There's no getting away from the fact that a theme park vacation can be costly, but there are still lots of places where you can have an amazing family vacation riding rollercoasters and having fun without clearing out your bank account.
This charming, western-themed park is Oklahoma’s largest and oldest theme park. It offers amazing value, family-friendly rides, and a welcoming atmosphere to visitors who come from across the southwest to enjoy all it has to offer. Its prices are simply unbeatable and perfect for budget-savvy groups.
One of the most-loved attractions in Indiana, Holiday World is also the most affordable theme park in the Midwest. It offers visitors the chance to experience world-class roller coasters, as well as the opportunity to cool off in a neighboring water park, Splashin' Safari! Its wooden coasters in particular are rated among the best in the world, making a visit here exceptional value for money.
This small, family amusement park packs a punch! Quassy Amusement Park is home to an award-winning wooden roller coaster, multiple white-knuckle rides, plus a waterpark kids will simply love. You’ll come away beaming after a day of family fun, with plenty of spare change left in your pocket!
This compact theme park is a new addition to the Gulf Coast, and proudly serves up Southern charm, fantastic value, and more than 20 rides - including the Rollin’ Thunder roller coaster, which twists and towers above the park. Owa’s entertainment district, shopping area, and plentiful eateries mean there is plenty to keep the whole family busy.
If your idea of fun is hurtling through the air, upside-down at up to 70 mph, then plan your amusement park vacation around the world's biggest, fastest, and highest roller coasters. American theme parks are home to the biggest roller coasters in the world– do you dare to ride them all?
Boasting more roller coasters than any other amusement park on the planet, Six Flags Magic Mountain is the must-visit for adrenaline junkies. Whether you love inverted coasters, wooden coasters, or launch coasters, this behemoth of a park has 18 of them, and is open 365 days a year!
Drawing thrill seekers from far and wide, Cedar Point in Ohio boasts a staggering 17 roller coasters! It is also the only theme park in the world with six roller coasters over 200 feet high. Travelers with vertigo should look elsewhere!
Located within easy reach of Cincinnatti, Kings Island attracts more than 3 million thrill seekers every year! With an impressive 14 roller coasters spread across 364 acres, you’ll be hard pushed to tick them all of your list. Buckle up and hold on tight!
The Midwest is home to some of the biggest, most acclaimed theme parks in the world, and Six Flags Great America is up there with the best. Offering visitors 14 roller coasters of all shapes and sizes, roller coaster lovers of all ages will be blown away.
Family-friendly Florida is by far and away the best place if you're looking for a high concentration of great theme parks. Orlando is the center of the fun, with additional parks just a short drive away in Tampa. Disney caters to all ages with its Florida parks, with the white-knuckle rides in Busch Gardens and Universal perhaps more suitable for teenagers.
The iconic theme park brand, Disney World in Orlando comprises four theme parks, two water parks, and multiple accommodation options. There's something for kids of all ages; get up close to African wildlife in Animal Kingdom, meet the princesses in the Magic Kingdom, or be immersed into your favorite movie at Hollywood Studios. You won't fail to be touched by the Disney Magic but make sure you stay to see the nightly shows and fireworks spectaculars.
One of the newest US amusement parks located in Winter Haven just south of Orlando, Legoland has over 50 rides and attractions, suitable for all ages. Don't miss Miniland USA, with iconic American buildings and landmarks reproduced in those iconic plastic bricks.
What kid doesn't love chocolate? Pennsylvania's Hersheypark combines water park fun, roller coasters, family rides, and plentiful entertainment with shows and character encounters.
| 📏 Average home size | 203 m² |
|---|---|
| 😎 Least busy month | May |
| 🛏️ Popular home types | House rental and Apartment rental |
| 🌡️ Hottest months | July and August |
| ❄️ Coldest months | 12 °F in January and February |
| 🌧️ Rainiest months | 14 rainy days in May and June |
You can get an incredible rental from $334 and find discounts up to 61%!
The size of a House rental is 203 m² and can fit 9 guests on average which is ideal for large groups.
There are many Apartment rental and House rental that are great for US Amusement Parks.
Looking to add some thrills to your next vacation? To celebrate the start of amusement park season, HomeToGo has released its annual ranking of the top theme parks to visit this year. From Montréal to Mexico City and everything in between, we've researched the latest prices at some of the biggest and most popular theme parks across North America.
Covering 44 parks spanning 21 states and 3 countries, our ranking takes into account each park's affordability as well as the number of rides and attractions. This invaluable information will help you to plan an unforgettable theme park getaway that won't splash through your savings!
So fasten your shoulder straps and get ready to dive into the 2023 Theme Park Index.
The park with the most roller coasters in North America is Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, followed by Canada’s Wonderland and then Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio
The world's tallest roller coaster is Kingda Ka, located in New Jersey at Six Flags Great Adventure. This upside-down U-shaped track bolts up 45 stories in the sky.
A Closer Look: Top Ranked Parks, Based on Price
Located between Buffalo and Rochester, Six Flags at Darien Lake invites thrill seekers to enjoy the brisk lakeside wind while they fly through the sky on the park’s most popular rides. The park’s biggest attraction, the Ride of Steel, is one of the tallest coasters on the East Coast and is the faster roller caster in New York, reaching more than 75 miles per hour. Alongside the adrenaline-pumping adventures, park guests can also enjoy the affordable park entry fees that welcome visitors back for more cost-effective fun throughout the summer.
2. Six Flags Mexico, Mexico City
As the biggest amusement park in Mexico, Six Flags Mexico is the top amusement park in Latin America by attendance. The park recently added CraZanity, the world’s tallest pendulum ride at 172 feet and 75 mile-per-hour swings. Aside from the staggering views atop the park’s high-flying rides, visitors will find the budget-friendly entry fees and nearby accommodations just as attractive.
3. Tropic Falls at OWA, AL
As the center piece of OWA Parks & Resort, Tropic Falls at OWA offers kid-friendly amusement and hair-raising roller coasters at an inexpensive price. Rollin’ Thunder is OWA’s largest and most thrilling coaster, made for daredevils to strap in and scream with delight as they soar up, down and around through the wild blue wonder at 55 miles per hour. After a fulfilling day of wild adventures, guests can return to their vacation rentals with satisfied grins and comfortable room in their budgets.
For more info on the prices and how we scored this index, please see the methodology below.
Spotlight: Top 3 Best and Most Affordable Theme Parks
Based on HomeToGo’s research, here’s a snapshot of the most affordable theme parks to visit this summer:
Considered to be the second-oldest amusement park in the United States, Cedar Point is a 364-acre theme park known for its welcoming atmosphere and amazing value. The park, nicknamed “America’s Roller Coast,” boasts adrenaline-pumping thrill rides, such as Steel Vengeance and Millennium Force, that give riders the sky-high thrills they know and love, on top of picturesque views of Lake Erie’s coastline.
Affordability Score: 16.18
Attractions Score: 18.67
As Canada’s first and largest theme park, Canada’s Wonderland is one of the most annually visited seasonal amusement parks in North America. Visitors can explore 18 roller coasters, the second-largest concentration of any theme park in the world, including the Yukon Striker, a world-record-holding coaster for the fastest, longest and tallest dive on a ride.
Affordability Score: 14.91
Attractions Score: 18.00
Originally created to serve as an oasis for Hershey’s Chocolate employees in the 1920’s, Hersheypark now attracts visitors from across the world who want to unwrap the sweet-filled fun. With a multitude of both mild and wild rides, in addition to an array of attractions like a water park and a zoo, this theme park is sure to provide the perfect sugar high for chocolate-loving, theme-park enthusiasts of all ages.
The theme parks included in this ranking include those that are located in North America (Canada, United States, and Mexico) and are most searched by travelers using HomeToGo.com with travel dates between June 1st, 2023 and August 31st, 2023. In order to rank these theme parks, we researched 5 data points: the price of entry, the price of parking, the price of a nearby accommodations, the number of roller coasters, and the number of other attractions. After obtaining the raw data, we combined the data points into either Total Cost or Total Attractions and assigned each them a representative numerical value between 0 and 20, with 0 representing the lowest data point and 20 representing the highest data point. The hypothetical "perfect score" would be 40 out of 40. We used the following equation in order to calculate this for every factor:
Score(i) = 20 · (x(i) - xmin ) / (xmax - xmin )
Affordability Score
Total Cost: Entry + Parking + Accommodation
Entry: Online price for an adult 1-day, any day entry ticket in the peak season. If dynamic pricing was enabled, June 3rd 2023 was used as the dummy date.
Parking: Online price for 1 day of regular parking, purchased in advance, as listed on park website. If dynamic pricing was enabled, June 3rd 2023 was used as the dummy date.
Accommodation: Median nightly price per person to stay in an accommodation found nearby on HomeToGo.com between the dates of June 1st, 2023 and August 31st, 2023.
Attractions Score
Total Attractions: Roller coasters + Other Attractions
Roller coasters: Based on the number of active roller coasters listed on coasterpedia.com.
Other attractions: Based on the number of rides, experiences, exhibits, and simulations listed on coasterpedia.com.
Research was conducted during May 2023. Processing fees and taxes not included. For additional information and interview requests, please contact [email protected].
