Thrill-seekers, get ready for a summer that’s jam-packed with fun. These four amusement parks, all within easy driving distance of Northern Virginia, have the soaring roller coasters, family-friendly entertainment, and special events you need to make memories this summer. Here’s what to expect at each park, plus a sneak peek at some of the new attractions.
Six Flags America
Drive time from Dulles: About 1 hour
Ready for a day of fun for the whole family? This amusement park in Bowie, Maryland, celebrates its 25th anniversary in a season filled with adventure. As the largest amusement park in the DC region, Six Flags offers plenty of things to do for all ages, from exhilarating superhero-themed coasters to Looney Tunes–themed entertainment that kids will love.
The must-see attraction this season is SteamTown, a newly renovated immersive area that debuted in June. In this steampunk-style realm, eccentric Professor Screamore brings mind-boggling inventions to an old Western town, creating a clash of the past and present. Take a spin on the all-new SteamWhirler, a family ride that features four rotating arms; take a whitewater raft ride on the QuantumCanyon Rapids; or ride Professor Screamore’s SkyWinder, a steel coaster that travels at speeds of 50 mph.
Hurricane Harbor water park is the place for a cool reprieve as the summer sun beats down. For an additional ticket fee, you can access Hurricane Harbor’s 15-plus water slides, lazy river, kids’ zones, and 800,000-gallon wave pool. New this season is the RipQurl Blaster, a raft-based water coaster (the tallest water coaster in the mid-Atlantic) that brings riders through 550 feet of twists and turns, including three uphill rip currents and a pitch-black helix. Schedule your visit to align with one of the park’s special events. Visit from July 4 to 6 for fun-filled Independence Day celebrations featuring fireworks each night. Friday and Saturday evenings from July 12 to August 10 are Harbor Nights, when Hurricane Harbor extends slide time and stays open until 9 p.m.
Busch Gardens
Drive time from Dulles: About 3 hours
Head to Williamsburg for an amusement park experience that feels like a European getaway. As you make your way through the park, you’ll find yourself immersed in the cultures of England, Ireland, Italy, and more — complete with food, drinks, and rides that fit each theme.
An iconic attraction is making its return. The Loch Ness Monster, the world’s first interlocking loop coaster that opened in Busch Gardens in 1978, is back after significant renovations. As you progress through the ride (on refurbished steel tracks), new dramatic effects and storytelling elements will take you on a journey through Scottish terrain at 60 mph, culminating in a face-to-face appearance of the monster itself.
The fun doesn’t stop after that attraction (though we won’t blame you if you take more than one turn). There are nine more high-thrill rides, including the Griffon with its 205-foot drop.
Take a break from the high-speed rides with some of the park’s other must-see attractions. Catch a show like an Irish dance performance or the Das Festhaus Oom-pah Band, visit the Scottish Highland cows and Clydesdale horses, or take a tour and meet Sesame Street characters. This summer, there will be a Bier Fest on Fridays through Sundays from August 16 to September 2.
Amusement parks require lots of walking, but you can also get around the park via the Busch Gardens Railway, a steam-powered locomotive that whisks you through the 134 acres of landscaped grounds and stops in Scotland, New France, and Festa Italia. For a calmer experience on weekends, take a leisurely ride on the Rhine River Cruise to explore the park’s beautiful landscape. Water Country USA, Busch Gardens’ sister park, is just a few miles away. As the largest water park in Virginia, it has enough twisting slides and splash zones to fill your day. Try the new Riptide Race, a high-speed dueling pipeline slide.
Hersheypark
Drive time from Dulles: About 3 hours
Is it an adrenaline rush or a sugar rush you’re craving? At Hersheypark, you’ll find a sweet balance of both. The park first opened in 1906, founded by Milton S. Hershey as a place for workers at the Hershey chocolate factory. Since then, it’s grown to become one of the most fun-packed parks in the mid-Atlantic, with 121 acres of family-friendly activities and attractions.
Daredevils can fill an entire day just riding the 15 roller coasters, from the dizzying sooperdooperLooper to the wooden dueling Lightning Racer. This season’s highlight is Wildcat’s Revenge, a wood-and-steel coaster that reaches heights of 140 feet and speeds of 62 mph. With four inversions, the hybrid coaster that opened last summer is a new version of the park’s very first coaster, The Wild Cat, which ran its first course 100 years earlier.
For summer’s extra hot days, there’s an 11-acre water park open through Labor Day. Water park attractions include slides like the Whitecap Racer, the world’s longest mat racing slide, plus a lazy river and a 378,000-gallon wave pool.
Or, if animals are more your speed, head to the onsite ZooAmerica, an 11-acre zoo with North American animals such as mountain lions, river otters, reptiles, and birds. Admission to the zoo is included with a park ticket.
Inside Hershey’s Chocolate World, chocolate lovers can take a tour to see how the chocolate gets made, then build their own candy bar with all the toppings they want.
Before you hop back in the car after a long day of adventure, sit down for a meal at The Chocolatier, the park’s eatery. The full-service restaurant and bar offers an elevated take on amusement park dining, and — fitting with the park’s theme — diners will find chocolate inventively incorporated throughout the menu, even in the salads and flatbreads.
Kings Dominion
Drive time from Dulles: About 1.5 hours
At this Doswell park, you’ll find over 60 rides and attractions, including 13 roller coasters, that guarantee an experience chock-full of fun. Head over to the Jungle X-Pedition, an immersive experience that will put visitors right in the center of an ancient jungle civilization. The experience includes Tumbili, a 4D spin coaster that flips the cars throughout the ride.
For little ones, Planet Snoopy brims with kid-friendly rides and attractions. While there, visitors can meet their favorite Peanuts characters, like Snoopy and Charlie Brown. You can also see your favorite characters in the new live show, Team Charlie Brown, that runs through September 2.
Then, cool off with a visit to the 20-acre onsite water park, Soak City. Entry to the water park is included in the park’s general admission ticket price. Kids will love Coconut Shores, a new addition to the park that features a miniature wave pool and a multilevel play structure.
The park has a lot in store for the summer season. There will be a July 4 celebration with three nights (July 4 to 6) of spectacular fireworks. The Grand Carnivale, a festival full of international food and drinks, games, and a parade celebrating global traditions, takes place on select dates between July 13 and 28. And, this year, there will be a Food & Wine Festival on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, August 2 to 25.
Is one day just not enough? Kings Dominion offers campsites, where visitors can stay the night in RVs, tents, or deluxe cabins right near the park.
Feature image courtesy Visit Williamsburg
This story originally ran in our July issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
