Coney Island- the iconic American boardwalk- sits just an hour outside Manhattan. Here, visitors of all ages can enjoy not only the beach and eats, but original rides like the wooden coaster Cyclone and a swinging Ferris wheel.
Home to 18 coasters-- more than any other park in the world-- no ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain is as thrilling as X2. Riders board a free-form compartment that rolls through the drops and loops so orientation is never grounded.
Outside of Ottawa, Canada's Wonderland theme park offers 16 thrilling coasters including the soaring Behemoth. This steel giant drops hundreds of feet at severe angles and includes a helix and air-time hills for maximum thrills.