If you love nothing more than the thrill of soaring high into the air before plunging back down again, with a few rollercoaster loops thrown in for good measure, then you’ll want to keep reading.
With the USA home to the original Disney World and hundreds of other theme parks, millions of thrill-seekers visit these attractions every year. But have you ever wondered which US theme park is the best, which has the most rides and rollercoasters, and which offers the best value for money?
“Topping our list of the best theme parks in the USA, is Ohio’s Cedar Point. Situated on a mile-long sandy beach, you can switch up the thrills with sea and sand in the summertime.”
To find out, we’ve created a theme park index to rank America’s best theme parks. We analysed a range of factors, including ticket prices, the number of rides, the number of rollercoasters, and the number of Instagram posts. Read on to discover which US theme parks came out on top.
| Rank | State | Amusement Park | Ticket Price (USD) | Rollercoasters | Rides | TripAdvisor Score | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | Cedar Point Amusement Park | $52 | 18 | 66 | 4.4 | 95 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | Hersheypark | $54.99 | 14 | 76 | 4.1 | 84.89 |
| 3 | California | Six Flags Magic Mountain | $55 | 20 | 50 | 4.1 | 83.33 |
| 4 | North Carolina | Carowinds | $39 | 14 | 57 | 4 | 79.58 |
| 5 | Virginia | Kings Dominion | $45.00 | 13 | 59 | 4 | 77.67 |
| 6 | Virginia | Busch Gardens | $61.99 | 10 | 53 | 4.2 | 73.52 |
| 7 | Illinois | Six Flags Great America | $45.00 | 16 | 44 | 3.8 | 70.89 |
| 8 | New Jersey | Six Flags Great Adventure | $45 | 14 | 47 | 3.8 | 69.52 |
| 9 | Tennessee | Dollywood | $95 | 10 | 50 | 4.3 | 67.58 |
| 10 | California | Knott’s Berry Farm | $65 | 10 | 43 | 4.1 | 66.83 |
| 11 | Texas | Six Flags Fiesta Texas | $39 | 11 | 45 | 3.8 | 66.68 |
| 12 | Florida | Walt Disney World | $119 | 9 | 54 | 4.4 | 64.85 |
| 13 | California | Disneyland Resort | $90.00 | 6 | 52 | 4.3 | 64.65 |
| 14 | California | Six Flags Discovery Kingdom | $39.00 | 10 | 39 | 3.8 | 63.49 |
| 15 | Idaho | Silverwood Theme Park | $78.00 | 7 | 41 | 4.2 | 62.27 |
| 16 | Georgia | Six Flags Over Georgia | $39 | 12 | 42 | 3.6 | 61.52 |
| 17 | Maryland | Jolly Roger Amusement Park | $33 | 3 | 43 | 3.7 | 55.35 |
| 18 | New York | Adventureland | $39.50 | 3 | 37 | 3.7 | 51.73 |
| 19 | California | Universal Studios Hollywood | $110 | 2 | 12 | 4.4 | 44.62 |
| 20 | Florida | Universal Studios Florida | $125 | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 40 |
1. Cedar Point Amusement Park, Ohio
- Ticket Price: $52
- Rollercoasters: 18
- Rides: 66
- TripAdvisor: 4.4
Topping our list of the best theme parks in the USA, is Ohio’s Cedar Point. Situated on a mile-long sandy beach, you can switch up the thrills with sea and sand in the summertime.
With 18 rollercoasters, it has the second highest number on our list, and the second most number of rides, at 72. Ride the Corkscrew, with its three upside down turns, or brave GateKeeper, which has broken seven world records, and reaches speeds of up to 67mph!
2. Hersheypark, Pennsylvania
- Ticket Price: $54.99
- Rollercoasters: 14
- Rides: 76
- TripAdvisor: 4.1
Taking second place on our list is Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. Originally created by chocolate entrepreneur Milton S. Hershey, the park has grown into one of America’s most popular theme parks.
Thrill-seekers have 14 rollercoasters to choose from. Highlights include Candymonium, which greets visitors at the park entrance, and Wildcat’s Revenge, a record-breaking hybrid coaster packed with twists, drops and inversions. Beyond the rides, guests meet some of North America’s wildlife at ZooAmerica, and enjoy plenty of chocolate-themed experiences throughout the resort.
3. Six Flags Magic Mountain, California
- Ticket Price: $55
- Rollercoasters: 20
- Rides: 50
- TripAdvisor: 4.1
Taking the bronze is Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. It’s often regarded as one of the world’s best parks for rollercoaster enthusiasts. With tickets costing $55, visitors can enjoy 50 rides, including an incredible 20 rollercoasters, more than any other park on our list.
Known as the “Thrill Capital of the World”, Magic Mountain is packed with record-breaking attractions. Brave riders can take on the legendary X2, or experience Twisted Colossus, one of the world’s longest hybrid rollercoasters. Six Flags Magic Mountain is a popular bucket-list destination for adrenaline seekers.
4. Carowinds, North Carolina
- Ticket Price: $39
- Rollercoasters: 14
- Rides: 57
- TripAdvisor: 4
Situated right on the border of North and South Carolina, Carowinds has the joint second cheapest tickets on our list, with a day pass costing just $39.
Home to both a theme park and water park, you can rent cabanas in the summer when the temperatures rise, or seek some thrills on one of Carowinds’ 14 rollercoasters, one of which (Fury 325) was voted the world’s best steel coaster by Amusement Today.
5. Kings Dominion, Virginia
- Ticket Price: $45
- Rollercoasters: 13
- Rides: 59
- TripAdvisor: 4
The only destination in Virginia with both a theme park and a water park, Kings Dominion makes it into a very respectable fifth place, for the best theme parks in America.
Open until 10pm in the summer, you can really make the most of the day, with tickets costing just $45.
Kings Dominion also has a solid number of rollercoasters, at a count of 13. Anaconda and Dominator are two of the more popular coasters, but if you want to take the little ones, then head straight for Planet Snoopy.
6. Busch Gardens, Virginia
- Ticket Price: $61.99
- Rollercoasters: 10
- Rides: 53
- TripAdvisor: 4.2
We’re heading back to Virginia with our sixth best theme park in the US: the German-themed Busch Gardens. Choose from 53 rides, nine of which are rollercoasters, including Alpengeist, which is one of the tallest and fastest rollercoasters in the world, and DarKoaster, which is new for this season, and is the only indoor straddle coaster in North America.
You’ll also get the chance to see Scottish Highland cattle and Clydesdale horses at the Highland Stables, and dine out at the several German-themed restaurants.
7. Six Flags Great America, Illinois
- Ticket Price: $45
- Rollercoasters: 16
- Rides: 44
- TripAdvisor: 3.8
Taking seventh place is Six Flags Great America in Illinois, a park that offers plenty of thrills without breaking the bank, with tickets costing just $45. Despite having fewer rides than some of the parks in our ranking, it boasts an impressive 16 rollercoasters.
Among the park’s standout attractions is Raging Bull, the tallest and longest rollercoaster on the park. Maxx Force is famous for its blistering launch that accelerates riders from 0 to 78 mph in just 1.8 seconds!
8. Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey
- Ticket Price: $45
- Rollercoasters: 14
- Rides: 47
- TripAdvisor: 3.8
Next up is Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. With tickets priced at only $45, visitors can enjoy access to 47 rides, including 14 rollercoasters. Attractions range from family-friendly favourites to some of the most intense thrill rides in the country.
The park boasts several world-class rides, including El Toro, an award-winning wooden rollercoaster known for its steep drops and airtime-filled layout. You can also ride the Jersey Devil Coaster, one of the world’s tallest, fastest and longest single-rail rollercoasters.
9. Dollywood, Tennessee
- Ticket Price: $95
- Rollercoasters: 10
- Rides: 50
- TripAdvisor: 4.3
Situated high up in the Smoky Mountains, make the most of your stay at Dollywood by enjoying a big dose of Southern hospitality at the on-site resort and lodges.
Try and get on as many of the 50 rides as you can, which includes several thrill-seeking rollercoasters, including the Mystery Mine, and
Tennessee Tornado. You can also visit the Comedy Barn Theater, which is home to live country music, jugglers, and ventriloquists.
10. Knott’s Berry Farm, California
- Ticket Price: $65
- Rollercoasters: 10
- Rides: 43
- TripAdvisor: 4.1
The third Californian theme park on this list, Knott’s Berry Farm comes a very respectable tenth place. As the name suggests, it was initially a farm, which became famous because of its boysenberries and fried chicken. You can enjoy these day, at the on-site restaurant.
With 43 rides and 10 rollercoasters, try the likes of GhostRider, La Revolucion, and Banzai Falls, which is a huge waterslide that looms 41 feet tall.
If you’d like to visit to one of the several Six Flags parks across the country, try out the Alpine-inspired Busch Gardens, or combine a trip to the beach with Kings Dominion, why not make a vacation out of it?
When you’re flying to your destination, then make sure to reserve your parking early We operate all across the USA, so whether you’re looking for airport parking in Los Angeles, airport parking in Orlando, or anywhere in between, we’ve got you covered.
And, if you’ve got an early flight out or a late one back, why not book an airport hotel, so you can rest, recharge, and make the most of your vacation?
Main image: Kaleb Tapp – Unsplash
