Six Flags is one of the most famous names in the theme park game in the United States (if not the world), thanks to its catchy commercial song. Six Flags has a multitude of exhilarating rides and attractions that put these destinations at the top of the list for thrill-seekers and families everywhere. Here, we’ve ranked all of the Six Flags parks in America and explained why. Ranking them was not an easy task, but hopefully, this list will guide you to the best destinations for all the thrill and excitement you’re seeking.
- 17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Rockford
- 17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Splashtown
- 17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Chicago
- 17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Phoenix
- 17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Concord
- 16. Frontier City and Hurricane Harbor OKC
- 15. Six Flags Over Texas
- 14. The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
- 13. Six Flags Darien Lake
- 12. Six Flags America
- 11. Six Flags New England
- 10. Six Flags Great Adventure
- 9. Hurricane Harbor Arlington
- 8. Six Flags St. Louis
- 7. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
- 6. Hurricane Harbor New Jersey
- 5. Six Flags Magic Mountain
- 4. Six Flags Great America
- 3. Tie: Six Flags White Water
- 3. Tie: Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- 2. Six Flags Over Georgia
- 1. Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles
17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
In late 2018, Six Flags announced that it would take over operations of Magic Waters, which has been operating since 1984. The long-lived water park, while well-loved by the surrounding community, is pretty small, and it wasn’t originally built as a Six Flags park. Now it’s officially a Hurricane Harbor, and we can hardly wait to see what Six Flags has in store for Rockford in 2023.
17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Splashtown
Houston, Texas
Wet ‘n’ Wild Splashtown, nestled in the Spring suburb of Houston, became Hurricane Harbor Splashtown at the start of 2019. It is Houston’s largest waterpark, so Splashtown is definitely a draw for folks living in the area, but not much of an attraction for out-of-towners.
17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Chicago
Originally part of Six Flags Great America, this water park became a separate entity last year. It offers some 25 water attractions, including Tsunami Surge, a water coaster with dazzling visual effects.
17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Formerly WaterWorld Safari, then Wet ‘N’ Wild Phoenix, it’s now Hurricane Harbor Phoenix after Six Flags bought the property (notice a trend here?) is great for kids. Yet due to its locality, its focus on rides for small children, and its lack of larger coasters, it is tied with Splashtown.
17. Tie: Hurricane Harbor Concord
Concord, California
While this family-friendly park northeast of San Francisco has several interesting waterslides, they all end up being fairly generic and not the least enthralling for most adults. In early 2018, the park was rebranded from Waterworld California to Hurricane Harbor Concord. With the new name came a new experience: Splashwater Island, an interactive playground.
16. Frontier City and Hurricane Harbor OKC
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Frontier City and Hurricane Harbor OKC are both operated by Six Flags, so you can expect a similar experience. However, the overall vibe is a bit different from the larger Six Flags parks. Frontier City boasts a Western theme. Even coasters or rides that you might find in other parks feature a little extra twang. Hurricane Harbor OKC provides a familiar mix of soaking rides and family-friendly play areas.
15. Six Flags Over Texas
Arlington, Texas
Plenty of character-based rides should keep the kiddos entertained all day long at this Dallas-Fort Worth area Six Flags. But if you’re not into that vibe, you’ll be hard-pressed to have a good time. It’s a niche market that puts this park lower on our list. However, you should definitely check out the neighboring Hurricane Harbor (more on that in a bit).
14. The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
Lake George, New York
The cheesiness of the mostly aqua-based attractions leaves Splashwater in Upstate New York lower on the list. Note: The Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark is technically considered a separate entity by the Six Flags system, but we’re lumping it in with Splashwater Kingdom because the resort can’t stand on its own when pitted against the bigger destinations.
13. Six Flags Darien Lake
Buffalo
The massive amusement park at Darien Lake has been passed from one owner to the next, but Six Flags is back at the helm. In 2019, Darien Lake was rebranded as Six Flags Darien Lake. Here, you’ll find rides such as Tantrum, which can reach 52 miles per hour, and The Predator, New York’s largest wooden roller coaster. The property also includes a water park and amphitheater as well as camping and hotel accommodations.
12. Six Flags America
Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Maryland
What’s great about this park is the diversity of rides: Case in point, the apocalypse-themed roller coaster pictured above. What’s not so great is the mediocre thrill options compared to other parks. In our humble opinion, Six Flags America is middle-of-the-road when compared to the higher-ranking options.
11. Six Flags New England
Agawam, Massachusetts
The Sky Screamer, aka the “World’s Tallest Ride,” is a gigantic swing that salvages this otherwise unassuming amusement park.
10. Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson, New Jersey
Great Adventure has a little bit of everything. There are plenty of activities for younger kids — including a wildlife-packed safari — and some for those a bit older, too. With this range in intensity, this park is one of the more manageable options for big groups or families. Six Flags eventually dropped “and Safari” from the park’s name, but you can still enjoy the wildlife attraction.
9. Hurricane Harbor Arlington
Arlington, Texas
This Texas-based Hurricane Harbor is a resort-style theme park with decent separation between the thrill rides and easier options. Its large wading pool is a unique offering that elevates it above the middle of the pack. This park is in proximity to Six Flags Over Texas.
8. Six Flags St. Louis
St. Louis
If your stomach doesn’t churn at the sight of Spinsanity, you’ve got a stronger constitution than we do. St. Louis is home to this thrilling ride, as well as a well-rounded bevy of the usual Six Flags culprits, earning it a spot at Number 8.
7. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Vallejo, California
6. Hurricane Harbor New Jersey
Jackson, New Jersey
5. Six Flags Magic Mountain
Los Angeles
At this park near Santa Clarita – about an hour north of Los Angeles – comic fans will get a thrill out of the theme rides while adrenaline junkies will love options such as Scream, Viper, Twisted Colossus, and X2. Magic Mountain is great when paired with the nearby Hurricane Harbor (read on).
4. Six Flags Great America
Chicago
Vertical Velocity will take you from 0 to 70 miles per hour in just four seconds. The ridiculously twisted X Flight lets you hang on the side of the track. Demon, originally called Turn of the Century, was one of the first coasters to boast a double corkscrew. All these reasons — and more — are why Great America near Chicago is Number 4 on our list.
3. Tie: Six Flags White Water
Atlanta
A 700,000-gallon wave pool puts this water park near the top of our list. The more relaxed tubing and wading areas are a nice reprieve from the Georgia heat and more exhilarating rides like Typhoon Twister and Gulf Coast Scream. Pair a visit here with Six Flags Over Georgia (more on that in just a sec).
3. Tie: Six Flags Fiesta Texas
San Antonio, Texas
2. Six Flags Over Georgia
Atlanta
Water and land options abound, including Acrophobia, which drops riders 20 stories, and Blue Hawk, a mind-bending mess of loops and twists. The quality and variety of attractions put it one back from the top spot. Don’t forget to visit White Water (tied for Number 3).
1. Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Bonzai Pipelines drops into a 50-foot free-fall followed by another 200 feet of the slide until you reach the pool below. Black Snake Summit has four different record-breaking slides. Taboo Tower literally tries to tell you not to ride in its name. Need we say more? Hurricane Harbor in Los Angeles is the perfect cool down after a trip from Magic Mountain (Number 5), which is right across the street.
Phew! We know that was a lot, but hopefully you now know which Six Flags to visit next. For more great travel ideas, take a look at our fall foliage and leaf peeping guide, the nine most Instagrammable golf courses, and five lesser-known national parks that you should visit if you want to escape the maddening crowds elsewhere. Wherever you go next, we wish you safe travels and a great journey.
The cover photo was taken by Jeremy Thompson, licensed under Creative Commons, and made available by Wikimedia.
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