We may still be in the cold months of winter, but blink twice and the summer season will be upon us. One of the most popular things to do during warmer weather is to take the family to amusement parks.
Kings Dominion, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Water Country USA and Hersheypark make for easy day trips for Northern Virginia residents. Here’s what you can look forward to this year at each park.
Kings Dominion
Opened in 2018, Twisted Timbers is currently the highlight of Kings Dominion. It’s a hybrid roller coaster, combining steel track and wood supports for power and speed. Twisted Timbers boasts a 109-foot barrel roll drop, 3,351 feet of track and speeds up to 54 mph. What not to expect at Kings Dominion this year? Dinosaurs Alive!. The attraction closed on Oct. 28, 2018. Kings Dominion’s summer season opens on March 30, and tickets are available here. // Kings Dominion: 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Set to open in the spring, Busch Gardens is unveiling Finnegan’s Flyer, a “screaming swing” ride that flies over Busch Gardens Ireland. It features two pendulum-like arms that soar riders progressively higher with each swing, and it seats 32 riders. Finnegan’s Flyer will reach over 80 feet with a speed of 45 mph. Busch Gardens opens March 23. Buy your tickets here. // Busch Gardens Williamsburg: 1 Busch Gardens Blvd., Williamsburg
Water Country USA
Cutback Water Coaster debuts this spring at Water Country USA as Virginia’s first hybrid water coaster, and the only RocketBLAST coaster on the East Coast. It is built from a water jet propulsion system with a saucer feature. Riders will board a four-person raft and speed along the 850-foot slide through tunnels, and then will slide onto the wide-open space of a massive saucer-shaped feature. Water Country USA opens on May 18 for the summer season, and you can buy tickets here. // Water Country USA: 176 Water Country Parkway, Williamsburg
Hersheypark
Everyone’s favorite chocolate and peanut butter duo is getting its own gaming experience at Hersheypark this year. The Reese’s Cupfusion attraction at Hersheypark arrives this summer. Riders will protect Reese’s Central through a dark-ride gaming experience, featuring laser beam guns and targets on moving patrol cars. Hersheypark opens for the summer season in April. // Hersheypark: 100 Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Want more travel content? Subscribe to our bimonthly newsletter.
