25 Underrated Amusement Parks You Should Visit

You don't have to spend a fortune, or hours in line, to enjoy a thrill ride this summer.

We are graced with a plethora of amusement parks, from large to small, that fly under the radar in the shadow of the more well-known theme parks.

But they offer up everything from laugh-out-loud fun for toddlers and small kids, great water slides for tweens and teens, and thrilling roller coasters for kids of all ages.

Hint, that means you too.

Here are 25 under-rated U.S. parks - save for one from Canada! - you should visit this summer.

With all due respect to the larger, more nationally known theme parks, Cedar Point is the unquestioned king of the roller coasters. Two of the best are the Steel Vengeance, which goes upside down four times during the ride, and the Millenium Force, which can reach a speed of 93 miles per hour.

Another park known for its roller coasters spread out over 383 acres. Now you can add another one. In May of 2019, Busch Gardens added Finnegan's Flyer, quickly becoming a favorite along with Battle for Eire, Invadr and the Loch Ness Monster.

Interesting fact - the park was founded by the great chocolate candy bar family as a place where its employees could enjoy before opening it to the public. Try two different things while you're here. First, the Storm Runner, which takes riders from standing still to 72 miles an hour in two seconds. Second, the candy, of course.

A beautiful backdrop set against the Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is all country in honor of its founder, legendary singer and actress Dolly Parton. Splash Country Water Park Adventure and Wildwood Grove are great spots for the kids.

Before Branson became Branson, Silver Dollar City was born in the Ozarks. The park retains its charm as a throwback to the 1880s. In addition to rides, Silver Dollar City has a ton of live shows and plenty of shopping.

For a certain generation, Kings Island was where The Brady Bunch once went on vacation. But this wonderful park keeps adding on and making itself relevant year after year, including adding the Mystic Timber, voted by Amusement Today as the Best New Ride in 2017.

Definitely a trip worth making north of the border. This park has more than enough to do for kids of all ages, including 16 roller coasters, water slides, shows, and the main entrance reminiscent of a certain home to a mouse.

At 7,000 feet above sea level, Glenwood Caverns has the highest elevation roller coaster in the country that goes from the highs to the low - it actually dips underground at one point. Oh, and don't forget the Alpine Coaster where riders can control their own speeds.

People come here for the roller coasters, the bumper cars, the arcade, and much more. But mostly they come for the water park, both indoor and outdoor. It's a wet paradise, to be sure.

There are several parks on our list that are considered 'throw-backs.' But this one is truly old school. Family-owned, Knoebel's lets you control the cost - admission is free and you buy tickets for the rides.

This is a children's paradise. Teeming with the likes of Big Bird and Elmo, Sesame Place is a bucket-list kind of park - even if your kids don't have a bucket list quite yet.

Just a stone's throw from Mount Rushmore, this theme park is literally built into the fabric of the famous landmark. Head into Rushmore Cave to explore, hop on the Rushmore Mountain Coaster, and try the new Wingwalker Challenge Course.

Wyoming doesn't have any 'true' amusement parks, so Star Plunge is something quite unique. It offers indoor and outdoor pools (using natural spring water from Hot Springs State Park) as well as three different water slides.

Take a break from the beach with this great little amusement park. It's a true family-oriented place. No coasters, but an old-fashioned carousel, bumper boats, batting cages, miniature golf and go-karts, among other amenities.

Originally opened in 1903, the park has what is arguably one of the most famous roller coaster in the world - the Cyclone. People have been riding this wooden coaster, with its awesome views of the ocean, for decades. A real bucket list item.

Now, this is cool. Adventuredome is part of the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, an indoor extravaganza of rides and shows that makes you feel like you're always under the Big Top. Definitely take a whirl on Chaos.

This is a seven-acre indoor park located right within another amazing attraction, the Mall of America. Kids can go on 27 different rides, not to mention hang out with the likes of SpongeBob, Dora the Explorer and more.

Loops and twists and upside down spots and, oh boy. Castles-N-Coasters is hope to the Desert Storm Roller Coaster, signature ride. But you can also try out numerous other rides and even attempt the Skywire, a zip-line attraction.

This great park, about 75 minutes north of New York City, bills itself as America's biggest little water park. And they're right. SplashDown was named the eighth-best water park in the U.S. in 2018 by Trip Advisor. The park seemingly adds new attractions every season, having invested almost $25 million since purchasing it in 2004. The newest ride is The Megalodon, with its a near-vertical drop.

Welcome to the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States. Lake Compounce has obviously changed over the last 173 years since it opened in 1846, but its signature ride is still the Boulder Dash wooden roller coaster. If you need more thrills, get on New England's first triple-launch coaster, the Phobia.

This is the largest theme park in the Northwest, and it has a companion water park attraction known as Boulder Beach. In addition to all the new, fancy rides - try the inverted hanging coaster known as Aftershock - Silverwood also features an old-fashioned wooden coaster called Tremors.

More than 100 years old, Canobie Lake Park has more than 85 rides and other attractions in a gorgeous setting. If you like being tossed and turned like a salad, try the Corkscrew roller coaster.