Amusement and Theme Parks In New England, Perfect for Family Travel
by Eric Hurwitz. Updated 12/02/16.
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New
England travel isn't just about the ocean, mountains, seafood and
pretty
village greens. The six-state Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont offer great amusement parks and
theme parks ideal for New England family travel. Not in any order,
here are some of the best amusement and theme parks in New England.
Six Flags New England, Agawam MA
If
Six Flags were a mall, it would be an anchor store. Formerly
Riverside Amusement Park, Six Flags is the largest -- and arguably
best-- amusement park in
New England with highly developed theme and water parks. Some of our
neighbors -- who seem to be regulars at Six Flags during the summer --
rave about the
"scarier rides" (technically speaking, "Thrill Rides," or roller
coaster). Six Flags even has a "thrill meter" where you can
decide the level of "thrill" you want on your rides. For total wimps
and the faint-hearted, Six Flags features many family rides, including
a beautiful carousel. Six Flags also has an impressive food court, as
well as
featuring many events. Read
more about Six Flags
Canobie Lake Park, Salem NH
In the 70s when I was a kid, Canobie Lake Park was a modest but
thoroughly fun amusement park, offering all the familiar suspects:
carousel, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, bumper boats, haunted house,
spinning tea cups, etc. Proving
that modern day offerings can sometimes be better than the "good old
days," Canobie
Lake Park has taken on a new life in the past 25 years, transforming
into a premier New England amusement park with pretty much every ride
you could imagine. "Untamed" is one of the most popular attractions --
a roller coaster with a 97 ft. vertical drop! Read
more about Canobie Lake Park
Lake Compounce, Bristol CT
Lake Compounce just might be the oldest continuously running amusement
park in the United States, dating back to 1846. While this popular
family spot has indeed been around a long time, Lake Compounce
has become fully engaged into 21st century amusement park ways with
thrill
rides, roller coasters and a large water park. Read
more about
Lake Compounce
Quassy Amusement Park,
Middlebury CT
Located on scenic Lake Quassapaug, Quassy Amusement Park is a bit more
affordable than other amusement parks without a compromise in fun.
You'll find a nice mix of traditional and modern rides here, and also
Splashaway Bay -- a wonderful water park featuring water slides,
raft rides and cascading fountains. Additionally, Quassy Beach offers a
nice lake experience for swimming and sunning. Read more about Quassy Amusement Park
Bromley's Sun Mountain Adventure
Park, Peru VT
Let's face it, Vermont is not exactly the epicenter of amusement and
theme
parks. However, Sun Mountain Adventure Park brings Vermont up to speed
(literally and figuratively) in the amusement/theme park world with zip
lines, climbing walls, huge swings and mountain coasters. What a nice
use of a destination that is best known for skiing in the winter! Read
more about Sun
Mountain Adventure Park
Palace Playground, Old Orchard
Beach Maine
This is one of my favorite fun New England destinations. You have the
beach right
there, 25 or so rides and attractions, and around 200 arcade games.
Some of the amusements: an excellent Ferris wheel, well-maintained
carousel, two roller coasters and a few thrill rides. It's great, too,
that admission is free. Read more about Palace Playground
Water Country, Portsmouth NH
This is the granddaddy of water parks in New England, but, fortunately,
has been kept up to date -- and beyond that, too, with some real
innovation. The 26 acres of water park fun, includes Dr. Von Dark’s
Tunnel Of Terror, Adventure River, the Tahiti Tree House for kids and a
wave pool. The Double Geronimo will get the heart pumping with its 58
ft. high slide! Read
more about Water Country
Funtown Splashtown USA, Saco
Maine
This southern coastal Maine water park features nearly 50 rides,
slides, and pools of varying intensity -- or,if you choose, slower,
closer-to-the-ground attractions! Read more
about Funtown Splashtown USA
Water Wizz, East Wareham MA
Water Wizz is the best bet for enjoying a quality Cape Cod area water
park,
offering several water slides, tube slides and speed slides as well as
kiddie splash pools. Read more about Water Wizz
Edaville USA, Carver MA
Edaville USA offers a timeless children's amusement park experience
with a train ride through 200 acres of cranberry bogs, rides like an
antique carousel, illuminated Ferris wheel, the Flying Turtles,
Tilt-Whirl, bumper cars, and special seasonal events the fall National
Cranberry Festival and the spectacular Festival of Lights at Christmas.
If you are
seeking thrill rides, this is not your place. The train ride is the
main attraction, and traditional rides dominate the amusement park
section. Read more
about Edaville USA
Storyland, Glen NH A
fantastic, well-established theme park where fairy tale heroes
come to life, including the Three Little Pigs, Cinderella and
Mother Goose. Along the way, you'll find many different rides and
themes --
including a pumpkin coach and pirate ship -- as well as castles,
safaris, a train ride, swan boats, and an antique German carousel. Last
I knew, there is also a circus -- hopefully, they'll feature one this
year! Read more about Storyland
Santa's Village, Jefferson NH
No, Santa's Village is not just open for the Christmas season (although
it's really beautiful, dressed up in holiday garb during this time).
This is a travel destination open several months in the year that
features many "tamer"
rides (many have Christmas/Santa themes), shows and interactive play.
Located in a beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire town,
Santa's Village is pretty much a automatic family destination when
visiting this area, and with
good reason: it's a well-run park with a timeless theme. Read
more on
Santa's Village
Clark's Trading Post, North
Woodstock NH Best known for its trained
bear show, Clark's Trading Post goes way beyond that one special
attraction
with a circus act, water blaster boats, museums
filled with "Americana," family entertainment, a climbing tower and the White Mountain
Central Railroad that takes you through the best of rural scenic New
Hampshire. Read more about Clark's Trading Post
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