Amusement Parks

Pittsburgh has two main and well-known amusement parks. There's Kennywood, for roller coaster and other classic amusement park rides, and Sandcastle, for water slides, pool, and other water fun. Kennywood is a fantastic amusement park, not only does it have a lot of great rides, there’s a lot of things to do there and a lot of really great amusement park food. One classic is the Potato Patch with their classic and freshly cut French Fries. Kennywood has many classic rides and roller coasters too. There's the Kangaroo, a "flying coaster" that goes around in a circle going up one steep slope and bouncing off. Spinvasion is a new ride that spins while the seats go outward. It is not for people who get dizzy easily, but the dizziness isn't too bad and it's a lot of fun. The Whip, a vintage classic and one of my favorites as a child, has a bunch of cars going around in an oval, and at the turns of the oval the cars bounce and go "faster" by momentum. And I can't forget the Phantom's Revenge, a coaster that is 160 feet high and has a top speed of 80 mph! For a person who loves riding coasters this is probably my favorite coaster at Kennywood and is often on a top 10 list for coaster enthusiasts as well. It is definitely not for someone afraid of heights however.

Sandcastle is a great amusement park too. It’s not as big as Kennywood, maybe not even as well known, but it’s still a great place to go in the summer, especially when it’s hot. The park's newest attraction, Bombs Away, is a trap-door slide that plunges you into the slide at high speeds. Dragon's Den also plunges you in pretty fast (not as fast) into a water slide spiral area before letting you out. There are several other classic and memorable slides as well. Or if you just want to relax, there's a Lazy River, wave pool, and other pools.

As well as those two parks, about an hour out of the city in the Laurel Highlands region, there is Idlewild & SoakZone, a combined amusement and waterpark with smaller rides more geared towards families. Some of the rides are the same ones that are at Kennywood or were once at Kennywood.

Erie is home to Waldameer, one of the oldest continuously operating amusement parks in the country. If you ask anyone in Erie, Waldameer is a staple summer-time activity. It offers rides for all ages and of all thrill types. It is most known for the Ravine Flyer II, which has consistently been ranked one of the top 10 wooden roller coasters since 2009. It features multiple drops and tunnels while also giving you one of the best views of Lake Erie at the very top of the highest point. They are also attached to Water World, an enormous water park that includes multiple water slides and a wave pool. Water World is expanding with every chance they get, so make sure to check what the newest attraction is before you arrive! Also inside the park is multiple food kiosks that offer homemade fudge, kettle corn, and fresh cut fries in addition to the gift shops, arcades, and face painting kiosks.

Along the same lines as Water World, Erie has an indoor water park called Splash Lagoon. Even in the coldest months it is a nice, warm temperature and still has all of the qualities of an outdoor water park. They have a lazy river, all types of water slides, a wave pool, and a Flowrider, which is an indoor surfing opportunity. They also have an arcade as well as an indoor ropes course that goes over some of the main areas of the park. Splash Lagoon is located right on Peach Street, one of the main areas to find all types of restaurants. It is also connected to a few hotels as well as Quaker Steak and Lube, an automobile themed restaurant. If the fun at Splash Lagoon isn’t enough, Quaker Steak and Lube also has miniature bowling. 

Out towards Edinboro right outside of Erie, there is a place called Sunview Golf Course. Being a fun place for all families, they offer miniature golf and driving range made with turf, as well as batting cages for those who enjoy softball and baseball. If none of those options sound fun to you, they also offer a go-kart track, bumper boats, and an indoor arcade! I have gone there often during the summer months with my family. Every time is filled with fun memories from everything that is offered at the establishment.