For Your Information...

I’ve come to realize that, if you are a roller coaster lover, Southern California is the place to visit. In particular, Orange County and Los Angeles County are home to two of the best theme parks for thrill rides. No, Disneyland is not one of them, although it (and its adjacent sister park Disney’s California Adventure) does offer some exciting action rides worthy of a visit.

Here we’re speaking of Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain (aka Magic Mountain to the locals). The SoCal Guru notes that these two destinations have focused directly on roller coasters and thrill rides to differentiate themselves from Disneyland.

You won’t find any place with more edgy thrill rides and coasters than Six Flags Magic Mountain. Of course some in your group may not be roller coaster fanatics, and there are many other rides and activities to be enjoyed, as you can learn at the SoCal Guru website.

Knott’s Berry Farm also has really focused on thrill rides, although they offer Camp Snoopy, Ghost Town and many other fun attractions and themed areas within the park. My daughter worked on the new Silver Bullet ride and she says that is one of several coasters that will really help you lose your dinner.

One place at Knott’s Berry Farm that you don’t want to miss is the World-famous Chicken Dinner Restaurant. For like 70 years or more this establishment has been delighting tens of thousands of diners with down-home cooking. Check out the Southern California Vacation Guru for insider information and tips for having the best time at Knott’s. The site covers hotels near the park, and provides useful information about other theme parks and vacation opportunities in SoCal.

You can learn about the other Los Angeles-area theme parks, namely the Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. You’ll find some fun thrill rides at other parks, but they don’t stack up to what they offer at Six Flags Magic Mountain. If you’re a roller coaster enthusiast, this information may come in handy.