The Craziest Amusement Park Ride in Every State

Everyone has been on some sort of amusement park ride, even if it's just your standard fairground ferris wheel or carousel. But for the adrenaline junkies among us, even the most stomach-churning drops and mind-boggling corkscrews isn't enough. That's why we've scoured every state for the most downright dare-devilish rides, all of which are guaranteed to get even the most seasoned thrill-seeker's adrenaline pumping.

With insane features like 30-second free-falls, sub-4-second 0-to-128MPH accelerations (no, we're not joking), and water slides that propel you both downhill and uphill, herein are the most epic roller and water coasters in each of the 50 states, including several that opened just this summer. Fair warning: your heart might race just thinking about some of these record-breaking rides. And for everything else you should know before strapping into one of these attractions, don't miss these 30 Shocking Facts About Amusement Parks.

City: Bessemer
Amusement Park: Alabama Splash Adventure
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $29.95
Park Child Ticket Price: $24.95 (under 52")

Revamped in 2015 (it was originally constructed in the late '90s), Rampage is a wooden roller coaster that ascends to 120 feet—and reaches a breakneck top speed of 56 MPH.

And for more reckless rides, don't miss The 20 Most Terrifying Roller Coasters in America.

City: Anchorage
Amusement Park: H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark
Height Minimum: N/A
Park Adult Ticket Price: $24.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $19.99 (3 to 12 years old)

Grab a tube and cool off with a ride on this 505-foot long water-powered slide that propels its bold riders both downhill and uphill.

For more ideas on how to beat the summer heat, check out 20 Surprising Things That Can Keep You Cooler All Summer.

City: Phoenix
Amusement Park: Castles n' Coasters
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: $29.99 (Bronze Pass, All-Day Unlimited Rides)

Skydiver is a simple but gut-wrenching free fall that drops from a height of 120 feet—approximately the height of an 11-story building.

And for more adrenaline-inducing fun, don't miss The 50 Most Death-Defying Selfies.

City: Hot Springs
Amusement Park: Magic Springs
Height Minimum: 52"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $49.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $39.99 (under 48")

The heart-thumping X-Coaster begins with a 150-foot vertical ascent and features a slow quarter-loop backwards and a 360-degree corkscrew, operating at a top speed of more than 65 MPH. 

Photo via Instagram

City: Anaheim
Amusement Park: Disney California (Disneyland)
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: (Varies by date)

Debuting on June 23, a week after Disney-Pixar's Incredibles 2 hit theaters, the Incredicoaster's 6,000+ feet of track features a fast-paced race to catch the super family's youngest child, baby Jack-Jack. The coaster's mad dash (now the fastest and longest at the Disneyland Resort) is set to a musical score written by film composer Michael Giacchino.

Photo via Instagram

City: Denver
Amusement Park: Elitch Gardens Theme and Water Park
Height Minimum: 52"
Park General Admission: $60

A suspension ride, Mind Eraser tugs its dangling riders through a series of rollovers and double corkscrew spins at a mind-boggling speed of more than 50 MPH.

City: Bristol
Amusement Park: Lake Compounce
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $41.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $32.99 (under 52")

Reaching speeds of up to 60 MPH, Boulder Dash touts the title of world's first roller coaster to be built into the side of an actual mountain. In 2013, Amusement Today named Boulder Dash the world's best wooden coaster.

City: Rehoboth Beach
Amusement Park: Funland
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: (Tickets required for each ride. A 20-ticket strip is $8.)

As its name suggests, the Superflip360 swings its riders a full rotation of 360 degrees, at a height of 40 feet.

City: Orlando
Amusement Park: Sea World Orlando
Height Minimum: 54"
Park General Admission: $99.99 (same-day ticket)

Named for the speediest shark in the ocean, Mako zips along at an incredible top speed of 73 MPH. Mako is also the region's only "hypercoaster," which describes a a ride that reaches between 200 and 300 feet in height. 

City: Austell
Amusement Park: Six Flags Over Georgia
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $69.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $49.99 (under 48")

Another of this season's newest coasters (debuted in May 2018), this 2,400-foot long wood and steel hybrid reaches just under 100 feet high, with an initial drop of a steep 75 degrees.

Photo via Instagram

City: Kapolei
Amusement Park: Wet 'n Wild Hawaii
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $49.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $37.99 (under 42")

Wet 'n Wild Hawaii classifies the Tornado as one of the park's "extreme rides." It send riders through a 130-foot tunnel before shooting them out into a splash-filled funnel.

Photo via Instagram

City: Athol
Amusement Park: Silverwood Theme Park
Height Minimum: 48" (or 42" with an adult)
Park Adult Ticket Price: $47
Park Child Ticket Price: $26, ages 3-7

Opened in 1999, Tremors is an oldie but goody. Featuring staggering drops of up to 103 feet and a top speed of 63 MPH, this wood coaster really sets itself apart by venturing underground four separate times during its 1-minute-and-40-second ride.

Photo via Instagram

City: Gurnee
Amusement Park: Six Flags Great America
Height Minimum: 48" 
Park Adult Ticket Price: $75.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $55.99 (under 48")

At its debut in 2000, Goliath broke three world records, becoming the fastest wooden coaster (72 MPH), while also featuring both the tallest (180 feet) and steepest drops for a wooden coaster (85 degrees). Despite no longer holding those records, Goliath is still guaranteed to induce some major thrills.  

City: Santa Claus
Amusement Park: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari
Height Minimum: 48" (or 42" with adult)
Park General Admission: (Varies by date)

In May 2016, Guinness certified Mammoth as the world's longest water coaster at an astounding 1,763 feet long, meaning the coaster covers a full three acres of land with a series of steep drops and terrifying tunnels through complete darkness.

City: Altoona
Amusement Park: Adventureland
Height Minimum: 52" 
Park Adult Ticket Price: $45
Park Child Ticket Price: $40 (ages 4 to 9)

Storm Chaser propels its riders in a giant swing at an astonishing 260 feet off the ground, coursing through the air at speeds up to 35 MPH.

Photo via Instagram

City: Hutchinson
Location: Kansas State Fair
Height Minimum: N/A
Ride Ticket Price: $4 for a one-way ticket, or $6 for a round-tripae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

Kansas doesn't have any amusement parks, so this leisurely ski lift (sans snow) is the most thrilling ride you'll find in the state. At least you can take in all the sights at the state fair.

Photo via Instagram

City: Louisville
Amusement Park: Kentucky Kingdom
Height Minimum: 52"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $54.95
Park Child Ticket Price: $39.95 (under 48")

Terror to the Third Power is a suspended looping coaster featuring five gravity-defying inversions. Can you say dizzy?

Photo via Instagram

City: Baton Rouge
Amusement Park: Dixie Landin'
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $36.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $29.99 (under 48")

A boomerang-esque coaster, the Ragin' Cajun begins with a backwards climb up an 85-foot-tall spike, where the coaster rests for a gut-wrenching second before coursing down the track at speeds up to 47 MPH. 

Photo via Instagram

City: Saco
Amusement Park: Funtown Splashtown USA
Height Minimum: 48" (or 38" with an adult)
Park Adult Ticket Price: $39
Park Child Ticket Price: $30 (under 48")

Promoted on Funtown Splashtown's site as "New England's longest and tallest log flume," Thunder Falls's precipitous drop is sure to leave you soaked.

Photo via Instagram

City: Ocean City
Amusement Park: Jolly Roger Amusement Park
Height Minimum: 58" to drive, 36" to be a passenger
General Ticket Price: $45.99 (2 hours of go-karts, including Cyclone Cart Coaster)

Cyclone Cart Coaster is an exhilarating fusion of go-kart meets roller coaster. The world's first "cart coaster" raced onto the scene in 2015, with a track measuring over 1,500 feet long and five stories tall.

And for more state-related trivia, don't miss The Strangest Law in Every State.

Photo via Instagram

City: Agawam
Amusement Park: Six Flags New England
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $69.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $59.99 (under 58")

In 2014, the oldest Six Flags in the United States proudly debuted "the tallest swing ride on the planet." The New England Sky Screamer dangles its passengers over 400 feet in the air, swinging them around at a breathtaking 35 MPH.

Photo via Instagram

City: Muskegon
Amusement Park: Michigan's Adventure
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: $35 (online ticket price)

Billed as the park's signature attraction, Shivering Timbers is also the longest wooden roller coaster in Michigan, racing through a whopping 5,383 feet of track. Pro tip: Opt to ride this 65-MPH coaster at night for an added thrill.

City: Bloomington
Amusement Park: Nickelodeon Universe
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: $35.99 (all-day wristband)

Avatar Airbender debuted in 2008, with the TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender as its inspiration. Reaching heights of 70 feet, the dizzying ride experience is described by Coaster-Net as "almost like that of a tilt-a-whirl set in a halfpipe." 

City: Choctaw
Amusement Park: Geyser Falls
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: Sunday-Friday: $36.99, Saturday: $44.99
Park Child Ticket Price: Sunday-Friday: $26.99; Saturday: $34.99 (under 48" tall) 

Backsplash bears the title of "the first waterslide of its kind in America." This water ride features a tunnel, followed by a ramp that leaves you sliding backwards into the splash pool—aptly called a "roller coaster and water slide all rolled into one."

City: Branson
Amusement Park: Silver Dollar City
Height Minimum: 51"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $65
Park Child Ticket Price: $54 (ages 4-11)

In just under two minutes, this $26 million roller coaster, which debuted in March 2018, manages to send its riders through a record-breaking three inversions (the most ever for a spinning coaster), including a massive 95-foot tall vertical loop. 

City: Columbia Falls
Amusement Park: Big Sky Water Park
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $26.99 (full day pass)
Park Child Ticket Price: $21.99 (under 48")

Cross your arms over your chest and try not to scream too loudly as you race down this seven-story water slide.

Photo via Instagram

City: Omaha
Amusement Park: Fun-Plex Rides
Height Minimum: N/A
Park Adult Ticket Price: $29.95
Park Child Ticket Price: $19.95 (under 54")

Fun-Plex's first double-rider slide debuted this summer at an impressive 1,200 feet long and five stories high, moving a mind-boggling 3,000 gallons of water per minute.

Photo via Instagram

City: Las Vegas
Amusement Park: Adventuredome
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $32.95
Park Child Ticket Price: $18.95 (under 48")

Operating at speeds up to 55 MPH since 1993, Adventuredome claims that Canyon Blaster is the world's only "indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster." 

City: Salem
Amusement Park: Canobie Lake Park
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $39
Park Child Ticket Price: $29 (under 48")

Even at 88 years old, the Yankee Cannonball is still in dandy condition, thank you very much. This traditional wooden roller coaster, which travels at speeds up to 35 MPH, has sustained damage from both a hurricane and a fire.

City: Jackson
Amusement Park: Six Flags Great Adventure
Height Minimum: 54"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $79.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $49.99 (under 54")

How's this for terrifying: Kingda Ka accelerates from 0 to 128 MPH in 3.5 seconds flat (faster than the fastest Ferrari, by the way) to propel its passengers into a 270-degree spiral, making for an insane 50.6 second ride. In April 2018, TripSavvy confirmed that Kingda Ka remains the fastest coaster in the United States, although it has fallen to second fastest in the world. (Formula Rossa in Abu Dhabi takes the cake for that world record.) 

And for more interesting info on each of America's states, bone up on The Craziest Fact About Every U.S. State.

City: El Paso
Amusement Park: Western Playland
Height Minimum: 50"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $21.21; (Price for Pay-One-Price bracelets)
Park Child Ticket Price: $16.60 (34" to 41"); (Price for Pay-One-Price bracelets)

Western Playland purchased this dynamic coaster, which tops out at speeds just over 55 MPH, from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Northern California. The Hurricane made its New Mexico debut in May 2013. 

City: Darien Center
Amusement Park: Darien Lake
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $34.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $29.99 (under 48")

Premiering in May 2018, the Tantrum features a breathtaking 97-degree drop, the first ride in New York to plummet into a beyond-vertical descent. The $5 million coaster reaches speeds up to 52 MPH.

Photo via Instagram

City: Charlotte
Amusement Park: Carowinds
Height Minimum: 54"
Park General Admission: $48

Named after its massive height of 325 feet, this ride keeps your adrenaline pumping for just over three minutes, reaching speeds as high as 95 MPH. Fury 325 received international acclaim when it debuted in 2015, winning Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for "Best New Ride in the World." 

Photo via Instagram

City: Grand Forks
Amusement Park: Splasher's of the South Seas
Height Minimum: N/A
Park Adult Ticket Price: $20.95
Park Child Ticket Price: $10.95 (ages 1-3)

Located at the largest indoor waterpark in North Dakota, the Rarotonga is a "cannonbowl" slide that sends you sloshing around a watery funnel of fun.

Photo via Tripadvisor

City: Sandusky
Amusement Park: Cedar Point
Height Minimum: 52"
Park General Admission: $49

Cedar Point has proudly dedicated an entire page of the park website to describing the incredible not one, not two, but 10 world records this newly unveiled hybrid roller coaster owns—including that it's the world's first steel-on-wood hybrid roller coaster to stand over 200 feet tall and that it thrills its riders with longer airtime than any other roller coaster in the world (nearly 30 seconds of weightlessness).

Photo via Instagram

City: Oklahoma City
Amusement Park: Frontier City
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: $31.99

A Western-themed steel looping coaster, the Silver Bullet has been shooting through the air at high speeds up to 47.8 MPH since 1986.

Photo via Instagram

City: Portland
Amusement Park: Oaks Park
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: $39.25 (Premier Bracelet, valid for unlimited rides)

Adrenaline Peak has all the works: a past-vertical initial drop, a 97-degree loop, and guaranteed thrills for the entire 1,050 feet of track. In a commendable PR move, Oak Parks hosted an online contest to encourage their patrons to choose the perfect name for the new coaster. The 20-year-old college student who submitted "Adrenaline Peak" won a $500 gift certificate to the park.

City: Hershey
Amusement Park: Hersheypark
Height Minimum: 54"
Park General Admission: $44.95

After climbing 200 feet in the air, Sky Rush barrels down the highest drop in Hersheypark. It is also the fastest coaster in the park, practically flying downhill at speeds up to 75 MPH.

City: Narragansett
Location: Adventureland
Height Minimum: N/A
Ride Ticket Price: 1 Jump: $6.00; 3 Jumps: $15.00 

Rhode Island may not technically have any amusement parks, but Adventureland is the next best thing. Check out the Extreme Big Air Jumper to bounce to heights up to 25 feet—unencumbered by any safety harness. (Worry not: the plush bouncing pads will break your fall.)

Photo via Instagram

City: Myrtle Beach
Amusement Park: Family Kingdom
Height Minimum: 48"
Ride Ticket Price: $5.75

Hailing from the opening days of Family Kingdom in the '60s, Swamp Fox is a 2,400-foot long wooden coaster with a historical twist. Park legend has it that the ride is named for Francis Marion, a Revolutionary War hero who earned the nickname "Swamp Fox" because of his uncanny ability to evade the British troops through his extensive knowledge of South Carolina's swamps.

And if you need a refresher on those high school history classes, don't miss 20 United States Civic Studies Lessons You Forgot.

City: Keystone
Amusement Park: Rush Mountain Adventure Park
Height Minimum: 54" (or 38" and 3 years old to ride with an adult)
Park Adult Ticket Price: $50
Park Child Ticket Price: $45 (ages 5-12); $25 (under 5)

An opportunity for thrills and admiring nature all in one, this unique coaster features one- and two-person carts connected to 3,400 feet of rails that rove across the mountainside.

Photo via Instagram

City: Pigeon Forge
Amusement Park: Dollywood
Height Minimum: 50"
Park General Admission: $69.95

In 2011, Wild Eagle became America's first "wing coaster." Daring riders are seated to either side of the track, with nothing but air above and below them as they glide 40 stories up in the air. 

City: Arlington
Amusement Park: Six Flags Over Texas
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $78.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $63.99 (under 48")

Featuring a heart-thumping initial drop of 225 feet and two back-to-back 540-degree spirals, the Titan certainly lives up to its name. With a top speed of up to 85 MPH, this gargantuan steel hypercoaster is just over three minutes' worth of perpetual thrills.

City: Farmington
Amusement Park: Lagoon Amusement Park
Height Minimum: 48"
Park Adult Ticket Price: $58.95
Park Child Ticket Price: $41.95 (under 48")

Besides its 4.2 G-force and 70 MPH speed, the best part of the Cannibal is a 116-degree beyond vertical free-fall right into an underground tunnel. Your stomach is sure to be in knots after a ride on this steel coaster. 

City: Ludlow
Amusement Park: Okemo Mountain Resort
Height Minimum: 52" and 8 years old (or 36" and 3 years old to ride with an adult)
Ride Ticket Price: 1 ride: $15 to drive, $12 to ride

This year-round cart-on-track attraction begins with a five-minute vertical climb before descending the 3,100-foot track winding around the contours of Vermont's stunning mountainscape. The track even features an exciting "twister" section, with the cart reaching speeds up to 25 MPH. 

City: Doswell
Amusement Park: Kings Dominion
Height Minimum: 54" 
Park General Admission: $47

If the name doesn't scare you, the 300-foot initial drop and breakneck 90 MPH top speed sure will. When it debuted in 2010, the Intimidator 305 was Amusement Today's second-place pick for 2010's "Best New Roller Coaster," only losing out to Universal's Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

City: Federal Way
Amusement Park: Wild Waves Theme and Water Park
Height Minimum: 48" 
Park General Admission: $44.99

Featuring a drop of 64 feet and a double corkscrew, Wild Waves' very first roller coaster is nothing short of exhilarating. 

Photo via Instagram

City: Huntington
Amusement Park: Camden Park
Height Minimum: N/A
Park Adult Ticket Price: $19.99
Park Child Ticket Price: $16.99 (48" and under)

Based in West Virginia's only amusement park, this pendulum-swinging ride is bound to leave you slightly dizzy.

City: Wisconsin Dells
Amusement Park: Mt. Olympus Water Park and Theme Park Resort
Height Minimum: 48"
Park General Admission: $10 summer water and theme park tickets

Featuring the world's longest coaster tunnel (800 feet), a 360-degree loop, and speeds of up to 70 MPH, the Hades 360 is easily the most dare-devilish attraction at Wisconsin's Greek pantheon-themed park.

Photo via Instagram

City: Thermopolis
Amusement Park: Star Plunge
Height Minimum: N/A
Park Adult Ticket Price: $12.50
Park Child Ticket Price: $6 (4 and under)

Marketed as one of the world's largest water slides, the Super Star 500 sends you down a 500-foot flume that gushes over 2,400 gallons of water per minute. 

And for more on aquatic fun-in-the-sun, don't miss 30 Shocking Facts about Water Parks.

Photo via Yelp

To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to sign up for our FREE daily newsletter!