1. Cedar Point, Ohio
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, opened in 1870, and considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the US
- The park features 16 roller coasters, and several of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- The oldest structure on the peninsula is the Cedar Point Light, a restored lighthouse that was built in 1862
Featured in The Best of Ohio
#32 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#46 in Best Attractions in the USA
2. Kings Island, Ohio
Best time to visit: May, Sept
Cost: $
- Amusement park located in Mason, and opened in 1972 - It was part of a larger effort to move and expand Coney Island, a popular resort destination along the banks of the Ohio River that was prone to frequent flooding
- Today, the park has grown to feature over a hundred attractions including fourteen roller coasters and a water park
Featured in The Best of Ohio
#55 in Best Attractions in the USA
3. Dollywood, Tennessee
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $$
- Theme park jointly owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton through her entertainment company
- It is located in Pigeon Forge, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains
- Dollywood is the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee, and has won many international awards
Featured in The Best of Tennessee
#18 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#30 in Best Attractions in the USA
4. Magic Kingdom, Florida
Best time to visit: Jan, Sept
Cost: $$
- The Magic Kingdom (1994–2017), is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake,
- The park originally opened on October 1, 1971, as "Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom", the first of four theme parks at the resort
- Its layout and attractions are based on Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and are dedicated to fairy tales and Disney characters
Featured in The Best of Florida
#3 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#10 in Best Attractions in the USA
5. Knott's Berry Farm, California
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- 57-acre (2,500,000 sq ft) theme park located in Buena Park
- In March 2015, it was the twelfth-most-visited theme park in North America
- It features 40 rides including roller coasters, family rides, dark rides, and water rides
Featured in The Best of California
#57 in Best Attractions in the USA
6. Universal Studios Hollywood, California
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $$
- Film studio and theme park in Los Angeles County
- It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood film studios still in use
- It was initially created to offer tours of the real Universal Studios sets and is the first of many full-fledged Universal Studios Theme Parks located across the world
Featured in The Best of California
#8 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#17 in Best Attractions in the USA
7. Six Flags Magic Mountain, California
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- With 20 roller coasters, Six Flags Magic Mountain holds the world record for most roller coasters in an amusement park
- It became the first amusement park to offer 20 roller coasters with the opening of Wonder Woman: Flight of Courage in 2022
Featured in The Best of California
#21 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#39 in Best Attractions in the USA
8. Silver Dollar City, Missouri
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Amusement park near the cities of Branson and Branson West, opened in 1960
- The park themed as an 1880s Ozarks village, and is situated on the site of one of the Ozarks' oldest attractions, Marvel Cave
Featured in The Best of Missouri
#25 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#36 in Best Attractions in the USA
9. Disneyland, California
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $$
- Theme park opened in 1955, and the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney
- Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone expansions and major renovations, including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country in 1972, Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in 2019
Featured in The Best of California
#1 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#13 in Best Attractions in the USA
10. Universal's Islands of Adventure, Florida
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $$
- Theme park located in Orlando, opened in 1999
- Islands of Adventure is modeled after a journey of exploration, where guests embark on an adventure to visit a variety of themed islands
- A seventh island, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, was added in 2010
- The eighth island, Skull Island, opened in 2016, and is themed to the King Kong franchise
Featured in The Best of Florida
#7 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#18 in Best Attractions in the USA
11. Disney California Adventure, California
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $$
- Theme park located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, the park is themed after Disney's interpretation of California, which is manifested through the use of various Disney, Pixar and Marvel Studios properties
- The park opened in 2001, as Disney's California Adventure Park and is the second of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort complex, after Disneyland Park
Featured in The Best of California
#33 in Best Attractions in the USA
12. Universal Studios Florida, Florida
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $$
- Theme park located in Orlando, primarily themed to movies, television and other aspects of the entertainment industry
- The park opened to the public in 1990, and features numerous rides, attractions and live shows
- Universal Studios Florida was the first component of the larger Universal Orlando Resort to open
Featured in The Best of Florida
#16 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#41 in Best Attractions in the USA
13. Disney's Hollywood Studios, Florida
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $$
- Theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company
- The park opened in 1989, as the Disney-MGM Studios (Theme) Park, and was the third of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World
- The park is dedicated to the imagined worlds from film, television, music, and theatre, drawing inspiration from the Golden Age of Hollywood
Featured in The Best of Florida
#12 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#26 in Best Attractions in the USA
14. Six Flags Great America, Illinois
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Amusement park located in Gurnee, within Chicago, originally opened in 1976, and featuring twelve themed areas
- Some of the themes include a Southern themed area closely based on the French Quarter, a DC Comics area, and a Klondike Gold Rush area
Featured in The Best of Illinois
15. Epcot, Florida
Best time to visit: Jan-Feb
Cost: $$
- Theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company
- The park is inspired by an unrealized concept of the same name developed by Walt Disney
- The park opened in 1982
- Epcot is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely technological innovation and international culture, and is often referred to as a "permanent world's fair"
Featured in The Best of Florida
#14 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#40 in Best Attractions in the USA
16. Nickelodeon Universe, Minnesota
Best time to visit: June-Aug
Cost: $
- Indoor amusement park located at Mall of America in Bloomington that consists of attractions and rides based on Nickelodeon’s popular franchises
- Rides and attractions include roller coasters, thrill rides, family rides, as well as, the option to meet Nickelodeon characters
Featured in The Best of Minnesota
17. Kentucky Kingdom, Kentucky
Best time to visit: May, Sept
Cost: $
- Amusement park in Louisville, that includes a collection of amusement rides and the Hurricane Bay water park, opened in 1987
- The park has opened many first-of-its-kind roller coasters: T3 was the first Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster in North America, and Storm Chaser was the first roller coaster in the United States to feature a barrel roll drop
Featured in The Best of Kentucky
18. Carowinds, North Carolina
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Amusement park located in Charlotte, opened to the public in 1973, and home to roller coasters, including Fury 325, the world's tallest and fastest giga coaster, as well as more than 60 rides and attractions
Featured in The Best of North Carolina
19. Fun Spot America Kissimmee, Florida
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $
- Fun Spot America – Kissimmee is located in Kissimmee, the park is designed as a circular walkway around the lagoon featuring the world's tallest skycoaster
- Features include the signature multi-level go-kart tracks, an arcade, and the Rockstar Coaster
Featured in The Best of Florida
20. Walt Disney World, Florida
Best time to visit: March-May
Cost: $$$
- Entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, opened in 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Parks
- The property covers nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km2), of which half has been used
- The resort comprises four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom), two water parks (Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon), 31 themed resort hotels, nine non-Disney hotels, several golf courses, a camping resort, and other entertainment venues, including the outdoor shopping center Disney Springs
Featured in The Best of Florida
#27 in Best Attractions in the USA
21. Bay Beach Amusement Park, Wisconsin
Best time to visit: June-Aug
Cost: $
- Municipal amusement park in Green Bay that contains rides, concessions, a roller coaster, and a food pavilion
- Dances, movies, and other events are held in a pavilion
Featured in The Best of Wisconsin
22. Silverwood Theme Park, Idaho
Best time to visit: June-Sept
Cost: $
- Amusement park located in the city of Athol, opened in 1988
- Over the years, Silverwood has grown in both size and popularity, transforming from a small local amusement park to a regional theme park destination
- Today, Silverwood is the largest theme and water park in the American Northwest, boasting more than 70 rides, slides, shows, and attractions
Featured in The Best of Idaho
23. The Island in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, situated north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Pigeon Forge caters primarily to Southern culture and country music fans
- The city's attractions include Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country as well as numerous gift shops, outlet malls, amusement rides, and musical theaters
Featured in The Best of Tennessee