What is the scariest roller coaster in America? How about the fastest? Discover the answers to these questions and more with this roundup of the fastest, tallest, steepest and most thrilling rides in the USA’s top theme parks.
Click through this gallery to discover the best high-octane roller coaster rides in the United States...
Boasting the title of the world’s fastest multi-launch coaster, Pantheon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg stands 180 feet tall and features a record-breaking 95 degree drop, four launches, five air-time hills, and two inversions. All at a max speed of 73 miles per hour. How’s that for adrenaline fuel?
The tallest and longest single-rail coaster on the planet, Wonder Woman: Flight of Courage sends riders soaring through the sky in single file, along 3,300 feet (1,006m) of track. Towering 13 storeys high, this adrenaline-pumping ride reaches speeds of up to 58 miles per hour (93km/h), delivering an unforgettable experience for coaster enthusiasts everywhere.
Love surfing? Love roller coasters? You’re in luck, because 2023 saw the opening of Pipeline, the world’s first ‘Surf Coaster’, at SeaWorld Orlando. Innovative standing seats mimic the feeling of riding the waves by allowing thrill-seekers to feel every bank and turn, although at 110 feet (34m) high and speeds of 60 miles per hour (97km/h), you’ll be glad you’re strapped in, rather than balancing on a board.
One of the newer and fiercest additions to the USA's roster of roller coasters, Iron Gwazi opened to much fanfare in early 2022. It drops riders from a spine-tingling 206-foot (63m) crest at a 91-degree angle and it's billed as the world's fastest and steepest hybrid roller coaster. It's the tallest of its kind in North America too.
The steepest steel roller coaster in the world exists in a perhaps unlikely location: inside a giant indoor mall and entertainment hub in New Jersey. Nickelodeon Universe, within the American Dream complex, is home to TMNT Shellraiser, a near carbon copy of Japan's Takabisha coaster, the previous record holder. It's got a 121.5-degree descent (that's a beyond-vertical drop) and has been raising hairs since 2019.
Turbo-charged thrills are guaranteed on Six Flags Great America's Goliath, a giant wooden coaster that whips riders into a frenzy from the outset. You'll nosedive down a scream-inducing 180-foot (55m) drop at a near-vertical 85 degrees – that's the tallest drop of any wooden coaster in the world – and hurtle around a track that features three overbanked turns, a 180-degree zero gravity roll twist, two wild inversions and spiralling inverted zero gravity stall. All that at a speedy 72 miles per hour (116km/h) making it the world's second fastest wooden coaster. Phew.
Any dive coaster is likely to get your teeth chattering, but this one is billed as America's longest, tallest and fastest. Valravn inches riders up to a height of 223 feet (67m), then leaves them suspended at the edge for a few heart-stopping moments. When palms are suitably sweaty, riders are plunged downward at an angle of 90 degrees, ready for a rip-rollocking route of inversions and 75-mile-per-hour (121km/h) speeds.
Six Flags Great Adventure's Jersey Devil debuted in 2021 as the world's tallest, fastest and longest single-rail coaster. As if that weren't enough to get the adrenaline pumping, the ride also features a staggering 130-foot (40m) drop and a top speed of 58 miles per hour (93km/h). The journey may only last a couple of minutes – but you'll be left reeling from your twisting, turning ride.
These are the new theme-park attractions we can't wait to try
You won’t know if you’re coming or going on this full-on ride, which features harrowing hang time, death-defying loops (both forwards and in reverse) and three launches where you’ll reach speeds of 70 miles per hour (113km/h) in seconds. As the tallest and fastest looping roller coaster in the world, you can be sure you’ll leave Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Full Throttle on an adrenaline high.
Expect a terrifying time as you take on North America's longest steel roller coaster, the Fury 325. At 325 feet (99m) high, this giga-coaster in Carowinds is around 20 feet (6m) taller than the Statue of Liberty. A traditional lift hill takes daredevil riders up before they tear down the track at an angle of 81 degrees and race along at speeds of up to 95 miles per hour (153km/h). Hard-hitting highlights include a staggering 190-foot-tall (58m) barrel turn and a high-speed s-curve.
Steel Vengeance is the world's first 'hyper-hybrid' roller coaster (it's got a steel track and a wooden frame). The Wild West-themed thriller towers 205 feet (62m) above the prairie, has an initial 90-degree drop and delivers almost 30 seconds of air time, plus four 'head-over-boots' inversions and ricocheting movements from left to right, up to down and side to side. You're in for a wild ride alright.
Take this triple-spiral looping roller coaster in Dolly Parton's Appalachian mountain theme park for a spin and you won’t regret it. The Tennessee Tornado promises a short, smooth and super-fun ride that replicates one of the ultimate forces of nature: a tornado. The riveting ride rushes passengers down a 128-foot (39m) drop down the side of a mountain at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (km/h).
This superhero-themed roller coaster in Universal's Islands of Adventures earns bonus points for its pre-ride entertainment within the laboratories of Dr Bruce Banner. Thankfully the ride isn't an anti-climax – it thrills with its seven inversions, a 110-foot (34m) cobra roll and super-charged speeds. It also has a rousing onboard ride score that heightens the feeling that you are in fact the Incredible Hulk hurtling through the scenes of a superhero movie.
Hold on tight if you plan to ride this bullish roller coaster, which combines the best of classic wooden coasters with modern engineering techniques. Six Flags Great Adventure's El Toro is tall, fast and fierce. With a winding serpentine action, the ride emulates the experience of clinging on to the back of a furious bull. The first drop plummets riders down 176 feet (53m) at an angle of 76 degrees and then charges along the 4,400-foot (1,341m) track at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (113km/h).
Shrieking is guaranteed on the SheiKra, North America’s first dive coaster. Riders are sent on an exhilarating three-minute trip as they journey 200 feet (61m) up to the edge of a 90-degree drop before plunging straight down. The awesome ride's 'floorless' cars give fearless riders steep views of the park as they whizz around an Immelmann loop (a simultaneous loop and roll) at 70 miles per hour (113 km/h). There’s also a second vertical drop into an underground tunnel and a water feature for a fun-filled finale. Cue more shrieks...
Do you dare to get up close to Nessie? This monster of a ride, a classic interlocking and double-looping roller coaster, is a perennial favourite at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. As you hurtle along 3,240 feet (988m) of steel track, you’ll whizz through the air, over water, through a dark cave and dive downwards on a 114-foot (35m) drop. Hungry for more? You can also take on another mythical beast in this popular theme park – the Griffon. It's one of the world’s first and tallest floorless dive coasters.
Florida is known as one of the USA's – and the world's – roller coaster capitals and the VelociCoaster is among the Sunshine State's latest offerings. Thrill-seekers slice through the air at a height of 155 feet (47m) on this dino-themed ride, which features not just one, but two launches. The first propels the train from 0 to 50 miles per hour (80km/h) in two seconds flat, while the second launch gives the train a boost, pushing speeds to 70 miles per hour (113km/h) in 2.4 seconds. Whoosh.
Expect to scream like the ride’s namesake as you take on the world’s longest steel inverted roller coaster, which features seven gut-wrenching inversions. You’ll experience a 167-foot (51m) lift hill, 150-foot (46m) curved first drop, a dive loop and a vertical loop encircling the lift hill, all at speeds of up to 68 miles per hour (109km/h) as you zoom around the track of Kings Island’s brilliantly exhausting Banshee.
Do you dare to board this high-speed steel roller coaster in California’s Great America? If so, brace yourself for a riot of a ride where you straddle a single rail. First up is a 45-degree climb up to 106 feet (32m), followed by a steep dive into a ravine at speeds of 52 miles per hour (84km/h). You’ll undergo three inversions as you race to finish and twist through a zero gravity roll to boot on this trailblazer of a coaster.
Looming ominously above Pittsburgh's popular amusement park, Kennywood, the Phantom’s Revenge's towering 16-storey lift hill is just the start of your terrifying adventure. A rapid plunge down the ride's first drop lets you know you’re in for one super-speedy time, but it’s the second that’s the real showstopper – it drops riders down 232 feet (71m). Fans also love this roller coaster for the huge amount of air time they experience and its thrilling 85 mile per hour (137km/h) speeds.
As its name suggests, blistering speeds are what Knott's Berry Farm's Xcelerator is all about. Riders are hurtled from zero to 82 miles per hour (132km/h) in 2.3 seconds as they fly 205 feet (62m) up into the air before immediately rushing back down at a 90-degree angle. At just over a minute long, this is one short but oh-so-satisfying ride.
Bigger is definitely better as far as avid fans of Cedar Point’s groundbreaking giga-coaster, Millennium Force, are concerned. At 310 feet (94m), it was the tallest roller coaster when it opened in 2000 and also had the longest drop and fastest speed. It still thrills 19 years on as riders climb up the behemoth only to plummet 300 feet (91m) down at 80 degrees. Stirring stuff.
Disorientating, disconcerting and deeply daring, this high-adrenaline ride has to be one of the all-time most terrifying coasters. After a steep climb backwards, riders are dropped from 200 feet (61m) nearly straight down. The four-by-four seats, which are arranged on either side of the track, spin independently, adding an extra dizzying dimension. Another standout feature of the '4th dimension' coaster is its so-called 'raven turns' – half loops that change their mind midway and become sheer drops. Add to that a pounding soundtrack and fire effects, and this is one extraordinary ride.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas' wood-steel hybrid roller coaster is stomach-churningly good with a satisfying series of speed-filled twists and turns. It features a whopping 171-foot (52m) drop, which is taken at an 81-degree angle; four steep overbanked turns; and an inverted barrel roll. And that’s all at fierce speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (113km/h). Buckle up for an intense ride.
You’ll need nerves of steel to take flight on Six Flags New England’s caped crusader-themed hyper-coaster. The oversized steel roller coaster has a hair-raising 221-foot (67m) drop and zooms along the twisting red track at up to 77 miles per hour (124km/h). You’ll certainly feel superhuman as you fly around its twists and turns and plummet down its death-defying drops.
Don’t start having doubts as you dangle at the crest of Hangtime’s beyond-vertical drop. There’s no going back now as you're about to hit full throttle on this thrill-seeker's favourite in Knott’s Berry Farm. The infinity coaster features a completely vertical 15-storey lift hill, followed by the 96-degree plummet down. More hang time is on the cards as the train features five inversions and plenty of tight banked turns. Thrills aplenty.
Serpentine twists and terrifying turns are the order of the day on the fearsome Medusa – Six Flags Discovery Kingdom’s epic steel floorless roller coaster. At 3,937 feet (1,200m), it's the longest and highest coaster in northern California. The beastly ride begins with a climb up to 150 feet (46m) before dropping down and shooting in a terrifying 128-foot-tall (39m) vertical loop. Next up is a dive loop, a zero gravity roll and a sneaky 'sea serpent' roll.
Intimidator 305 is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters on the East Coast and promises a rip-roaring ride. After nosediving down 300 feet (91m) into the first drop at a 85-degree angle, you’ll race along for plenty more thrilling high-speed twists and torturous turns as you gather speeds of up to 90 miles per hour (145km/h).
New York City's historic amusement district Coney Island is an absolute must-visit for any roller coaster fan. It has some brilliant rides, old-school and otherwise. For a modern thriller, board the Thunderbolt, a 125-foot (38m) coaster that covers more than 2,000 feet (610m) of steel track. There's a 100-foot (30m) loop, a corkscrew and a zero gravity roll. It's a modern spin on the classic Coney Island coaster of the same name, which was built in 1925 and appeared in the film Annie Hall.
The only coaster at Disneyland Resort with an inversion loop, the Incredicoaster takes you on a high-octane adventure with The Incredibles characters. While it’s by no means the speediest or scariest of coasters, its larger-than-life figures, special effects, dramatic lighting and enclosed tunnels make for a highly enjoyable and immersive ride. It's also the fastest and longest ride in the resort, with speeds of up to 56 miles per hour (90km/h).
Go for a spin on Silver Dollar City’s Time Traveler and you’ll fall head over heels for this loopy creation. Upon opening in 2018, the ride broke six records in total, including those for the fastest and steepest spinning roller coaster, and features a 95-foot-tall (29m) vertical loop. The attraction's well-executed time traveller theme is a nice bonus and apt – as you won't know where you are when you come back down to Earth.
You'll need a strong stomach to brave the dizzying heights of Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. This eye-wateringly tall roller coaster launches riders up and over its bell-shaped track at a breathtaking speed of 128 miles per hour (206 km/h), soaring to a staggering 456 feet (139 m). Since its debut in 2005, Kingda Ka has held the title of the tallest roller coaster in the world. However, it is set to be dethroned when the 531-foot Falcon's Flight opens at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia in 2024.
Now check out more record-breaking roller coasters for thrill seekers