SoCal
Six Flags Magic Mountain
The self-declared coaster capital of the world, and for once the marketing is close to true.
12 attractions11 height limits4 tracked snacks
All 10 parks
Two resorts, six theme parks, and one honest answer to “which one should we actually do?” Pick a park for the deep dive, or jump straight to the comparison pages.
| Park | Resort | Attractions | Height limits | Tallest | Plan for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | SoCal | 12 | 11 | 54" | 10–12 hours |
| Knott's Berry Farm | SoCal | 11 | 4 | 48" | 8–10 hours |
| LEGOLAND California | SoCal | 7 | 0 | — | 7–9 hours |
| SeaWorld San Diego | SoCal | 7 | 2 | 54" | 7–9 hours |
| SeaWorld Orlando | Orlando | 8 | 5 | 54" | 8–10 hours |
| LEGOLAND Florida | Orlando | 6 | 0 | — | 7–9 hours |
| Six Flags Over Texas | Texas | 8 | 5 | 54" | 8–10 hours |
| SeaWorld San Antonio | Texas | 7 | 3 | 54" | 8–10 hours |
| Six Flags Great Adventure | New Jersey | 7 | 6 | 54" | 9–11 hours |
| Six Flags Great America | Chicago | 8 | 6 | 54" | 9–11 hours |
Los Angeles, Buena Park, Carlsbad and San Diego, California
Four parks, four companies, one traffic pattern: Magic Mountain's coaster count, Knott's haunt pedigree, Legoland's first coasters, and SeaWorld's dive machine.
SoCal
The self-declared coaster capital of the world, and for once the marketing is close to true.
12 attractions11 height limits4 tracked snacks
SoCal
America's first theme park — a real ghost town, the boysenberry, and the haunt that started the entire industry.
11 attractions4 height limits4 tracked snacks
SoCal
The brick-built first-coaster park — Miniland, a dragon's castle, and the friendliest height ladder in Southern California.
7 attractions0 height limits3 tracked snacks
SoCal
A marine park with a real thrill lineup — Emperor's dive coaster, Electric Eel's spike, and the bay it all sits on.
7 attractions2 height limits3 tracked snacks
Orlando and Winter Haven, Florida
The marine-park side of the theme park capital: Mako, Kraken and Manta on the waterfront, plus Florida's brick-built park an hour south.
Orlando
Three B&M coasters and a marine park — Mako's airtime, Kraken's loops, Manta's flight, on the water.
8 attractions5 height limits3 tracked snacks
Orlando
The brick-built park on the old Cypress Gardens — a dragon's castle, historic botanical gardens, and Florida's friendliest height ladder.
6 attractions0 height limits3 tracked snacks
Arlington and San Antonio, Texas
The original Six Flags in Arlington, the hybrid Iron Rattler in San Antonio, and three hundred miles of highway between them.
Texas
The 1961 original that named a whole chain — oil derricks, the Shock Wave loops, and the ride that started the hybrid-coaster era.
8 attractions5 height limits3 tracked snacks
Texas
The Texas SeaWorld — Iron Rattler's quarry walls, three coasters, and the biggest water-park half in the chain.
7 attractions3 height limits3 tracked snacks
Jackson, New Jersey
El Toro, Nitro and the ghost of Kingda Ka — the Northeast's biggest coaster park, an hour from Manhattan.
New Jersey
El Toro, Nitro and the empty sky where Kingda Ka stood — the Northeast's biggest coaster park, an hour from Manhattan.
7 attractions6 height limits3 tracked snacks
Gurnee, Illinois
Raging Bull, Goliath and Whizzer at Great America — Chicago's coaster park, with an American classic wooden racing coaster in the back corner.
Chicago
Raging Bull, Goliath, the original Batman invert and a pair of racing woodies from 1981 — Chicago's coaster park.
8 attractions6 height limits3 tracked snacks