10 of the Best Theme Parks for Adults

Let's face it, kids usually dictate where families go on vacation. But what if you don't have any kids? Or perhaps they’ve left the nest? Or you just feel like being a kid all over again? Answer: Go to an amusement park! Here are 10 great theme parks for adults that offer just as much fun and as many thrills for grown-ups as they do for kids.

Explore worlds of endless enchantment at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

No amusement park list would be complete without mentioning Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. At this magical theme park for adults near Orlando, Florida, relive your childhood with a trip to Space Mountain or set sail on a swashbuckling adventure at Pirates of the Caribbean. Enjoy the many parades and nightly fireworks displays, plus the opportunity to dine by candlelight at a themed restaurant.

Play alongside unforgettable movie characters at Universal Orlando

Not really a fan of Mickey, Minnie and crew? Opt to visit Harry Potter and some of the biggest characters in movies, TV and pop culture at Universal Orlando. This theme park for adults is home to two different amusement parks and a state-of-the-art water park, making it a destination for both young and old. Among its many rides, you can race through New York City with Jimmy Fallon or embark on a virtual reality ride with Spider-Man.

Enjoy sweet rides and sweet treats at Hersheypark

Explore the grounds of Hersheypark, originally created as a leisure space for Hershey employees.

Located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Hersheypark is home to over 70 rides and attractions, including 14 different roller coasters. This theme park for adults also features 15 water attractions inside the Boardwalk, an 11-acre water park. In addition, you can enjoy live song and dance performances, marine mammal presentations and admission to ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, home to more than 200 animals. Of course, don’t pass up the free chocolate-making tour!

Enjoy thrilling entertainment with Southern charm at Dollywood

Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains not far from hotels in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Dollywood—named, of course, after Dolly Parton—features over 40 rides and attractions, including Lightning Rod (billed as the world’s fastest wooden roller coaster), Wild Eagle (the country’s first wing coaster) and FireChaser Express, which blasts riders forward and backward. It’s not just fun and games, though. At this theme park for adults you can kick back, relax and listen to live music from artists performing country, Southern gospel, classic rock and Appalachian music.

Experience an adrenaline rush on the shore at Cedar Point

Get your roller coaster fix at Ohio’s Cedar Point, featuring over 15 different thrilling varieties.

Home to over 70 rides, including 18 world-class roller coasters, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, touts itself as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. Ride the 310-feet-high Millennium Force giga-coaster or the breathtaking 120-mph Top Thrill Dragster at this theme park for adults. Want something even faster? Check out the Steel Vengeance, the tallest, fastest and longest hybrid roller coaster in the world.

Explore new adventures in America’s heartland at Silver Dollar City

Although known as an 1880s-style theme park, Silver Dollar City also boasts a wild coaster called Time Traveler.

Located in the Ozark Mountains near hotels in Branson, Missouri, Silver Dollar City is an 1880s-style theme park for adults featuring 40 thrilling rides and attractions, several world-class festivals, 18 restaurants, daily live shows and 60 retail shops. You can also watch over 100 craftsmen demonstrate the art of woodcarving, glass blowing, pottery and blacksmithing. Silver Dollar City also hosts festivals and events from spring through Christmas.

Go with the flow at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City

If you need a break from roller coasters, Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City features slides, chutes, rivers, tunnels and beaches throughout the nearly 40-acre park. Best of all—you don’t have to leave your tube! Just go with the current and explore.

Discover wild fun and animals in the Bay at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay features a zoo of over 12,000 animals and can also lay claim to Florida’s tallest launch coaster, Tigris.

At Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, you’ll find a theme park for adults filled with world-class thrill rides, live Broadway-style entertainment and one of the nation’s largest zoos with over 12,000 animals. One of the park’s newest and most popular attractions is Cobra’s Curse, a spin coaster that includes a 70-foot vertical lift that brings you up close to an 80-foot snake king. If that’s not enough for you, test your bravery and experience North America’s tallest freestanding drop tower, Falcon’s Fury. Or race like a cheetah on the triple-launch Cheetah Hunt roller coaster.

Step back in time to an old-fashioned attraction at Kennywood Park

Feel like a kid again on the swing ride at Kennywood, one of the country’s oldest amusement parks.

As a National Historic Landmark, Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, mixes the old with the new. This theme park for adults features over 40 rides and attractions, including three old-fashioned wooden roller coasters. Enthusiasts will especially love the Racer, the only single-continuous track coaster remaining in the country. Over 120 years old, this traditional park also features an antique carousel, the Phantom's Revenge steel coaster, the indoor Exterminator, the Skycoaster and two water rides.

Make memories and save money at Knoebels Amusement Resort

On a budget? Head over to Knoebels Amusement Resort, an old-fashioned theme park for adults in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, where admission and parking are free. The family-owned-and-operated attraction has over 60 rides, two classic wooden roller coasters, a wooden bobsled coaster, midway games, two arcades, great food, campgrounds, an 18-hole golf course and a pool.