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Roller Coasters Take Thrill-Seekers to the Limit

The Cannon Ball at Lake Winnepesaukah is the oldest wooden roller coaster in Georgia.

Story by Kathy Denes

It’s a rite of passage—a child in the roller coaster line steps up to the mark, stands up straight, and finally hits that magical measurement, tall enough to be welcomed aboard for a lifetime of adventure.

The thrill of roller coasters never grows old, whether they’re modern rockets of cold, sleek steel or creaky, wooden rides that are a nostalgic nod to yesteryear. Around 1,000 coasters in the United States and thousands worldwide offer limitless options for destination vacations.

“At this point, I’ve been on just under 1,200 unique coasters at over 300 different amusement parks,” says James Nocito, a CoasterNerds contributing writer whose hobby of “chasing down rides” has taken him to 38 countries on 4 continents. “Sometimes, I do actually think the hobby is ridiculous, but it’s also given me a chance to visit all sorts of places I probably wouldn’t have otherwise, like all 50 U.S. states. I guess I’ve always compared it to people who try to see a baseball game at every Major League Baseball stadium or such.”

Roller coaster fans seeking out the fastest ride, wildest twists and turns, or just a new experience have created a community. Numerous websites, like the Coaster101 website, and social media pages, like Facebook’s CoasterNerds, are dedicated to informing and connecting enthusiasts.

“There’s this whole community within the Parks and Coasters fandom, and some of the best people I met from internet chatrooms or online message boards when I was a teenager are people I know 20-plus years later, now hanging out in person,” James says.

He hesitates to cite 1 roller coaster as his favorite, “but if I were going to suggest to someone some of the biggest, worst, or craziest rides in the U.S., I’d probably start with Fury 325.” That ride at Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, is North America’s tallest, fastest, and longest giga coaster—1 with a height or drop of at least 300 feet.

If You're Going

  • For a selection of the country’s top 100 coasters, consult the Coaster Buzz website.
  • If taking younger travelers along, be sure to check the height requirements for the coasters you hope to experience.
  • To check real-time waits before you go, visit the Queue Times website.
  • Concerned about motion sickness? Snack on something fairly bland 30 minutes to an hour before jumping in line.

Planning a Coaster Vacation?

Consider visiting these thrill rides:

  • The Beast broke all records when it opened at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, in 1979, and it still reigns as Guinness World Records’ longest wooden roller coaster.
  • The Voyage at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, is the world’s second-longest wooden coaster, running for 1.2 miles and featuring a world-record 5 underground tunnels.
  • It’s always coaster weather at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, where the 7-acre center court offers 5 unique options.
  • 2 record-breaking coasters—the nation’s first tilt coaster, the Circuit Breaker, and Palindrome, a one-of-a-kind infinity coaster—are set to open in Texas this year at Austin’s COTALand.
  • Also opening this year at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, is the Siren’s Curse, expected to break records for height, speed, and longest tilt.