Michigan’s Adventure

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Theme Park:	Michigan's Adventure (since 1988)
	Deer Park Funland (1972 - 1987)
	Deer Park (1956 - 1971)

Address:	1198 W Riley-Thompson Rd
	Muskegon, MI 49445
	https://miadventure.enchantedparks.com

Operated by:	Enchanted Parks

Michigan’s Adventure in Muskegon, Michigan, first opened in 1956 as a small animal park called Deer Park. Over the years, it gradually grew into a traditional American amusement park and has carried its current name since 1988. WildWater Adventure was added in 1990 and sits right next to the amusement park.

Shivering Timbers is easily the standout coaster, joined by two more wooden coasters with Wolverine Wildcat and Zach’s Zoomer. Thunderhawk, Corkscrew, and one of the relatively rare Arrow Dynamics Mad Mouse coasters round out the lineup, along with plenty of classic rides and water attractions.

The combination of the amusement park and WildWater Adventure is a big part of what makes Michigan’s Adventure stand out. Together, they offer a varied day filled with coasters, classic rides, and plenty of ways to cool off.

Reviews

Shiver Me Timbers!

Highlights of the Theme Park

Corkscrew

The classic upside down ride

Grand Rapids

The nice rapids ride

Mad Mouse

A wild coaster

Shivering Timbers

The airtime coaster

Wolverine Wildcat

A nice wooden coaster

Zach’s Zoomer

The family coaster

TKathke September 12, 2026 September 12, 2026 Michigan's Adventure

Cedar Point

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Theme Park:	Cedar Point (since 1870)

Address:	1 Cedar Point Dr.
	Sandusky, OH 44870
	https://www.sixflags.com/cedarpoint

Operated by:	Six Flags

Cedar Point sits on a peninsula stretching into Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio, and is one of the oldest amusement parks in the United States. Its history dates back to 1870, when the site was first developed as a lakeside resort and bathing beach. Over the following decades, it grew into one of America’s best-known amusement parks, gaining particular fame during the Coaster Wars of the 1990s and 2000s, when new rides and record-breaking coasters seemed to arrive one after another.

Today, that history is reflected in an impressive roller coaster collection. Magnum XL-200, Millennium Force and the former Top Thrill Dragster all made coaster history, while Maverick, Steel Vengeance, GateKeeper and Valravn represent more recent generations. At the same time, classics such as Blue Streak, Corkscrew, Gemini, Iron Dragon and Cedar Creek Mine Ride are still going strong, making Cedar Point an almost living timeline of American roller coaster development.

There is plenty more beyond the coasters. Classic and historic rides can be found throughout the park, including the wonderfully unusual Cedar Downs Racing Derby, while the location directly on Lake Erie provides some spectacular views. Together with areas such as the Boardwalk and Frontier Town, this creates a fascinating mix of modern thrill park and traditional American amusement park – and a place that still very much deserves its famous nickname, “America’s Roller Coast.”

Reviews

America’s Roller Coast

Highlights of the Theme Park

Blue Streak

A true classic

Cedar Downs Racing Derby

The fun derby racer

Corkscrew

One of the first looping coasters

GateKeeper

The large wing coaster

Gemini

The fun racing coaster

Iron Dragon

The great family coaster

Magnum XL-200

The first true hyper coaster

Maverick

The awesome launch coaster

Millennium Force

The first giga coaster

Raptor

A large inverted coaster

Rougarou

A very forceful machine

Steel Vengeance

Vengeance with a twist

Top Thrill 2

The first stratosphere coaster

Valravn

The fun dive coaster

Wild Mouse

A nice spinning coaster

Past Highlights of the Theme Park

Snake River Falls

Shoot the chute

TKathke September 3, 2026 September 3, 2026 Cedar Point

Six Flags Great America

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Theme Park:	Six Flags Great America (since 1985)
	Marriott's Great America (1976 - 1984)

Address:	1 Great America Pkwy
	Gurnee, IL 60031
	https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica

Operated by:	Six Flags

Six Flags Great America is located in Gurnee, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Chicago. The amusement park opened in 1976 as Marriott’s Great America and was developed alongside what is now California’s Great America. Both parks originally shared a similar concept, including many of the same themed areas and attractions. Much of that common heritage can still be found throughout the park today, even though Great America has changed considerably since becoming part of Six Flags in 1984.

Roller coasters make up a major part of the park’s attraction lineup. Classics such as Whizzer and Demon date back to the opening year, while the massive American Eagle has been racing around its wooden structure since 1981. They are joined by newer rides including the B&M Hyper Coaster Raging Bull, RMC’s Goliath, the Wing Coaster X-Flight, Superman: Ultimate Flight and the pneumatically launched Maxx Force. Batman: The Ride also holds an important place in roller coaster history, having opened in 1992 as B&M’s first Inverted Coaster and becoming the blueprint for numerous rides that followed.

There is plenty to discover beyond the roller coasters as well. Great America has retained an impressive collection of classic flat rides from manufacturers such as Schwarzkopf and HUSS, while the Columbia Carousel and Sky Trek Tower are reminders of the park’s early years. Right next door is Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago, a large water park with numerous water slides, a wave pool and other aquatic attractions. During the summer, the two parks can easily be combined for a full day of rides, roller coasters and water attractions.

Reviews

A Great Day at Great America