Best Theme Parks in all 50 States

It’s no secret that I love amusement and theme parks. Growing up in and around Pittsburgh with Kennywood Park gave me a solid love of rides and park food. Now that we live in Charlotte, season passes to Carowinds was a no-brainer. Going to amusement and theme parks is a big part of travel for me and I’m always looking for new-to-me places to go. This printable of the best theme parks in all 50 states is a fun way to find new fun. And just a note–there is a difference between theme parks and amusement parks and this list contains both. I just had to call it something and it was already wordy!

To me, amusement parks focus on rides and food without major theming. Kennywood, for example, is known for its wooden roller coasters. The Disney parks are theme parks–every bit of the parks is heavily themed. I’ll admit that the first time I visited a Disney, I thought it was weird and kinda silly–I was used to the rides themselves being the focus of a park. I’ve since come to love Disney parks, but the difference between types of parks was clear to me. Anyway, I love them all and if you do, too, this is the list for you. Click on the image below to bring up the free printable.

Some of these parks are much bigger or well known than others, but every park has a story. It’s clear by the sheer number of theme parks on this list that Americans love their parks. Everyone has a favorite roller coaster or will tell you which park has the best fries or funnel cake. There’s sadness when rides or parks close and excitement when new ones open. I can look at this list and remember when I was finally tall enough to ride the Thunderbolt at Kennywood. It’s fun to remember the “robber” who tried to take my grandmother’s purse at Tweetsie Railroad (and failed miserably). Instead of a rehearsal, we spent the day before our wedding at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I haven’t been to every park on this printable, but they’re all places I look forward to experiencing.