number 1-877-463-2645 toll-free or (812) 937-4401, local. Location: Santa Claus, IN. Website: www.holidayworld.com Operating schedule: Seasonal. 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, was named the Golden Ticket Awards #1 wooden coaster for 2009; and that's not the first year that it's taken top honors, either! Another wooden coaster (The Raven) also held a spot in the Golden Ticket's Top 10 previously. Included with admission is the Splashin' Safari water park...also very much in the news this year. Why? Because new for 2010 is its Wildebeest water coaster...the world's longest! Indiana Beach; phone number 574-583-4141. Location: Monticello, IN. Website: www.IndianaBeach.com 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 parksAdventureland 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. 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. New for 2010: Adventureland recently suffered a fire; theme park to run this year on its previously scheduled dates, nevertheless.
Kentucky theme parksSix Flags Kentucky Kingdom has closed following its 2009 operating season, sorry to say. It will be missed.
Maryland theme parksSix Flags America; phone number (301) 249-1500. Location: Mitchellville, MD (metro Baltimore area.) Website: www.SixFlags.com Operating schedule: Seasonal. 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 parksSix Flags New England; phone number (413) 786-9300. Location: Agawam, MA (Springfield metro area.) Website: www.Six Flags.com Operation schedule: Seasonal. 6 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. New for 2010: Mr. Six's Splash Island water play area for kids.
Michigan theme parksMichigan's Adventure; phone number (231) 766-3377. Location: North Muskegon, MI (northwest of Grand Rapids.) Website: www.MIAdventure.com A Cedar Fair park. Operating schedule: Seasonal. 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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