If you live your life one inversion at a time, then you’ll want to check out the best roller coasters in America. From Great Adventure in New Jersey to Magic Mountain in California and all points in between, today’s theme parks are constantly pumping millions of dollars to create the biggest and best coasters on the planet for your amusement. Here are 10 of the best roller coasters in North America, and all of the USA, that are worthy of being called unmissable.
Goliath – Six Flags Great America, Illinois
How can you make a wooden coaster more thrilling? Throw two loops on it. Goliath is another top-tier wooden coaster in terms of height (180 feet), speed (72 mph) and drops (85 degrees), but the 100-second-long ride is touted for its 2 inversion loops. It’s also surprisingly quiet for a wood coaster thanks to its polyurethane wheels.
El Toro –Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey
Great Adventure is the largest Six Flags in America and with the size comes a formidable coaster. El Toro is one the tallest (181 feet), fastest (70 mph), wooden coasters with one of the steepest drops (76 degrees) in the country. It’s a must for wood coaster enthusiasts. Since its debut in 2006, the coaster is still constantly in the top spot for best wooden coaster in country, which is outstanding out a 10-year old ride.
Lightning Rod – Dollywood , Tennessee
The first wooden coaster to use a launch system instead of a chain lift system makes the ride the fastest wooden coaster in the world. At 73 mph speeds, riders hit some steep banks, all while riders are in a Hot Rod styled train. So you’ll be scared in style.
The Intimidator 305 – King’s Dominion, Virginia
Named after the nickname given to NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, the Intimidator 305 lives up to its own name. With an 85 degree vertical drop and speeds reaching 90 mph, the ride is a brisk 45 seconds long, but you won’t notice that because you’ll be screaming your face off during that 305 foot tall drop.
Coney Island Cyclone – Luna Park, New York
It may be one of the oldest coasters around, but it still has a long line — and it’s one of the 10 best roller coasters in America with good reason. The Cyclone has been in operation since 1927, and it’s a New York landmark. Plus, with speeds topping at 60 mph, the Cyclone is a wood coaster classic. And it’s right by Nathan’s Hot Dogs, so grab a foot long right afterward.
X2 – Magic Mountain, California
Say hello to the world’s first 4th Dimension coaster. Think of the traditional bells and whistles of a coaster, but the seats in X2 move 360-degrees forward and backwards while you’re hitting the drops and inversions. It’s a perfect ride after a big lunch. But never before.
Diamondback – Kings Island, Ohio
Ten drops. Diamondback, named after the snake, features ten drops varying in heights up to 230 feet high at 80 MPH. If that’s not enough for you, one drop is a splashdown that sends water soaring over 50 feet in the air. But don’t worry riders stay dry. It’s an effort to slow the coaster down, and a sweet visual, too.
Millennium Force – Cedar Point, Ohio
The world’s first giga coaster—a ride that’s over 300 feet tall—reaches speeds of 93 MPH. It’s frequently voted the best steel coaster still, winning #2 this year. The ride has thrilled more than 20 million riders and is universally considered one of, if not, the best coaster in America today. Plus, it’s fully lit at night.
Fury 325 – Carowinds, North Carolina
As you probably figured out by now, Fury 325 gets its name for its record shattering height of a 325-foot-tall drop. Another steel coaster that’s widely considered the best in the country, Fury is consistently the top of coaster enthusiast lists as the best in North America.
Cannibal – Lagoon, Utah
This 12-passenger train car features the steepest drop on a roller coaster in North America. Cannibal launches riders 116 degrees south from the top of a 200-foot tall tower at 70 mph. If you’re still conscious after the drop, you’ll have to go through tunnels and four inversions for 2.5 minutes.
Cheat Sheet
Looking for the thrill of your live? You can find out more about the 10 best roller coasters in North America and all of the USA here:
A native New Yorker, Carlos knows a lot(!) about pro-wrestling and still foolishly supports the Mets. Now living in New England with his wife and daughter, Carlos has written for www.Fatherly.com, ESPN, WWE, Men’s Journal, and Muscle & Fitness. When he’s not writing, Carlos is always looking for a new craft beer to drink.
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