Summer wouldn't be complete without a trip (or two or three) to one or more of Pennsylvania’s fun-filled amusement parks. Each is unique, and even better – most offer an amusement park and a waterpark in one, so don’t forget your swimsuit!
Pack up the swimsuits and take your kids to one of the top five children’s amusement parks in the world – Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park in Lancaster. Enjoy the park’s wide variety of kid-sized rides, like the new Merlin's Mayhem rollercoaster. This is the first suspended family rollercaster in Dutch Wonderland has implemented and is definitely going to pick you and your family off the ground with all of its twists and turns.
And be sure to visit Duke’s Lagoon with its multilevel waterplay platform, large tipping bucket, and kid-sized slides, plus a variety of spray nozzles, jets, and tipping cones surrounded by palm trees and thatched umbrella shaded areas for loads of summer fun.
A trip to PA wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the renowned Hersheypark’s 70 rides and attractions, including Laff Trakk – the first indoor, spinning glow-coaster in the country. Check out more exhilarating roller coasters that range from aggressive to moderate on the thrill-inducing scale. Take a visit to the waterpark for a splash of fun with Hershey's two new water rides - Breakers Edge Water Coaster and Whitecap Racer!
The Pocono Mountains is home to Camelback Lodge and Aquatopia, the largest indoor waterpark in PA – and home to the longest indoor watercoaster in the U.S. With 84-degree warm weather year-round, a transparent roof that grants access to natural sunlight in every season, and the first Aqua-Sphere-Manta slide of its kind in the world, as well as ziplines, a tree tops adventure course, Euro bungee, and a rock climbing wall, Camelback offers a truly unique experience for the entire family.
Idlewild & SoakZone, in the Laurel Highlands region of PA, is enjoyed by kids and “kids-at-heart” alike, and is not your typical amusement park. Combining the natural beauty of the Highlands and the Loyalhanna Creek with seven exciting themed entertainment areas, Idlewild offers a unique, relaxing, and enjoyable family experience you won’t soon forget.
Thrill seekers can get their fix on Knoebels Amusement Resort steel coaster, Impulse. This coaster reaches speeds of 55 miles per hour with one big drop and several loops. The amusement park also offers free admission and parking; you can either pay by the ride or go for a ride-all-day pass. The park offers attractions of all shapes and sizes – everything from bumper cars and roller coasters to Pennsylvania’s largest freshwater pool. Along with its great rides, Knoebels is famous for its eats, winning Amusement Today's Golden Ticket award for best amusement park food for much of the past two decades.
Waldameer Park & Water World in Erie is a 122-year-old, family-owned, free-admission amusement park that recently expanded with a new Kiddieland ride - Balloon Race! This ride spins riders round and up and down in colorful hot air balloons that kids and parents can enjoy together. Waldameer will also blow visitors out of the water with a new slide in Water World - CannonBOWL. Don’t skip the Ravine Flyer II, one of the country’s best wooden rollercoasters.
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown has two great parks for the price of one, with more than 100 rides and attractions, nine roller coasters, 22 water slides, two tubing rivers, and two huge wave pools. Meet the world-famous PEANUTS™ characters in Planet Snoopy, an interactive family playland where parents and kids ride and discover together.