Have you been to the best amusement park in every state? This list will set you on your way to thrills, spills and lots of kettle corn.
The Best Amusement Park in Every State
Updated on Jun. 18, 2025
Alabama: OWA
OWA—pronounced OH-WAH, which means “big water” in the language of the Muscogee tribe, who developed and owns the park—is a 520-acre amusement destination in Foley, on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. It features 21 rides, a 14-acre lake and an indoor water park with a retractible roof. It’s top-rated on Tripadvisor and is open from January through October, with limited weekend hours outside the spring and summer seasons.
Alaska: H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark
Anchorage’s H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark is known as a “tropical island in the last frontier.” This fully enclosed water park is open on weekends during the school year, and daily throughout the rest of the year, offering a welcome escape from Alaska’s cold winters.
Arizona: Trail Dust Town
Tucson’s Trail Dust Town is a throwback to the abandoned ghost towns of the Wild West. Visitors can take in the Pistoleros Wild West Stunt Show, try their hand at gold panning and take a train ride (on a real train) through an expansive frontier-style setting. Ride options include a Ferris wheel and a vintage-style carousel, and shopping and food options abound. The park is open year-round.
Arkansas: Magic Springs and Crystal Falls
About an hour from Little Rock, Magic Springs and Crystal Falls is a combination amusement and water park featuring the Sky Shark sky-diving experience, the Brain Drain free-fall ride, a water tower with seven slides and a water raceway. The park also offers family-friendly and kid-specific attractions. It’s top-rated on Tripadvisor and open seasonally, with extended hours in the summer. For families planning mini vacations on a budget, it’s a fun and affordable option in the region.
California: SeaWorld
Despite the large number of top-tier amusement parks in the Golden State, SeaWorld in San Diego still stands out. Along with traditional amusement park rides, it’s known for unique animal shows, marine exhibits and educational experiences. Visitors can ride the Electric Eel roller coaster, splash down a water slide and explore exhibits on killer whales—then stick around after dark for the immersive Electric Ocean Light Festival. It’s open year-round, and remains a standout in California’s theme park landscape.
Colorado: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
A top-rated Colorado amusement park on Tripadvisor, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is America’s only mountaintop theme park. Located high above sea level in historic Glenwood Springs, its signature ride, the Giant Canyon Swing, has been featured on several travel shows, and the Alpine Coaster—famously ridden by thrill-seeking Travel Channel host Bert Kreischer—is the longest of its kind in Colorado.
Connecticut: Lake Compounce
Lake Compounce, in Bristol, calls itself Connecticut’s best amusement park for kids, but teens—and adults, for that matter—love it, too. Spanning more than 400 acres, it’s the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country, dating back to 1846. It features water and land rides, including the Boulder Dash, which has been voted the world’s #1 wooden roller coaster by Amusement Today. Water rides are open during the summer, and other parts of the park stay open later in the year. It’s record-breaking legacy shows no signs of slowing down.
Delaware: Funland
Funland is a classic boardwalk amusement park in Rehoboth Beach, featuring 19 rides, including the SuperFlip 360 (which swings you a full 360 degrees) and a lively arcade. It’s typically open from around mid-May through September. The arcade includes plenty of favorites, though a few rigged carnival games may test your luck more than your skill.
Florida: Universal Orlando
Universal Orlando is actually three theme parks in one: Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay. Islands of Adventure, in particular, has been named the number one amusement park in the world by Tripadvisor. Visitors can explore Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, escape dinosaurs in Jurassic Park or soar above the city streets like Spider-Man. The resort is open year-round and offers special seasonal events throughout the year.
Georgia: Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia, in Austell (just outside of Atlanta), is open year-round and features standout attractions including:
- Acrophobia, a drop tower that lives up to its name: Riders stand nearly upright before being tilted outward at the top of the 200-foot tower, facing the ground as they plunge.
- The Riddler Mindbender, a twin-loop roller coaster that hits speeds of up to 50 mph along a 7-story drop.
- Great American Scream Machine, the first wooden roller coaster ever built by Six Flags. The Scream Machine has been in operation since 1973.
Hawaii: Wet’n’Wild
Open year-round, Oahu’s Wet’n’Wild features 25 land and water rides, including some high-adrenaline thrills:
- Tornado, a water slide that catapults riders from 50 feet in the air through a 130-foot tunnel before dropping into the eye of a simulated storm.
- Volcano Express, a four-story head-first slide that sends riders racing down 42 feet at over 20 feet per second.
For a slower pace, the park also offers relaxing attractions like a wave pool and a lazy river, and also features a children’s water playground for the youngest visitors.
Idaho: Silverwood Theme Park and Boulder Beach
Silverwood Theme Park and Boulder Beach Water Park, in Coeur d’Alene, is the largest theme park in the Northwest. It features 70 land and water attractions, including Aftershock, an inverted roller coaster that reaches 191 feet, and Corkscrew, the world’s first modern inverted roller coaster. For younger visitors, Polliwog Park offers a kid-friendly zone within Boulder Beach.
Silverwood is open seasonally, and makes a great addition to any family travel itinerary.
Illinois: Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is home to some of the fastest, tallest, wildest, most adrenaline-pumping rides in the country. It even features a few record-breakers:
- Goliath, a wooden coaster that once set world records for speed (72 miles per hour), vertical drop (180 feet) and steepest drop (85 degrees).
- Demon, one of the first coasters in the world to include a double corkscrew.
Alongside the thrills, the park also has an old-fashioned, small-town-style amusement area that appeals to all ages. It’s open all summer, and on select days and weekends in the spring and fall.
Indiana: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, located in Santa Claus, Indiana, is—fittingly—holiday-themed. It features:
- Thunderbird, America’s first “launched wing” coaster, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds.
- Mammoth, the world’s longest water coaster.
- Voyage, widely recognized as one of the best wooden coasters in the country.
And even though the park is in a town named Santa Claus, the park celebrates multiple holidays, including Thanksgiving, as the new Good Gravy! roller coaster attests.
Iowa: Adventureland Resort
Just outside Des Moines, Adventureland Resort offers more than 100 rides and attractions, including double-loop roller coasters, classic wooden coasters and a water park featuring Iowa’s largest wave pool and longest lazy river. The park is open seasonally, with weekend-only hours during spring and fall.
Kansas: Kenwood Cove Aquatic Park
Located in Salina, Kenwood Cove Aquatic Park is Kansas’s highest-rated amusement park on Tripadvisor. It features 1,400 feet of slides, including one with a 35-foot drop. There’s also a lazy river, a wave pool and a colorful, Caribbean-inspired children’s play area.
Kentucky: Kentucky Kingdom
Louisville’s Kentucky Kingdom spans 53 acres and features some of the country’s top-rated roller coasters, including:
- Wind Chaser, a 100-foot-tall ride and the first coaster in America to feature a barrel roll drop from a 10-story lift hill.
- Woodland Run, a world-renowned wooden coaster with nearly 3,000 feet of track, a 74-foot drop and plenty of airtime.
It’s also home to Hurricane Bay, a full water park located on the same grounds, as well as Discovery Meadow, a new nature-themed attraction added in 2025.
Louisiana: Wonder Oasis Waterpark
Shreveport’s Wonder Oasis is a family-friendly water park with rides, pools and attractions for all ages. You may be more familiar with its previous name, Splash Kingdom, but the park underwent a major renovation in 2024. Open seven days a week in the summer, the top-rated Louisiana park is also open for select weekend and seasonal events during the cooler months.
Maine: Funtown Splashtown USA
Saco’s Funtown Splashtown USA is the largest water park in New England, and it’s Tripadvisor’s top-rated Maine amusement park. It earns praise not just for its water attractions but also for its coasters: the 100-foot-tall Excalibur is the tallest and longest in northern New England. And in 2023, the park debuted a new “dark ride,” the Whispering Pines Haunted Hotel, which was named a Top Ten Best New Attraction by USA Today.
Maryland: Six Flags America
Baltimore’s premier amusement park, Six Flags America in Upper Marlboro, boasts some truly thrilling rides, including a classic wooden coaster, Wild One, and Joker’s Jinx, a launched coaster that goes from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds. Six Flags America also has a water park that’s open during the summer months, offering a cool escape from the heat. There’s something for everyone at this classic mid-Atlantic park.
Massachusetts: Six Flags New England
Springfield’s Six Flags New England is the oldest of all the Six Flags properties, having operated—though not always under the Six Flags name—since the late 1800s. The park is open all summer and features both land and water rides. One standout: Harley Quinn Spinsanity, a 147-foot-tall swing ride that hits 70 mph. Also at the park are tons of Batman-themed rides, including a floorless coaster with 5 separate inversions.
Michigan: Michigan’s Adventure and WildWater Adventure
Located in Muskegon, Michigan’s Adventure—along with its water park, WildWater Adventure—is the state’s largest and top-rated amusement park on Tripadvisor. The 250-acre park includes more than 20 water attractions, but land rides, like the wooden coaster Shivering Timbers, the tallest and fastest in Michigan, are just as notable. Shivering Timbers received a major track upgrade in 2025, making the ride smoother.
Minnesota: Nickelodeon Universe
Inside the world-record-setting Mall of America in Bloomington, Nickelodeon Universe spans 7 acres and features 27 rides and attractions. It’s open every day of the year except Christmas, a welcome escape during Minnesota’s long winters. And while it’s geared toward kids, thrill rides like the Ninja Turtles–themed Shell Shock flip and twist through the air at dizzying speeds.
Mississippi: Geyser Falls Water Theme Park
Geyser Falls Water Theme Park is Mississippi’s top-rated park on Tripadvisor and home to standout attractions like Whitewater Express (half water slide, half drag strip, according to their website) and Backsplash, a backward water slide built for two-person inner tubes. The park operates daily from late May through early August, and on weekends through Labor Day.
Missouri: Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City in Branson has been a family favorite since 1960. Featuring over 30 rides and attractions, 40 live shows, 60 unique shops and over 100 demonstrating craftspersons, it’s no wonder it’s top-rated on Tripadvisor. The 1800s-themed park is nestled in the heart of the Ozarks, and the park’s surrounding natural beauty is another main attraction.
Montana: Big Sky Waterpark
Located just outside Glacier National Park in Columbia Falls, Big Sky Waterpark offers exciting attractions that include ten water slides, a huge whirlpool, mini golf, bumper cars and a climbing wall. The park underwent major renovations in 2024 to make the slides as smooth as possible and to revamp one of the park’s waterslide towers.
Nebraska: Fun Plex
“Move over, Disney,” says one Tripadvisor reviewer of this top-rated Nebraska amusement park, which appeals to kids of all ages. Fun Plex Waterpark and Rides is conveniently located in Omaha and is not only ranked the largest and best amusement park in the Cornhusker State by Tripadvisor, but is home to the only roller coaster in the entire state. It also has plenty of other rides and activities, as well as a water park with slides, wave pools, a lazy river and Nebraska’s only swim-up bar for the grown-ups.
Nevada: Adventuredome
Located inside Circus Circus on the Las Vegas strip, Adventuredome is a fully indoor theme park right in the heart of Sin City. But this park is for the whole family: Signature coasters include Canyon Blaster—the only indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew coaster in the world—and El Loco, a 72-second ride featuring a 45-degree bank and a 240-degree roll into an inverted drop.
New Hampshire: Canobie Lake Park
Canobie Lake Park in Salem has over 85 rides, including the wooden Yankee Cannonball and UNTAMED, which has grizzly bear-shaped cars that lift riders 72 feet into the air before dropping them at a beyond-vertical 97 degrees. If you’re more into water parks, the park’s Castaway Island has a tidal river (think lazy river but with waves) and a 60-foot tower with three water slides.
New Jersey: Six Flags Great Adventure
Sadly, this park’s most famous coaster, the Kingda Ka, was demolished in 2025, but that just means there’s more room for new rides. Top of the list includes The Flash: Vertical Velocity, a super boomerang coaster that’s the first of its kind in North America and the second in the world. First, this coaster speeds you to 60 mph and 172 feet in the air, then when you’re done you do the entire ride again—backwards!
New Mexico: Cliff’s Amusement Park
Albuquerque’s Cliff’s Amusement Park has a small-town vibe and old-school wooden coaster charm, but the thrills are modern. The standout ride is the New Mexico Rattler, a nearly 3,000-foot-long “woodie” with wild drops, tight turns, high speeds and even a 100-foot underground tunnel.
New York: Coney Island
This historic Brooklyn destination is actually made up of multiple amusement parks, with Luna Park as its crown jewel. It’s home to the famous Cyclone roller coaster, along with the Wonder Wheel and the Parachute Jump, all registered national landmarks. You’ll love to visit Coney Island not just for the amusements, but for a piece of history. And yes, the legendary Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest still draws a crowd every year!
North Carolina: Carowinds
North Carolina and South Carolina come together in perfect state line harmony at Carowinds, whose entrance straddles the border of the two states. At over 400 acres, Carowinds includes Carolina Harbor, the largest water park in both states, and some of the South’s scariest roller coasters, including Thunder Striker (formerly called Intimidator) and Afterburn. When you get hungry, you can enjoy North Carolina– or South Carolina–style BBQ.
Carowinds, whose official address is in Charlotte, North Carolina, is open throughout the summer as well as on weekends in spring and fall.
North Dakota: Thunder Road Amusement Park
If carnival rides are what you’re after, you may have to wait for the North Dakota State Fair. But if you’re up for go-karting, bumper cars, laser tag and mini golf, Fargo’s Thunder Road Amusement Park captures the state’s love for outdoor adventure. It’s open from late April through late October, weather dependent.
Ohio: Cedar Point
With 19 roller coasters, Cedar Point in Sandusky earns its title as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World.” The newest coaster, Siren’s Curse, opened in 2025. Popular rides include Skyhawk, one of the world’s largest swing rides, and Lake Erie Eagles, which lets riders steer their own flight. The park sits on an archipelago in Lake Erie, adding a scenic twist to the thrills. It’s open all summer with weekend hours in September and October.
Oklahoma: Frontier City
Oklahoma City’s Frontier City isn’t just the best amusement park in Oklahoma; it’s the only one in the Sooner State. It has something for everyone, including land rides, water rides, live shows and a Wild West Frontier theme. It’s open all summer and has weekend hours in the spring and early fall.
Oregon: Oaks Park
Oaks Park opened in 1905, and what it lacks in big thrills, it makes up for in charm. Its wooden carousel dates to 1913, and it features 23 other rides for every member of the family. This classic Portland landmark also has roller skating, mini-golf, carnival games and an escape room.
Pennsylvania: Hersheypark
Pennsylvania has several great amusement parks, like Dorney Park, Sesame Place and Dutch Wonderland, but none can quite compete with Hersheypark because … well, chocolate. This PA classic, which started as a retreat for employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company, has been open for nearly 120 years. When you visit you’ll not only get all the land and water attractions of a top-tier amusement park, you can tour a real chocolate factory.
Rhode Island: Adventureland
Rhode Island may be tiny, but it still packs in plenty of family fun—especially at Adventureland, in Narragansett. Open daily starting June 1, it offers mostly classic, mellow carnival attractions including bumper boats, mini golf, go-karts and a carousel.
South Carolina: Family Kingdom Seaside Amusement Park
While Carowinds may be the Carolinas’ top theme park, South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach has classic coastal fun at the Family Kingdom Seaside Amusement Park. Located next to Splashes Water Park and steps from one of the best beach boardwalks in America, it offers more than 35 rides, including the Log Flume and the Sling Shot, which features a 100-foot free fall.
South Dakota: Rush Mountain Adventure Park
At Rush Mountain Adventure Park in Rapid City, you’ll find the area’s only roller coaster, the Rushmore Mountain Coaster. The park also features stalactite-filled caverns to explore and the Soaring Eagle Zipride, which sends you flying through the park with sweeping views of the Black Hills. The main park is open daily from May through October and on weekends in March and April, but Rushmore Cave is open year round.
Tennessee: Dollywood
Dolly Parton put Pigeon Forge on the map when she opened Dollywood. Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, this top family destination in Tennessee features:
- Firechaser Express, the nation’s first dual-launch family coaster—it blasts you both backward and forward.
- Lightning Rod, a 1950s-era hot rod–themed coaster that sends riders more than 20 stories up its lift hill for an exhilarating airtime moment.
Visitors can also see the country’s largest home for non-releasable birds of prey at Dollywood’s eagle sanctuary. The park is open almost year round, with specific dates and hours dependent on the type of attraction.
Texas: Six Flags Fiesta Texas
In a state with two major Six Flags amusement parks, it’s tough to choose just one, but San Antonio’s Six Flags Fiesta Texas stands out for two unique attractions:
- Thunder Rapids Water Coaster, the first blast water coaster in the U.S. This ride uses water jet propulsion technology to give riders thrilling uphill blasts and flying saucer turns.
- Wonder Woman Golden Lasso, the first single-rail roller coaster in the world. This thriller takes you single-file on a 90-degree drop next to 100-foot rock quarry walls.
True to Texas style, this park is big. It also happens to be located along one of the best road trip routes in the country, adding another reason to make it part of your summer travel plans.
Utah: Lagoon Park
Utah may be best known as a winter ski destination and onetime host of the Winter Olympics, but it holds its own in the summer, too. Lagoon Park, just outside Salt Lake City, offers 50 rides on both land and water, plus Pioneer Village, a Wild West–themed attraction. The fun continues through October with Frightmares, its popular Halloween-themed event.
Vermont: Killington Pico Adventure Center
Killington is a major ski destination in the winter, but come summer, it transforms into an action-packed adventure park. Highlights include ziplining, Alpine tubing, trampolines, a climbing wall, a ropes course and Segway tours. The star attraction? The Beast Mountain Coaster, a 4,800-foot-long coaster that twists and turns through the woods with 360-degree corkscrews and major thrills.
Virginia: Busch Gardens
The crown jewel of Busch Gardens is the Loch Ness Monster, a double-loop roller coaster that was once the tallest and fastest steel coaster of its kind. More recently, the park introduced its first wooden coaster, called InvadR, featuring a 74-foot plunge and speeds up to 50 mph. The adjacent water park is the largest in Virginia, and its location near Colonial Williamsburg, one of the best American cities for history buffs, make this a true bucket-list-destination.
Washington: Wild Waves Theme and Water Park
Located in Federal Way, Wild Waves is Washington’s only two-in-one amusement park, with both land and water rides included in a single ticket—a rare perk. It’s open all summer, and also hosts a festive holiday lights event each December.
West Virginia: Camden Park
The only amusement park in West Virginia with classic carnival rides, Camden Park spans 26 acres in Huntington and has roots dating back to 1902, when it began as a picnic spot and added its first carousel. Today, it features more than 30 rides and attractions, including the Big Dipper, a 1958 wooden coaster recognized as a Coaster Landmark by the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE).
Wisconsin: Kalahari Resorts
This amusement park in the Wisconsin Dells packs its 100,000 square feet of indoor family fun with an impressive lineup of attractions and activities. Highlights include Maximum Foolocity, a thrill ride that lifts you 50 feet into the air before spinning you in all directions. The resort also features both outdoor and indoor water parks, making it a go-to destination no matter the weather.
Wyoming: Treetop Adventure
There’s a dearth of amusement parks in Wyoming, but you don’t need a towering roller coaster to give you thrills. Head over to Snow King Mountain in Jackson for a double dose of adrenaline in the Treetop Adventure course. You’ll face high suspension bridges, zip lines, swinging logs and more. Don’t miss out on the aerial skateboard! There are treetop adventure courses for both kids and adults, so the whole family can have fun.
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