Suggestions for a Spring weekend?

I find myself in possession of a certificate for a free flight that is generally only useful from the second weekend in April through the first weekend in June. (Evidently, I fly enough business-fare trips that NWA has seen fit to throw me a bone.)

The only rational thing to use this for is a coaster weekend to somewhere. And, since my tentative plans for Solace fell through thanks to home commitments, I'm pretty sure I can talk my wife into letting me off the hook for a weekend.

(Well the only *really* rational thing is to let my wife use it for her conference trip in May; since she's self employed, it's an out-of-pocket trip. But, one can fly to the conference location for $200 no problem, and it's deductable, so it seems a shame to waste it on that.)

So, the question is: where to? I'd rather not go to a place that screams for me to take the family (e.g. Dollywood), that I can drive to in a comfortable day from SE mchigan (e.g. Kennywood), that is co-located with a big city that is easy to visit on business (e.g. Dorney), or that is in mountain or pacific time (inconvenient for a weekend flight.)

I'm open to suggestion.

*** Edited 1/19/2005 8:45:27 PM UTC by Brian Noble***

Well aren't we picky? :)

I'd suggest King's Dominion or Busch Williamsburg, but they're somewhat close to D.C. so that might rule ya out of that. But both are really nice early in the year, I went to King's Dominion early the last two years in a row and it was great!

Brian - Even though you ruled out the West Coast I'd still suggest either the Bay Area parks or perhaps a trek to Silverwood, Seattle, and Vancouver. But if that is not a possibility then yuo can't beat a weekend on the Jersey Shore. Travel from north to south and end in Wildwood. Stay up until 4am playing Fascination!

*** Edited 1/21/2005 12:32:48 AM UTC by Mamoosh***

4am playing Fascination? No one in their right mind would do THAT! ;)

PKD isn't a bad idea, since I usually am either in the city itself or north of it along the BWI corridor, making SFA an easier destination. I get to BGW annually as part of our week in the outer banks, but that's in August---I'd bet that park is gorgeous in the spring. So, that's a possibility.

I get to SFO/SJC two or three times a year, and am in Seattle monthly through June, so that Northwest swing is on my radar already. (And I can sometimes add on a detour through the Bay on my DTW/SEA flights, too.) The Jersey shore is intriguing, though, and definitely meets the "doesn't scream family" rule. ;)

Keep 'em coming!

*** Edited 1/19/2005 8:44:08 PM UTC by Brian Noble***

SheiKra will be opening up in that time period.. I don't know what your thoughts on it are, but that also gives you a park with (to me) three other great coasters, Kumba, Montu and Scorpion (I'm a sucker for a Scwarzkopf ;))

However, the park may be too much of a "family park", I guess that's your judgement (its more of a thrill park than the other Florida parks).

BGW would be a great park, but again, is it a family thing?

But, after all of that good stuff, I personally would pick Lake Compounce, just because I really, really want to ride Boulder Dash, and I think that doesn't violate any of the "restrictions"

HOw about Funtown and Canobie, plus Story Land and Santa's Village [just for the credits].

How about the Texas parks? Maybe a little side trip to Cliff's?

Uh, from SFOT to Cliff's it's more than 10 hours, and even more from the other SF parks in Texas. So, I may be wrong, but these tickets would have to be round-trip, so you would have to make that trip BACK. So, 20 hours for a CCI woodie? I think that's why so few have gotten that credit. Plus, NM is in Mountain time. The three SF parks in Texas is a cool trip idea, but we're talking a weekend, and that would be hard (to me)

I too thought of NH-Maine... good trip of the little New England parks.

Here's some suggestions. Some of these I guess would be considered near major cities but I'm not sure which major cities you get to. I haven't been to all of these parks but I'm pretty sure that there is only a few hours of driving between them. Maybe four at the max.

Lakeside/SFEG- I realize it's mountain time but the area is beautiful.

SFNO/Dixie's Landin- Would have an excuse not to bring the kids.

SFSL/SDC/WOF- Not sure if you can get to this area by car in a day from where you live.

Adventureland/Arnold's Park/Possibly Valleyfair- Same deal here with the driving. This is one I would really recommend. Adventureland and Arnold's park were two of my favorite small parks that I visited last year.

SFNE/Lake Compounce/Quassey

The Texas Loop- Good bit of driving between the parks.

Western New York/Niagara Falls/Toronto- Again, you may be able to get there by car.

SFOG/Visionland/Lake Winnie/Dollywood

Carowinds/Myrtle Beach Parks

Lagoon- Would pretty much be it as nothing else major is near within a 8-10 hours radius. Also in mountain time (I think).

Like Moosh said, Canobie/Funtown and the Jersey Shore are two great ideas for areas as well. I hope you pick a fun one!

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Pale Rider said:
SFOG/Visionland/Lake Winnie/Dollywood

Carowinds/Myrtle Beach Parks

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The first would be good if you wanted to do the ACE Spring Conf., and the second would be good so that you get a chance to ride Hurricane, along with experiencing the Pavillion period, before it closes.

I think that you should go to SDC/CC. You could fly into Springfield/Branson airport and then rent a car to go on down to Branson. The park is wonderful and I think that you'll really enjoy yourself there.

Besides PowderKeg is coming!!! :)

Oops...it was a different Brian who was in LA recently. Sorry for the confusion, Mr. Noble ;)

that's okay---we didn't connect when I was last there, either, so I took you at your word. :)

I was going to suggest BGT but RamblinWreck already beat me to it, with a side trip to Cypress Gardens. I just got back from a trip to Cypress Gardens and even though the coasters were junior at best I still had a blast. I'm not sure if you like flats or not but they have a power surge, a mega bounce, disk-o, a great drop tower. I enjoyed the head bagin I got on the Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster, they have a junior GCI Woodie, no air, but that's why it's junior and a nice Vekoma Family Coaster. The Ski show is decent, the ice skating show is worthy of a vist but the various gardens took my breath away. If it wouldn't have been for a Senior Citizen bus tour, I would have been there by myself for the most part.

I went to Busch Gardens Tampa a week day in November, just about every ride was a walk on and with Sheikra opening, I would think a mid-to late May trip to both parks would be a option. *** Edited 1/21/2005 2:37:31 AM UTC by coasterguts***