Explore local amusement parks that offer fun (and a few thrills) for all ages! 

Water parks provide a wet and wild aquatic adventure on a sweltering Southern California day. Sure, our SoCal beaches are the best, and swimming in a lake is loads of fun, but you won't have to lug any gear across hot sand that stretches forever when going to a water park!

Water parks have wave pools, family raft rides, lazy rivers, and mini slides for little ones, and thrilling slides for teens. Some of our favorite water parks near Los Angeles are smaller parks just for kids (like Buccaneer's Cove), and others are popular theme park extensions (like the Legoland Water Park or the water park at Sesame Place San Diego). There are so many ways to soak in all the fun. 

Start your little ones in the water early with baby and toddler swimming lessons, and test out the waters at free splash pads and water playgrounds in Los Angeles. Plus, dive into more adventures on land and in water in our SoCal Theme and Water Parks Guide.  

Amusement parks on Long Island are ready to welcome you and your thrill-seeking family for summer fun. Whether your kids are eager to check out the latest rides and attractions, or you can’t wait to make new memories with your family at the amusement parks you enjoyed as a child, now is the perfect time to make plans to visit these LI theme parks.

Read on for details on how to enjoy our favorite amusement parks on Long Island this summer and for more entertainment inspiration, bookmark our Guide to Amusement Parks and Water Parks Near Long Island.

A trip to a local amusement park in or near New Jersey is always high on my vacation bucket list, and we're lucky that New Jersey and nearby states offer lots of family-friendly amusement park adventures. 

Whether you're hoping to catch ocean views and sandy beaches at the Jersey Shore's boardwalk amusement parks, like Casino Pier and Castaway Cove, or you are dreaming of high-velocity thrill rides at mega parks like Six Flags Great Adventure, here are the best amusement parks to visit this summer. 

New this year: The groundbreaking Edelman Fossil Park and Museum, which is slated to open in summer 2024. 

Find more wild rides in our Guide to Water and Amusement Parks, and read on for dozens of amusement parks in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania that are perfect for thrill-seekers of all ages.

If you're looking for amusement parks for toddlers and preschoolers near NYC, there's no need to seek out the latest scary high-tech roller coasters. For young children, a ride on a carousel’s painted pony, a spin with dad around the bumper car track, and a dripping swirl of frozen custard are the stuff summer memories are made of. 

Happily, several amusement and water parks in or near the New York City metro area offer these kinds of tame attractions. Here's our roundup of theme parks perfect for the pint-sized.

Find more seasonal rides in our Theme and Water Parks Guide for families.

Visiting the Top of the Rock observation deck is on many tourists' must-do lists, but even locals should put it on their bucket lists. Even if you feel like you've already been there, seen that view, now is a good time to revisit this classic NYC attraction, thanks to the addition of The Beam, a thrilling telescoping ride that lifts you 12-feet above the observation deck for an unobstructed look at the panorama of the city below.

While NYC has five observation decks, each presents its own unique experience and perspective, including Top of the Rock. Here's what you can expect during your visit to the observation deck, plus more things to do in the action-packed Rockefeller Center campus it calls home, whether you visit during the twinkling holiday season or at another time of year.