Six Flags Over Texas
Arlington, Texas
Before Six Flags was a national conglomerate operating numerous parks around the United States, the brand began with one park: Six Flags Over Texas.
Located in Arlington, halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, Six Flags Over Texas was the midcentury dream of a local oilman who wanted to create a high-quality theme park for Texas residents. When the park opened in 1961, it consisted of six themed areas, each dedicated to one of the six countries whose flag has flown over Texas during the state’s history. Those countries are Spain, Mexico, France, Texas and the Confederate States of America, and it was from their flags that the park — and the Six Flags brand — took its name.
The park still features those six national sections, plus five other themed areas. Goodtimes Square features music and style from the 1950s and is home to the Texas SkyScreamer, a 400-foot tower swing ride that is the tallest element of the Arlington skyline. The Gotham City area features thrill rides such as Batman the Ride and Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast themed around the Batman universe.
New for 2015, Six Flags Over Texas debuted Justice League: Battle for Metropolis. This interactive dark ride uses three-dimensional imagery and special effects to take passengers on a superhero adventure mission with characters from the Justice League.
Six Flags Over Texas has three festivals each year: Holiday in the Park in late November and throughout December; Fright Fest throughout the Halloween season; and the Festival Latino in April, which features workshops in pinata and Aztec mask-making, as well as traditional foods, arts and performances from Hispanic culture.
Busch Gardens
Williamsburg, Virginia
Every year since 1990, Busch Gardens Williamsburg has been named the world’s “Most Beautiful Park” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Some of that beauty comes from the 30,000 plants and flowers that fill the park’s 100 acres of gardens, walkways and flower beds. But there’s also beauty to behold in the park’s European-style scenery.
Busch Gardens uses the culture, architecture and history of numerous European countries to give guests an experience that blends thrills with beauty. Visitors will see cobblestone streets, European building facades and classical-style statuary throughout the park. The landscaping even features a variety of plants native to western Europe.
Guests enter through the England section of the park, which has replicas of Big Ben and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. The Ireland section features taverns, stone castles and Celtic music. In France, traditional artisans and sidewalk cafes replicate the feeling of a holiday in Paris. Scotland, Germany and Italy are other themed areas of the park.
Groups that visit Busch Gardens will find shopping, dining and entertainment in each area themed around the country it represents, which affords opportunities for culinary and retail finds not common in other amusement parks.
In addition to this cultural collection, Busch Gardens Williamsburg has more than 50 rides and attractions. The newest is Verbolten, an indoor/outdoor, multilaunch roller coaster. Another highlight is Griffon, one of the world’s tallest coasters and the first floorless dive roller coaster.
Bay Beach Park
Green Bay, Wisconsin
If you long for the days when amusement parks were small, uncrowded and affordable, Bay Beach Amusement Park might be just the fit for you. Owned by the city of Green Bay, this public park has been in operation for more than 100 years and has been a favorite destination of Wisconsin locals for numerous generations.
“What’s great about Bay Beach Park is that the rides are really inexpensive,” said Kari Perlewitz, marketing coordinator for the Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau. “They’re all 25 to 50 cents per ride. There are 19 rides, which means you get a full day of entertainment without spending a lot of money.”
Many of the rides at the park are midway staples that harken back to the golden era of amusement rides in the middle of the 20th century. Guests can enjoy bumper cars, a Tilt-a-Whirl, burlap sack slides and other favorites that will hasten back childhood memories. A train ride takes passengers around the park and along the water on Green Bay.
In 2011, the park added the Zippin Pippin, a wooden roller coaster with a storied past.
“The Zippin Pippin came here from Memphis after almost 30 years at a theme park there,” Perlewitz said. “Back when it was in Memphis, it was Elvis’ favorite roller coaster. Rumor has it that he would rent out the entire park just to be able to ride the coaster for hours on end.”
Next year, the park will debut Falling Star, another thrill ride intended for older kids and adults.
