The 11 Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Adventure lovers and thrill seekers, you’ve arrived at the perfect spot! Look no further if you’re searching for an incredible ride on some of the world’s best heart-pounding, adrenaline-producing roller coasters.

See the largest and most powerful roller coasters in the US! The engineers who created these enormous buildings are to be commended for their inventiveness and originality. They provide an experience that is truly unique and unmatched.

There are a ton of crazily entertaining and downright bizarre roller coasters in America, ranging in height from over 450 feet to over 400 feet and reaching speeds of around 130 miles per hour. More roller coasters are anticipated to come to the USA Theme parks in 2024.

So fasten your seatbelts and hang on tight as we explore The 11 Best Roller Coasters In The USA!

1. Mako – SeaWorld Orlando

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

Ever since June 2016, Mako has developed into an incredible rider. This 200-foot-high steel hypercoaster can reach speeds of up to 73 mph. The track does a pretty good job of mimicking the movements of a mako shark. After descending the massive lift hill at SeaWorld’s edge, riders emerge over a lake, producing a scene akin to diving into the ocean. This roller coaster offers riders an unparalleled experience that is difficult to duplicate by any of the other rides in the area because it is the fastest and highest in Orlando.

This recognition makes Mako stand out from the competition because Orlando is a magnetic force when it comes to amusement parks and has excellent roller coaster design. You’ll follow a track that meanders and turns while performing a steady sequence of drops and rises that will have you gripping the edge of your seat. Mako makes another set of spins that add a couple more violent twists before returning you to land, just when you think the ride is going to return to the station and transport you back to the park.

AttributeValue
Height required54″
 Speed73 mph , up to 200 feet high
ThrillExtreme
Ride TypeOutdoor, Roller Coaster

2. Emperor – SeaWorld San Diego

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

SeaWorld San Diego is a dive coaster that opened up in the spring of 2022, it sends Riders up and over a 90-degree vertical drop through three inversions hitting a max speed of 60 miles per hour. it was originally set to open in 2020 but got delayed for two years, it was a much-needed fit for this park, 

Roller coasters are taken seriously at the San Diego SeaWorld facility, and Emperor truly lives up to the hype. The vehicles are raised to a height of 153 feet and then descend at an exact 90-degree angle back to Earth. At its highest speed of sixty miles per hour, the coaster creates three inversions that will make you feel every ounce of force—an Immelmann loop, a flat spin, and a barrel roll.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel – Dive Coaster
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
DesignerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelDive Coaster
Height153 ft (47 m)
Drop143 ft (44 m)
Length2,411 ft (735 m)
Speed63 mph (101 km/h)
Inversions4
Duration1:10
Max vertical angle90°
Height restriction52–78 in (132–198 cm)

3. Titan – Six Flags Over Texas

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Titan is a terrifying roller coaster located in Arlington at Six Flags Over Texas. The main feature of the track is a 255-foot drop that starts at the bottom of the dip and shoots through a 120-foot-long tunnel at a 65-degree angle. Remarkably, the whirlwind roller coaster is one of the longest in the world, taking riders on a swift journey around its 5,312-foot track. In addition, it rips through the journey at an excruciating 85 mph and reaches 4.5Gs for about six seconds after the three-and-a-half minute ride.

The entire ride on this roller coaster is exhilarating. Not only are you launched into what seems like an astronomical altitude to start the adventure, but you also seamlessly navigate through banking and helix sections following the incredibly confusing run through the gloomy tunnel on your first descent back to Earth. Airtime chasers should float to the front seats and enjoy all the thrills while having an unhindered view; for the best drop experience, you’ll want to go to the back row.

AttributeValue
ParkSix Flags Over Texas
AreaTexas
Sponsored bySnickers (2011), M&M’s (2013)
DesignerIngenieur Büro Stengel GmgH
ManufacturerGiovanola
Ride typeSteel hyper roller coaster
Opening dateApril 27, 2001
Ride duration3:30
Length5,312 feet
Total height245 feet
Height required48 inches
Number of lifts1

4. Skyrush – Hershey park

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

Skyrush at Hersheypark is an enormous thriller. An iconic piece of American history, the well-known amusement park was established in 1906 as a way to provide entertainment for Hershey’s employees and the local community. Since then, it has kept on offering thrills and excitement, with Skyrush, which debuted in 2012, playing a major part in this endeavor.

The Skyrush wing coaster can reach a maximum height of 200 feet above the ground. Its trains descend at an 85-degree angle and accelerate to 75 mph. The roller coaster swoops around the track at this incredible speed over five zero-G airtime hills and four bends, but it lacks inversions. The track of the roller coaster dips back and forth across the park’s pond, offering an intensely exhilarating ride that will have you scrambling to get back in line in only three minutes.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelWing Coaster (Intamin)
Track layoutTwister
Lift/launch systemCable lift
Height200 ft (61 m)
Drop212 ft (65 m)
Length3,600 ft (1,100 m)
Speed75 mph (121 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration1:03
Max vertical angle85°
G-force5
Height restriction54–77 in (137–196 cm)

5. The Incredible Hulk – Islands of Adventure Orlando

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

Since its opening in 1999, the Incredible Hulk Coaster has been a staple in Orlando’s Universal Islands of Adventure’s front section. With this roller coaster, riders are launched practically instantly after the trains leave the station thanks to a tire-propelled launch system.

To provide the power needed for this launch, which lifts riders 110 feet into the air, the park had to construct specially designed generators with 10,000-pound flywheels. It makes for one hell of a roller coaster. The cars swiftly take the initial drop when you exit the launch tube at the beginning of the ride, rolling over to produce a fierce thrill factor that is incredibly stylish and powerful.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel – Launched
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelSitting Coaster – Custom
Lift/launch systemTire propelled launch
Height110 ft (34 m)
Drop104.9 ft (32.0 m)
Length3,700 ft (1,100 m)
Speed67 mph (108 km/h)
Inversions7
Duration2:15
Capacity1920 riders per hour
Acceleration0 to 40 mph (0 to 64 km/h) in 2 seconds
G-force4
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)

6. Iron Gwazi – Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

There are a few great thrill coasters at Busch Gardens, and this one is no exception. Construction was finished in March 2020, but due to pandemic-related delays, Iron Gwazi remained closed until 2022. The wooden coaster Gwazi was remodeled into Iron Gwazi when it closed in 2015. In 2022, the first riders experienced the thrilling 91-degree drop from a dizzying height of 206 feet on the new upgrade. Since then, the ride has continued to be a tremendous hit. When the first Gwazi coaster debuted in 1999, its unsatisfactory rides and expensive maintenance caused it to lose popularity very soon.

Conversely, Iron Gwazi is an exceptionally thrilling rollercoaster that enthralls both spectators and riders. The steel hybrid coaster takes one minute and fifty seconds to complete and features two inversions.

Although it doesn’t have the same twin-track layout as its predecessor, this one nevertheless makes use of about 40% of the previous ride’s track structure. Iron Gwazi is a more daunting ride, despite the breathtaking view provided by the original’s distinctive wooden track. It is among the greatest in the nation, though, because of the extremely steep drop and top speeds of 76 mph, which provide riders with an additional degree of excitement.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel – Hybrid
ManufacturerRocky Mountain Construction
DesignerAlan Schilke
ModelI-Box track
Track layoutTwister
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height206 ft (63 m)
Drop206 ft (63 m)
Length4,075 ft (1,242 m)
Speed76 mph (122 km/h)
Inversions2
Duration1:50
Max vertical angle91°

7. Phantom’s Revenge – Kennywood

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

Built to replace the less popular Steel Phantom, which occupied the space from 1991 to 2000, Phantom’s Revenge opened in Kennywood in 2001. Significant track sections were repurposed, such as the lift hill and the greatest drop, which rose 160 feet above the park’s surface.

Phantom’s Revenge’s use of its highest descent adds to its charm. Phantom’s Revenge surprises first-time riders with a second hill that descends into the natural ravine located at Kennywood, rather than placing the highest hill immediately after the lift. The cars rocket around the course, resulting in a tremendous 232-foot plunge and a top speed of 85 mph.

The coaster blends in perfectly with the adjacent Thunderbolt track, going through its structure twice as it enters and then departs the ravine. It’s an extremely fast roller coaster with plenty of airtime and some thrilling twists and turns during its 3,365-foot course.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel
ManufacturerD. H. Morgan Manufacturing
ModelHyper Coaster
Track layoutTerrain Mega Coaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height160 ft (49 m)
Drop232 ft (71 m)
Length3,200 ft (980 m)
Speed85 mph (137 km/h)
Inversions0 (4 in Steel Phantom)
Duration1:57
Max vertical angle52°
G-force3.5
Height restriction48 in (122 cm)

8. Phoenix – Knoebels in Elysburg, Pennsylvania

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

At Knoebels, the classic wooden roller coaster The Phoenix serves as a reminder that technology, speed, or sheer size aren’t always indicators of superior pleasure. With a top speed of 45 mph and a traditional double out-and-back configuration, the Phoenix has won over thrill-seekers all over the country.

It also provides riders with an exhilarating experience, this historic gem affords them spectacular views of the surrounding hills. It is a perennial favorite among coaster enthusiasts because of its classic layout, which guarantees that every ride is jam-packed with thrills.

AttributeValue
TypeWood
ManufacturerPhiladelphia Toboggan Coasters
DesignerHerbert Paul Schmeck, 1947
Track layoutDouble Out and Back
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height78 ft (24 m)
Drop72 ft (22 m)
Length3,200 ft (980 m)
Speed45 mph (72 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:00
Capacity720 riders per hour
Height restriction42 in (107 cm)

9. Kingda Ka – Six Flags Great Adventure

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

At the time of its opening, Jackson, New Jersey’s Kingda Ka was the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster. It’s still the highest, but it’s now the second fastest, trailing only Formula Rossa at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. In just 50 blazing seconds, the journey comes to an end, but you’ll want to try the challenging circuit again.

In under 3.5 seconds, the ride can accelerate riders to 128 mph via a hydraulic launch process. The road then abruptly slopes upward, sending the cart hurtling 45 stories to a height of 456 feet. After that, it’s only a quick plummet back to Earth. However, Kingda Ka adds a narrow, 270-degree corkscrew to this descent, After the car is launched, there is a chance for a rollback, which completes the experience.

This usually only occurs in extremely windy or wet weather conditions, reducing the launch speed by just enough to keep the vehicles from reaching a point where they are unable to return over the top of the track. If this occurs, riders will be treated to a second launch up the enormous tower, making the experience an exceptional one.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel – Launched
ManufacturerIntamin
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelAccelerator Coaster
Lift/launch systemHydraulic launch
Height456 ft (139 m)
Drop418 ft (127 m)
Length3,118 ft (950 m)
Speed128 mph (206 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration0:28
Max vertical angle90°
Capacity1400 riders per hour
Acceleration0 to 128 mph (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds
Height restriction54–77 in (137–196 cm)

10. Millennium Force – Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Images Credit: Google

The Giga coaster that started at Millennium Force opened in the year 2000,
as the tallest fastest continuous circuit rollercoaster on the planet, standing a staggering 310 feet, this ride was a staple for the new millennium leading the way into a new era of rollercoasters intimate amusement rides went all out with Millennium Force.

This roller coaster has been an icon at Cedar Point ever since and has been one of the park’s main attractions.
Attempting to build something that would be remembered, throughout the ages even after nineteen years of operation Millennium Force is still considered to be one of the main attractions at Cedar Point.


It’s well regarded in the coaster community and also with the general public.
The supports are very unique to look at especially the giant first drop and first turn around, the lighting package that is situated on the ride is also pretty impressive it’s simple but still elegant the ride is themed to the new millennium.
If you can theme something to that it’s supposed to be futuristic looking, I love the music that is playing on the station it’s catching and pulling you into the whole
sci-fi futuristic atmosphere.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel
ManufacturerIntamin
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelGiga Coaster
Track layoutOut and back
Lift/launch systemCable lift hill
Height310 ft (94 m)
Drop300 ft (91 m)
Length6,595 ft (2,010 m)
Speed93 mph (150 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:20
Max vertical angle80°
Capacity1,300 riders per hour
G-force4.5
Height restriction48–78 in (122–198 cm)

11. Montu, Busch Gardens Tampa

Best Roller Coasters In The USA

Image Credit: Buschgardens.com

Despite being one of the older roller coasters on this list, Montu never stops exhilarating riders. It debuted in 1996 at Tampa Bay Busch Gardens together with the entire park’s Egyptian-themed area. Given its name from the Egyptian god of battle, Montu gained popularity among die-hard roller coaster fans and has continued to be mentioned frequently while discussing the top roller coasters in the nation.

The ride is designed like an inverted coaster, with passengers hanging underneath the steel track. In addition to being the tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster in the world when it initially debuted, Montagu was also the first to integrate a roll and twist maneuver into a single transition, a feature called as an Immelmann loop. The coaster has a substantial volume.

AttributeValue
TypeSteel – Inverted
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelInverted Coaster – Custom
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height150 ft (46 m)
Drop128 ft (39 m)
Length3,983 ft (1,214 m)
Speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Inversions7
Duration3 minutes
Max vertical angle50°
Capacity1,710 riders per hour
G-force3.8
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)

Leave a Comment