I’ve come to realize that, if you are a roller coaster lover, Southern California is the place to visit. In fact, two of the coolest theme parks for coaster enthusiasts can be found in the Los Angeles area. No, Disneyland is not one of them, although it (and its adjacent sister park Disney’s California Adventure) does offer some exciting action rides worthy of a visit.
The two parks that come to mind when speaking of roller coasters are Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm As a means to compete more effectively with the Disneyland Resort, one Southern California vacation writer notes that these two theme parks have invested a tremendous amount of cash in developing their thrill rides over the years.
Magic Mountain is crazy with wild coasters; the place is lousy with thrill rides. Check out the SoCal Vacation Guru for more information about the park, as there’s lots more to do there besides roller coasters (for the rest of your group who may not be coaster fanatics).
The second Southern California theme park with a strong emphasis on roller coasters is Knott’s Berry Farm, although it too offers many activities such as Ghost Town. We have talked to employees who can confirm that several of the roller coasters at Knott’s will push you to the limit of comfort.
Speaking of dinner, if you go to Knott’s, don’t forget to allow time to eat at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It is a landmark, serving thousands of dinners weekly since the Great Depression years. There is also good information at the SoCal Vacation Guru on Knott’s Berry Farm. The site covers hotels near the park, and provides useful information about other theme parks and vacation opportunities in SoCal.
You can learn about the other Los Angeles-area theme parks, namely the Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. Those parks offer many great attractions and some good thrill rides, but not as many as at Knott’s and Magic Mountain. I hope this is helpful if you love coasters!