Celebrate National Roller Coaster Day on one of the 10 best coasters in the US

16.08.2024 - 20:03 / thepointsguy.com

Part glee and part terror, roller coasters provide an impossible-to-match feeling and the ultimate dopamine hit. You're strapped and secured, and then within seconds, you're catapulted at speeds that can surpass 100 mph.

Whether chugging up a lift hill or launching into inversions, roller coasters can inspire euphoric highs and a healthy dose of exhilaration. Innovations in roller coasters fuse cutting-edge technology with the timeless thrills of air time, steep drops and excellent theming.

As National Roller Coaster Day approaches Aug. 16, I've compiled this list of 10 of the best coasters in the U.S.

Location: Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

With a world-record-setting ride experience, Steel Vengeance has earned its place at the top of just about every roller coaster list. Cedar Point is often referred to as the "roller coaster capital of the world," and Steel Vengeance is the park's lynchpin.

The records on this mammoth coaster include the world's longest hybrid roller coaster at 5,740 feet and the most air time on any roller coaster, clocking in at a shocking 27.2 seconds. The two-minute-and-30-second ride is unrelenting and begins with a 200-foot drop at 90 degrees with speeds that reach 74 mph. From there, you'll encounter three zero-g rolls, a zero-g stall and overbanked turns that push the limits of physics.

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The intricately laid track weaves at a rapid pace throughout the enormous wooden structure, with plenty of near-miss thrills and close calls. Add in a finale of five small air-time hills, and you have a perfect coaster that will make your head spin and heart flutter with joy.

Location: Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri

They broke the mold when engineering Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City. It's a physics-defying, genre-busting, spinning roller coaster. This is the world's fastest, steepest and tallest spinning coaster, with a shocking 90-degree vertical drop right out of the station and two launches that send you soaring through the maze of track.

The g-forces on this coaster alone are worth traveling to this charming theme park in the Ozarks near Branson. The unique circular trains reach speeds of up to 50.3 mph as each car free-spins through three inversions and air-time moments. The smooth ride is most thrilling from the back row, though the ride experience is different every time.

Location: Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Unrelenting in the best way, Wildcat's Revenge at Hersheypark debuted in June 2023 to raves, and it earned the Golden Ticket Award for Best New Roller Coaster of 2023. This new Rocky Mountain Construction addition to the coaster-centric park is a