We have reached the stage of the pandemic where I’m spending a lot of time thinking about future travel. I don’t know when any of these trips will happen, but it helps me stay sane. I’m excited to take epic vacations to the Disney resorts again, but those are big family events. I’d also like to explore regional parks closer to St. Louis. Some only require a day trip, while others are perfect weekend destinations.
With these plans in mind, I’ve chosen five regional parks that I’d like to visit soon. I haven’t experienced any of them so far, so there’s a lot to see. All are within a fairly easy drive, though we probably would stay at least one night in a hotel. The good news is that none would break the bank due to reasonable ticket prices and no airfare. They aren’t as cheap as visiting Six Flags St. Louis here in town, but there’s a lot more to offer with these parks.
These are fairly obvious picks, especially the top two choices. Several make sense because they’re about four hours away and have a few coasters that I want to ride. With the big dogs, there’s probably too much to even ride in a day. I’m also unsure if my stomach could take some of the most extreme coasters. These go way beyond my favorite coasters; I’ve never ridden anything close to Top Thrill Dragster. There may be a limit for me. Let’s talk about some really cool regional parks!
5. Worlds of Fun (Driving Distance: <Four Hours)
Just an easy drive west on I-70 from St. Louis is a park that doesn’t receive much attention. Cedar Fair purchased Worlds of Fun in 1995, so it’s been part of their stable for a long time. The lands are split by region (e.g., Africa, Europa, Scandinavia), and there appear to be a variety of ride types. It’s hard to go wrong with a railroad, old-time cars, a log flume, and a raft ride. Of course, all of those elements are also in Six Flags St. Louis! It will be interesting to see how Worlds of Fun compares to my local park.
There are six roller coasters in this park, and I’ll try to ride them all. I’m most interested in Prowler, which is part of my bucket list. That GCI wooden coaster reminds me of some of my personal favorites. Others that look exciting are the hypercoaster Mamba and the old-school Timber Wolf, which opened in 1989. That out-and-back wooden coaster looks fun without being overwhelming. I hope the recent updates to the track keep it from becoming too much of a rough ride.
4. Kentucky Kingdom (Distance: Four Hours)
I’ve enjoyed seeing Kentucky Kingdom rise again to become a solid regional park. Taylor Bybee’s documentary Save My Park chronicles the unlikely return after Six Flags closed it in 2010. Despite only being four hours away, I’ve never made the drive. In a similar way to Worlds of Fun, Kentucky Kingdom has a lot of expected rides. There aren’t as many interesting options, but they’ll easily fill the day.
Once again, the coasters are the draw with a lineup of six. Storm Chaser received the RMC treatment in 2016 and is now a top-notch steel coaster. Thunder Run is a classic wooden coaster that opened in 1990 and was refurbished for the revitalized park. I’m also excited to ride Lightning Run, a steel coaster that was new to Kentucky Kingdom in 2014. This feels like the perfect destination for a quick overnight trip.
3. Kings Island (Distance: Five Hours)
Opening in 1972, Kings Island offers an interesting mix between an old-school regional park and a modern coaster park. It doesn’t have the recognition of Cedar Point or Magic Mountain, but there a lot of thrill rides. I’m most interested in riding The Beast, a classic wooden rollercoaster that’s still the longest in existence. It also my bucket list and is definitely near the top. The Beast is one of 15 coasters at Kings Island, including the hypercoaster Diamondback, the 2017 GCI woodie Mystic Timbers, and the latest addition Orion, another hypercoaster with a 300-foot drop.
Unlike my first two choices, Kings Island might stretch what we can do in a day. I’m also excited by the family rides like the Kings Mill Antique Autos, a Charlie Brown-themed log flume, and the Aventure Express mine train. Plus, you can experience a replica of the Eiffel Tower! This park also seems less intimidating than its Ohio partner Cedar Point. The closer distance also makes it an easier trip; splitting two park days along with the drives makes sense. There’s a lot to enjoy in a first visit to this park.
2. Cedar Point (Distance: Eight Hours)
We’ve reached the roller coaster capital of the world, and I’m a bit intimated by the prospect of a visit there. The park includes many rides to enjoy, but the rollercoasters are the real draw. Many of the 17 coasters are household names to fans and appear on best-of rankings. Top Thrill Dragster rises more than 400 feet and moves well beyond 100 miles per hour. Nothing I’ve experienced is even close to those numbers. Millennium Force has been named the world’s top steel coaster many times.
Those two examples would be enough to make Cedar Point worth a visit. However, they’re just the starting point. Coasters like Maverick, Magnum XL-200, and Steel Vengeance also deserve a lot of attention. I’m trying not to just give a laundry list of rides, but that shows how many highlights exist. My hesitation with Cedar Point is the distance and the fact that it’s likely a solo venture. My girls are not ready for this level of thrills. Heck, I’m probably not prepared for it either. Regardless, Cedar Point definitely should be part of this list.
1. Dollywood (Distance: Eight Hours)
I loved our trip to Silver Dollar City last summer and can’t wait to get back there. That park has a lot of similarities with Dollywood; both are operated by Herschend Entertainment. Dollywood was once called Silver Dollar City, Tennessee. Both parks are known for their attractive locations in the woods, friendly service, and diverse collection of rides. The variety is the key factor in making Dollywood a top destination. It’s a better spot for a family weekend trip than a park like Cedar Point.
Dollywood includes exciting coasters like the RMC Lightning Rod, Thunderhead (pictured above), and Wild Eagle. I’m also excited to ride the indoor coaster Blazing Fury, which is similar to Fire in the Hole at Silver Dollar City. There’s also the Dollywood Express railroad, the Daredevil Falls log flume, and cute kids rides. I’ve heard so many great things about Dollywood and can’t wait to visit once travel becomes safer once again. There are so many awesome regional parks to experience, and I can’t wait to see them all.
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Very good list. I’m a Detroiter so Cedar Point was my home park and Kings Island not a lot farther. We took the family to Cedar Point a couple years ago and as great as the park is for coasters, there is not much else. My daughter loved the carousel on steroids and that is about it. Kings Island is pretty cool and has the water park on the same ticket I believe too. Very good.
My mid-40s body didn’t take all of the coasters like it used to (or fit on them unfortunately) but I did try Gatekeeper at Cedar Point and it was incredible. Maverick was a favorite of mine years ago but on return visit it rattled a lot more than I remember. Millennium Force is pure bliss (after being terrified of the lift hill).
And you must ride The Beast – it is well worth the pain – ha. My family has some fond memories of camping down the street at Kings Island (and Cedar Point too I guess) at the on-site park. Some classic family stories for sure.
Thanks for sharing. Good stuff.
Thanks Jeff. I think that if I visit Cedar Point (or even Kings Island), it would be too much to ride all the coasters within a day (or possibly two). I did that at Six Flags St. Louis a few years ago, and I was wiped out after five or six of them. And those are not nearly as extreme as the coasters at the big parks. I also wonder if there would be enough for my girls. They do fine on the Disney coasters, but that’s entirely different. I’m more likely to get to Kings Island first because it’s a lot closer, but we’ll see. So much depends on how the pandemic goes in the next year.