For some, planning a vacation is all about height, speed, thrill, and air-time.  Roller Coasters are one of America’s favorite thrill rides.  We just cannot seem to get enough of the high speeds, stomach lurching drops, and hairpin turns.  Looking to plan your vacation around some of the best?  Here are some suggestions of the top roller coasters.

Starting out on the West Coast, Buena Park California boasts the Ghost Rider at Knott’s Berry Farm.  A wooden coaster, it is designed for speed and smoothness.  For two minutes you race around at speeds up to 56 miles per hour.

Coming east, we have Desperado at Buffalo Bill’s Casino in Primm, Nevada.  This ride has a lot of out of your seat airtime, and the big, bright yellow track can be seen from the interstate.  The track has a boarding station inside of the casino, and then sends you shooting through the roof in a unique experience, momentarily leaving the casino hustle behind.

Next we have Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana.  This theme park boasts the Raven, a short but intense roller coaster.  Since you cannot always see where the wooden track is going ahead of you, the thrill of suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat.  Couple that with awesome air time and speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and you have one great coaster.

In Muskegon, Michigan you can find the coaster Shivering Timbers at Michigan’s Adventure.  Another wood coaster, this one offers a two and a half minute ride with speeds up to 57 miles per hour.

In Ohio, you have Cedar Point in Sandusky.  Known for its roller coasters, this theme park is home to the Millennium Force – a gigantic steel coaster boasting an over 300 foot drop, high speeds, and a very smooth ride.  An elevator cable speeds trains to the top of the first hill, hardly giving riders the time to anticipate the breath-taking drop on the other side.

If you stop anywhere near Brooklyn, New York, you must plan to visit the Cyclone at Coney Island.  While it no longer holds a title for the biggest or the fastest, this original has aged well.  For those who want the original, rattle in your seats feel the Cyclone is it.  After all these years it still holds a special place with roller coaster fanatics.

At Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut you have the famous Boulder Dash.  An out and back coaster, it speeds half a mile around the perimeter of the park, dashing along the side of the mountain and around trees and boulders, before zooming back to the start.  High speeds, smooth riding, and some good airtime make it a popular favorite.

Agawam, Massachusetts is home to Six Flags New England and the Superman: Ride of Steel roller coaster.  This monster is not designed for the faint of heart.  The car is very open, with no over the shoulder harnesses, and when coupled with the intense G-forces, high speeds up to 77 miles per hour, and airtime it can literally feel like you are flying.  The first drop plunges you into a dark tunnel, and when you emerge you can hardly tell which end is up anymore, adding to the thrill.  It will thrill any coaster fanatic.

Universal Orlando, Florida is home to theme parks and roller coasters galore.  Two favorites reside at Islands of Adventure – The Incredible Hulk and Dueling Dragons.  The Hulk is so powerful the park built a power plant just for the ride.  It starts out with a launch uphill at over 40 miles an hour.  High G-forces, intense speeds, rollovers and corkscrews and a mid-track free fall are all included and sure to satisfy any roller coaster lover.  The Dueling Dragons roller coaster is actually two coasters that run at the same time, coming within inches of each other during intense fly-bys.  Make sure that you ride both coasters for their unique experiences, and the front seats are worth the wait for the extra thrill.

No matter where you are going on your next vacation, you should plan to stop at any one of these coasters for the thrilling ride of your life.  All of the coaster fanatics in your life will be thrilled.

 

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