Trip planning - best US coaster destination not FLA or CA

Pal · Trip planning - best US coaster destination not FLA or CA

This week's show with About.com's entertaining editor Arthur Levine has renewed an ongoing interest of mine. Those darn Travel Channel Top 10 coaster shows are going to cost me yet. I may finally scrape up the cash to check out some of the current record holders and fan favorites.

But here's the first question. Living in SoCal, and having traveled to Orlando / Tampa (Las Vegas too), I've been lucky enough to experience a number of terrific coasters. Is there anything out there that's so unique, it really deserves a visit?

And next, once SoCal and Florida are out of the way, what regions pack the best coaster punch? Cedar Point and Kings Island are fairly close, about a four hour drive apart. Is there anything to compare on the eastern seaboard? Busch Gardens Willimsburg and Six Flags New England are more than 500 miles apart, but with a tremendous number of cultural sites and attractions between them.

What do you think? What's your US coaster wish list? Where would you go if you had about a week?

Thanks!

Darienlakerules

here are 2 six flags parks in beetween 3 if you got out of the way a little. Go check out some of those.

Pal

There you go. Six Flags New England and Six Flags Great Adventure are about 4 hours apart.

I get the sense Cedar Pt and Kings Island have more to offer. Am I wrong?

Darienlakerules

Wylder

If you are looking for a great coaster experience, your first trip needs to be Cedar Point and Kings Island. I don't know if you can find two other parks near each other with that many coaster. Never mind that at least 4 of Cedar Point's coasters were the world's tallest when they opened.

If you need a bench mark to compare coasters to on future trips, these are the parks to start with.

wazomike

Hersheypark in Pennsylvania is a lot of fun
heck the whole town of Hershey is a lot of fun Razz

e_tapley0687

Doug_Barnes

I'm jumping on the Cedar Point/King's Island bandwagon... However there is a tour that I've heard about that starts in Cedar Point and ends in Six Flags Great Adventure.

Just to be quick and not write a novel, here's the line up you can map out:
Cedar Point
King's Island
Kentucky Kingdom
Kennywood
Knobles Family Park
Dorney Park
Hershey Park
& finish with Great Adventure

From what I heard, many people have tried this and worked out great (most cut Kentucky Kingdom out of the line-up though... hmmmm Laughing

).

Anyway, I think that's a strong 10 day trip! I would love to try it one year... in fact, now I'm inspired! Maybe in the future we can work out some Season Pass Park Tour.

Whatever, I hope this helps.

e_tapley0687

lol I probably would cut out SFKK too. That tour sounds like a plan to me... is that from TPR? I might do that next year.

dougscoastergirl

you coaster boys are killing me! LOL, what about sending some of that love down to Texas! Come on, SFOT, Fiesta and let us not forget about Schlitterbahn. come on now guys..... Smile

Rollerman87

Pal

Thanks Doug, that's a lot of food for thought. I mapped it out; the drive time between all those parks is only around 16 hours if Google Maps is to be believed. Probably more parks than I can handle, but you could really do 4 or 5 parks in a week if you moved fast. I keep forgetting how densely developed the east coast is compared to the west.

Oh choices. Fact is I'd rather do this in 4 or 5 days out of a single centralized location, with a little bit of free time. Which option is better? (1) Kings Island and Cedar Pt, or (2) Hershypark, Dorney, and Great Adventure? There are just too many great coasters out there.

Wylder

Option 1

Option 2 is not bad, but I would make option 1 the choice.

Pal

Time to revive this thread. Have you seen the latest coast to coast prices on Southwest? Granted its the slow lane, but it puts an east coast trip into range. I just might be able to swing something like this:

Fly to Philly
Six Flags Great Adventure
Hersheypark
DC
DC again for culturally inclined / Six Flags America for coaster nerds.
Back to Philly

Air is about $180 plus fees and taxes.

Oh, Busch Gardens Europe is but a 2.5 hr cruise down the highway! Actually, you have to double it 'cause its a there are back.

SROS in MD or Griffin in VA? How to choose?

You could actually fly into Philly and leave from Norfolk VA and minimize driving, but it adds more than $300 to the car rental - ouch!

Another choice? Fly into Dulles, return via Baltimore. Something like:

Dulles
DC
Busch / DC
Hersheypark
Great Adventure
And home via BMI

Any thoughts? What am I missing? This is a Tues-Sun itinerary either way. Flying round trip through Philly stretching it to Sun-Sun might be an option. Then I could add a day in Hershey and another in the DC area. Lodging prices probably skyrocket. Decisions...

Thanks for reading.

Pal

It's done! Air tix in hand. Hersheypark and Great Adventure for sure (come on Kingda Ka - get yourself fixed. Probably not). Busch Gardens Europe probably won't fit; more for next time.

Anyone have any tips?

Stingray · Try Kings Dominion

Try look at King's Dominion. It's got more coaster then Busch Gardens. It's not a park to miss.

CoastinCam

Yeah, Kings Dominion is also closer to DC, so it might work better for your schedule.

Pal

Catching KD - and the park's 2010 addition - is a great incentive to come back another time. If it were just me and my son we'd cram the VA parks in. But the lady of the house is coming along, so we have to squeeze some culture in with our coasters.

Trip planning - best US coaster destination not FLA or CA

Try Kings Dominion