Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH)

Best for: age 12 and up

Based on the shores of Lake Erie, Cedar Point boasts the biggest, baddest concentration of roller coasters the world over. Top Thrill Dragster reaches 120 miles per hour in just four seconds on a 42-story vertical track. Wicked Twister rockets around two 360-degree looping towers. Millennium Force zooms down a 300-foot hill at a staggeringly steep 80 degrees to reach 93 mph. The latter whips through Soak City, a separate admission ($14-$28) water park featuring river rides, flumes and falls including a separate area for toddlers. Cedar Point’s reputation for frights makes it a longstanding favorite among teens. But the park has recently expanded its family attractions, including a beach, petting zoo and a branch of Camp Snoopy with rides based on Peanuts cartoon characters.

Details: http://www.cedarpoint.com/, 419/627-2350, day passes from $10-$40, two-day Cedar Point and Soak City pass $25-$65. Open May through early September daily; weekends only the balance of September and October.

Paramount’s King’s Island (Cincinnati, OH)

Best for: age 12 and up

Paramount spins out rides from popular films and television shows at five parks in the US and Canada. Paramount’s King’s Island near Cincinnati leads the pack with a pair of wooden coasters, aka “woodies,” including ¬ the Beast, the world’s longest wooden roller coaster, and Son of Beast, the world’s only looping woody. Paramount supplements the thrills with gentle laughs for kids under six via family rides featuring Sponge Bob, Scooby Doo and Yogi Bear. Boomerang Bay, an Australian-themed water park within the park, keeps crowds cool in the height of summer with a whopping 30 water slides.

Details: http://www.pki.com/, 513/754-5700, day passes from $27-$35, season passes $70-$90. Open daily mid-May through early September; weekends only in April, early May and October. Other Paramount parks are found in Toronto, Ont., Canada; Santa Clara, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Doswell, VA.