USA roadtrip from the UK - seeking advice on parks

We've done the Florida thing (a lot) and the LA thing. Being from the UK, we've also done all of our own parks and a large amount of France/Germany too. Recently returned from Energylandia in Poland (was good, but apart from Zadra nothing really had the wow factor)

We're currently planning a mid/eastern road trip for next May/June, would love some feedback and/or advice on our plans...

To preface, we love thrill rides, not a huge flat ride fan but do enjoy wet rides and dark rides

We're looking at visiting the following, any others we should add, or any we should skip etc?

Cedar Point
Kings Island
Kentucky Kingdom
Holiday World
Dollywood
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Six Flags America
Kings Dominion
Hersheypark
Kennywood

Input gratefully received! It's a lot of driving so I want to make sure we don't waste a day (and therefore gas, hotel, etc) if something's not worth doing, but also don't want to lose out if I've missed something

Six Flags America is permanently closed, so you might not want to go there!

My one suggestion would be to add Dorney Park since it's not that far from Hershey, just over an hour drive away.

SteveWoA:

Six Flags America

Oops. Not sure where I saw it as an active park, I'll scrub that one then!

I've added Dorney, thanks for the suggestion!

Six Flags Great America is off route too much, we'd be adding around 3 days just for that park. Not fussed about Chicago, we're not really city folks. Show me forests and waterfalls (preferably with zip lines in them!) and I'm there. Went to NYC twice as part of wider trips, it was fun but not my vibe.

That’s a very big trip! I’ve actually been to all of these parks. Kentucky Kingdom was the least interesting when I visited like 20 years ago and I find Holiday World to be incredibly overrated. I get why you want to go and while you’re there KK is RIGHT there so…

Cedar Point needs 2 days if you’ve never been.

If you you’re looking for something different there’s Ohiopyle in between Hershey and Kennywood which has some rafting and hiking opportunities and Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water.

I’m not seeing…

…Knoebels?

For once I'm saying this non-sarcastically, but if you're at Hershey you should go to Knoebels.

Knoebels is indeed a magical place. Seemingly on the road to anywhere. B-)

Bravo to you for an ambitious plan, but I would be concerned it would be complete overload to do all that in one trip. There is a lot of fun in America that doesn't involve a lifthill in that footprint. I know it is a heresy in this forum to say this, but break that iternary in half and explore other passions as well.

Non coaster suggestion, given your plans and assuming you want a loop trip. I highly suggest looking into hitting Shenandoah National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At some point in your trip you will need to travel from Virginia to Tennessee (or visa versa) and this is by far the most beautiful and least stressful way to do it. Both National Parks are mountain paradises that house some spectacular drives (and given how much amusement parks you are doing I would stick to the drives and easy hikes.) I would devote at least 1 day to each park, and 3 days to the Blue Ridge Parkway which is a 469 mile road (754 km) scenic drive along the mountain tops that connects these two parks (although if you are willing to do longer driving days you can push it to two.)

While you could get from Williamsburg to Pigeon Forge (Dollywood) in one 8 hour day on the interstate, my way is far more enjoyable and would make an excellent mid trip break between the PA/VA parks and Dollywood/midwest parks. With a choice of flying into Cleveland or Pittsburgh as your entry point to the US.

BA goes direct from LHR to PIT. It's an easy flight with a quick customs. I'd recommend that flight.

RCMAC:

Knoebels

Doesn't look like enough to warrant the extra time. A couple of decent woodies and an off the shelf Zierer - what else does it offer to be worth an extra day?

PDXPointer:

Bravo to you for an ambitious plan, but I would be concerned it would be complete overload to do all that in one trip

Definitely not overload, we like our trips to be full on! Already planning to have a day or two to cover the longest section of driving, that will be a recharge between the two halves, as per Touchdown's suggestions

kpjb:

BA goes direct from LHR to PIT

Just a shame it's BA. Not a fan of their service but I'll do it if necessary. Other options under consideration are into Charlotte with AA (although that's further away from the trip route) or Washington with VA

Aer Lingus and Icelandair also fly in to PIT if you don't mind a layover.

I'd definitely try to fly in to a smaller airport, and avoid Philadelphia and Newark at all costs.

Barry Wellington:

...what else does it offer to be worth an extra day?

Charm.

Barry Wellington:
Doesn't look like enough…

BLASPHEME!!!!
Seriously, it’s one of our nation’s treasures, especially if you’re a “they don’t make em like that anymore” kind of fan. Quirky as hell, too. I’ve spent two or three days at a time there and loved every minute.

You’re excused from this trip though. It’s nearby large regionals but not near enough for you to devote the kind of time you’re likely to need (or dare I say want?) at Knoebels. And hotels are miles away so I see it as a commitment.

You’ll have fun wherever you go. We have great parks here and it’s still a great and popular pastime. Get em while you can, man!

Eh, I'd say a day at Knoebels is certainly enough to warrant adding it to Barry's itinerary. Unless this trip is ONLY about credit whoring, I'd throw in Knoebels just to break up the monotony of the 47 other big coaster parks. Hell, even if it IS only about credit whoring...ditto.

I just had one of the worst flying experiences of my life with AA. Top 3 worst on both ends of the trip.

I second Knoebel's. It's really unique and if you expect it to be Cedar Point, you will be sorely disappointed, but it has some of the best old school flat rides anywhere (brass ring carousel, Lusse bumper cars, flyers) and Phoenix is probably my favorite wood. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's just a fun, classic, dare I say charming wooden coaster.

Also, have you considered Great Adventure? It's not that far from Dorney and even without Project Purple, it's got multiple top tier rides.

Kentucky Kingdom would be a skip for me. Lightning Run and Wind Chaser are both quite good, but there isn't a whole lot else going on at the park and there are much better ways to spend the time and money.

Also, Carowinds is almost on the way from Dollywood to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and is home to the fantastic Fury 325. Another top 2 or 3 steel for me.

Also, this is probably a good time for my plug for https://www.coast2coaster.com/

Knoebels is unique. Free admission and parking. Haunted Mansion is one of the best traditional darkrides in the universe. Fantastic amusement park food. A chairlift with awesome views. Amusement park museums and interesting stuff to look at.

And the coasters they do have are great! Flying Turns wooden bobsled coaster is like nothing else anywhere in the world. The park took seven years to build and test the ride, using old blueprints to recreate it from a defunct coaster. It's a ride like none other.

Twister is tight with a challenging layout. It's also a recreation from an old, defunct coaster. One of my favorite coasters anywhere.

Everyone loves Phoenix. It was rescued and moved to Knoebels from a now-closed park in Texas in the 1980s. A lot of people put this ride in their top spot. It's currently #23 on the CoasterBuzz Top 100.

I do understand why you might not be interested though. I recall my first trip there. I was a twenty or thirty-year-old single guy with no money. I just got my paycheck and had a few days off work, and all the bills were paid. I was choosing between Knoebels or Great Adventure, and Knoebels won. I enjoyed the park, but at the end of the day, I regretted the trip there because I figured that I could have spent the same amount of money going to Great Adventure, and rode ten or so more coasters.

But now that I'm older and have ridden a lot more coasters, I totally get the charm of Knoebels. It's a little slower paced. I would say the park is themed to the love of amusement park history. It's worth it if only for a slow down day.

Hey Barry,

lots of good tips from the folks here, but give us some parameters around your trip and your advice can get more tailored....

- how many days in the US?
- is your goal quantity, or quality?
- are there specific parks you must see? or specific coasters you want to hit?
- do you want rest days in-between parks?

Overall, I find I really like the Captain Coaster map. (https://captaincoaster.com/en/map/). You can sort by rating, manufacturer, or several other parameters, and then see the results directly. For example, here's a map of the Midwest/East with only coasters rated above 90% by their commenters/rankers;

If it's pure quantity you're after, Detroit winds up being your epicenter, as the top 4 parks (CP-19, CW-18, SFGAm-17, KI-16) are all within about 300 miles or so.

Have fun with the planning!

Later,
EV