The Most Underrated Theme Parks In America You Must Visit, According To Reviews

When you read a story or watch a YouTube video listing the best theme parks in America, the big names are always represented: Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld. These parks have amassed a wealth of brand recognition that's known all over the world, and experience capitals where tourists save up throughout the year for a week of exhilarating fun. While a trip to one of these theme parks is always top of mind for tourists and enthusiasts, those chains don't tell America's entire theme park story.

That story isn't complete without mentioning the regional amusement parks that have created thousands of memories for a fraction of the cost of seeing Mickey Mouse. These parks may not have the impeccable, immersive atmosphere of a Universal or Disney park, but what these underrated parks lack in theming, it certainly makes up for in mind-boggling thrills and affordability. With this premise in mind, we searched all over the country, poring over tourist reviews and blog sites, and reviewing attractions and prices to come up with the most underrated theme parks in America that you should definitely visit once the weather turns warm.

The first stop in this thrilling tour of America's underappreciated theme parks begins at the rolling, verdant ridges of Missouri's Ozark Mountains. Here, visitors will find Silver Dollar City, which takes its theming cue from an 1880s mining town and is infused with plenty of frontier spirit and jaw-dropping rides. When you head to Tripadvisor, the overwhelming majority of the more than 12,400 reviews of this park heap nothing but praise on the park, with many celebrating Silver Dollar City's vast collection of roller coasters and the park's overall setting. What's not to love about this hidden gem of a theme park? 

Opened in 1960, the park, which sits west of the resort city of Branson, is home to 39 attractions, including seven thrilling roller coasters, which include Wildfire, a multi-looping, cobra-rolling coaster that features a 15-story vertical drop, and Outlaw Run, the world's first double-barrel-roll wooden coaster that defies the physics of a typical wooden coaster. But the true magic of Silver Dollar City lies in its quiet corners, from watching a glassblower transform liquid into beautiful art to descending a historic cave system. That system is Marvel Cave, which has operated as a show cave for over 50 years and takes visitors a half-mile down into the surface of the earth. To make it easier to get back to the surface, you'll ride a unique cable train that will make the 1,070-foot climb back to ground level. Silver Dollar City is a rare breed of park that attracts nearly 2 million visitors a year, where the wild frontier meshes well with the modern thrill machines in a lush limestone valley.

Tucked away on the shores of Canobie Lake is a classic "trolley park" with old-time charm that the mega-theme park resorts simply can't replicate. Canobie Lake Park functions as a living postcard from a forgotten era, a time when a serene lakeside retreat came with the scent of popcorn that competes toe to toe with the area's crisp pine air. Canobie Lake Park is not a place for high-tech, state-of-the-art thrills; it's a place to admire, to soak in a history that is still being crafted 124 years after it first opened its gates to the public.

When one searches for reviews of Canobie Lake Park, you'll stumble across many reviews from visitors who have made a pilgrimage to this lakeside amusement park since they were kids. "I've been coming to Canobie Lake Park since I was two years old," a guest wrote on Yelp, adding that the park feels largely the same as it did when she was a little girl, and that's the winning charm of this park. The layout of the park is intimate, not intimidating, with a town fair atmosphere, not one of constant chaos. Generations of New Englanders have visited this park to ride longtime staples such as Yankee Cannonball, a traditional up-and-down roller coaster that still causes riders to lose their hats with quick drops and airtime hills. If rides are not your thing, then Canobie Lake Park has a dining lineup that can rival even the bigger theme park chains. You'll have a bountiful choice of food options that will satisfy any palate, from Minuteman Fried Clams to fried dough, a park staple.

The lush, rolling hills of Bristol, Connecticut, provide the perfect setting for an amusement park that provides endless hours of summertime fun. First opening its gates to the public in 1846, Lake Compounce holds the distinction of being the oldest amusement park in North America still in operation, but don't let its vintage nature fool you, as this isn't a park that rests on its historic laurels. Lake Compounce is built for thrills, with some of the best and scariest roller coasters that make good use of its hilly terrain. The best of the best is Boulder Dash, a wooden roller coaster constructed out of Southern yellow pine and built into the side of a mountain. 

It holds the title of being the longest wooden coaster on the East Coast, with 4,725 feet of track that dashes riders along Lake Compounce's mountainous terrain. Thrill-seekers swear by this coaster, with a park guest reviewing the park on Tripadvisor writing that the coaster is "worth the trip by itself," and, indeed, Boulder Dash has been recognized for its excellence, receiving the Golden Ticket Award for best wooden coaster five times. But racing alongside a mountain isn't the only kind of magic Lake Compounce produces. Unlike Orlando's sprawling theme park resorts, Lake Compounce feels more intimate, a place where its history is celebrated while not forgetting about looking ahead. It's where a modern ride like Boulder Dash can coexist with the hand-painted horse of its historic, 1911 carousel, one of the oldest in the country. It's a place where you can smell the sweet scent of fried dough while waiting in line for Phobia Phear, an LSM launch coaster that rivals Boulder Dash. In short, its New England heritage served with a side of modern-day thrills.

Ever since the Magic Kingdom began welcoming guests to its enchanted land in 1971, the once-sleepy town of Orlando has morphed into the "theme park capital of the world." While these perfectly manicured mega-resorts offer endless fun, they also require endless planning to ensure you're having a great time without experiencing endless pain in the pocketbook. This is where Fun Spot plays an underrated but crucial role in Orlando's theme park ecosystem. The park, which has locations in both Orlando and nearby Kissimmee and averages nearly 700,000 visitors annually (based on the latest figures we could find), offers a refreshing respite from the high-energy theme park resorts and, instead, offers a neon-soaked dose of classic Americana that is easier on the wallet but still packs plenty of thrills.

First beginning operations in 1979 on Orlando's International Drive, the flagship park has garnered a regional reputation for its simplistic nature, exhilarating rides, small wait times, and cheap ticket prices. For the relatively low price of $59.95, you'll have access to every attraction in the park, from its jaw-dropping roller coasters to Gator Spot, a section of the park where you can see live alligators in action. "Great old trolley park with super wooden and steel roller coasters. Also has a great kiddy land! Holiday events are spectacular" wrote a visitor on Tripadvisor, and numerous reviews follow a similar sentiment. The Orlando park is home to White Lightning, the city's only wooden roller coaster that offers fantastic airtime hills and a jaw-dropping 90-degree banked turn. The Kissimmee location is even more exciting, serving as the home to some of Central Florida's largest rides, from Mine Blower, the only wooden coaster in Florida to flip riders upside down, and the courage-testing SkyCoaster, the world's tallest skydiving tower that stands 300 feet.

When visitors step through the tunnel that burrows underneath Highway 837, they're not just entering any old theme park. They'll be stepping into a living time capsule of Americana. That park is Kennywood, which opened to the public during the golden age of the "trolley park," amusement parks that were built along or near the end of streetcar lines. It's a park where century-old wooden coasters rattle side by side with modern-day steel scream machines. It's a park where the smell of salt-and-vinegar Potato Patch fries fills the skies, where the soul of traditional America has yet to be completely replaced with high-tech thrills. Take it from this guest who visited Kennywood from Lansing, Michigan: "This is a great old fashioned park with several historic rides that you won't get anywhere else," the guest wrote on Tripadvisor.  

Indeed, while other parks engage in an arms race to see who can build the biggest, fastest, scariest roller coaster on the planet, Kennywood treats its historic coasters like the crown jewels they are. Wooden coasters such as The Jack Rabbit, built in 1920, and Thunderbolt, built in 1968, still put modern-engineered steel coasters to shame. At Kennywood, wooden coasters are discarded, they're celebrated, but don't let this nostalgia lead you on, as Kennywood has its own collection of steel scream machines that can go toe to toe with the best of them. The most famous of these is Phantom's Revenge, a modern-day hyper coaster that reaches high-octane speeds of 85 miles per hour and dives through the Thunderbolt, where old famously meets new.

If nostalgia ever had a scent, it would certainly take on the smell of Belmont Park. The whiff of salty buttered popcorn and the breeze of the Pacific Ocean all come together to create an experience that the most-well known parks can't replicate. Situated in the Mission Beach area of San Diego, Belmont Park is not a place to partake if high-tech thrills are your vibe. Instead, this is the place to go if you want to experience what a love letter to the age of seaside amusement parks looks like. Opened in 1925, Belmont Park feels like a place that remains stuck in time, in a good way. During a time when other theme parks are building high-tech thrills, this park excites with its traditional rides and attractions. 

This is the park that's home to the FlowRider, a wave machine that offers visitors a chance to surf without enduring the unpredictable waves of the Pacific. If surfing isn't your thing, take a dip in The Plunge, one of the world's largest saltwater swimming pools located in a basin that's been fitted inside a glass-roofed oasis. But the main character of Belmont Park is a ride that has stood defiantly since the park opened in 1925: The Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster that's recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The historic coaster is the backbone of Belmont Park, and taking the plunge down its first airtime hill feels like a rite of passage. From its iconic coaster to the breezy boardwalk, Belmont Park is a place that reminds you that some things are truly timeless.

One of the reasons why the major theme parks attract millions of visitors every year is because of the "vibes" these parks generate. With Disney, the vibes are magical. With Universal, the vibes are thrilling. But in the historic rolling hills of Virginia, there is a park where both vibes come together to create an exceptional experience: Busch Gardens. Located in attraction-filled Williamsburg, this is a park that feels less like a tourist trap and more like a romanticized storybook of Europe, which, ironically, the park was designed to be. When the park opened in 1975, its original name was The Old Country, themed to allow visitors to experience the serene nature of Europe without hopping on a plane and crossing the Atlantic Ocean, to the tune of nearly 3 million visitors annually.

While Busch Gardens has a roller coaster lineup that can easily go toe-to-toe with more famous thrill parks such as Cedar Point, the main attraction is the park's meticulous landscaping, with towering oaks keeping Virginia's notorious summer humidity at bay, and the sudden elevation changes thanks to its location on the James River. This is the magical "vibes" of the park, with landscaping and attention to detail that are atypical of the traditional amusement park. "I've been going here for over 40 years and it never disappoints," wrote a reviewer on Google. But, remember, this is a park that also brings thrilling "vibes," and this is where Busch Gardens' roller coaster lineup really shines, with its offerings ranging from family coasters such as Verbolten, courage-inducing coasters such as Alpengeist, and historic coasters like Loch Ness Monster, the world's first interlocking loop roller coaster that still provides endless excitement to guests as it did when it first opened in 1978.

When visitors walk up to the front gate of the Enchanted Forest, they'll enter a fever dream of mid-century Americana that has managed to escape the passage of time. Located just south of Salem in Douglas-fir-covered hills, Enchanted Forest is not your typical amusement park. You won't find high-priced, high-tech experiences, or digital screens highlighting $15 hot dogs here. This is a park where the land surrounding you is the main attraction, a labor of love that was carved directly into a steep hillside by a man named Roger Tofte, who bought 20 acres of land in 1964 to build this enchanting amusement park. Enchanted Forest opened to the public in 1971 and has remained a favorite summertime visit for Oregon families. 

The front gate is where the park sets the tone. Once visitors pass through the gate, they'll descend into Storybook Lane, a winding, narrow path shaded by a thick canopy. Kids will definitely get a kick out of seeing the whimsical nature, but the enchanted feel of the park is just as magical for adults, a parkgoer explained on Tripadvisor: "We loved it! Four adults, taken back to simpler times," the visitor wrote. The entire park feels like a living, breathing fairy tale built as a backyard arts project. While the landscape is what makes this park what it is, it does have some thrills that bridge the gap between folk art and modern engineering. Chief among them is the Ice Mountain Bobsled Coaster, a 1,600-foot ride that contains plenty of turns and stomach-dropping airtime drops. But this is not a park to ride the rides, as the beauty of Enchanted Forest is its authenticity and soul.

Sitting in the middle of the rolling cornfields of southern Indiana is a bustling Midwest destination that celebrates the spirit of Christmas year-round: Santa Claus. While the town itself is a fascinating oddity for tourists, sitting within its town limits is an amusement park that tends to go unnoticed by theme park fans outside the Midwest, but really shouldn't. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari is a place where the scent of pine needles gives way to the sweet aroma of funnel cakes and sun-baked asphalt, a place where holiday kitsch and high-octane adrenaline mold together to create a truly unique experience.

Averaging nearly 1 million visitors annually, Holiday World is one of the few places in the world where you can meet Santa Claus while the mercury spikes over 80 degrees in the summer. You'll have access to free unlimited soft drinks, free sunscreen, and free parking; and while the holiday vibes of this park are enough to warrant a visit, Holiday World should be a pilgrimage spot for thrill-seekers, from the park's "holy trinity" of wooden coasters that take full advantage of the park's terrain, including The Voyage, a coaster that's packed with relentless airtime, to modern thrill machines like Thunderbird, a wing launch coaster, and Good Gravy!, a coaster themed around Thanksgiving that takes riders through a giant can of cranberry sauce. If the Indiana humidity begins to feel oppressive, visitors are right next door to Splashin' Safari, a place home to some of the planet's best water coasters. Take it all together, and you have an amusement park that should be mentioned among America's best. Take it from this visitor who reviewed the park on Tripadvisor: "Holiday World is always the best experience." Enough said.

To find the true diamonds in the rough in the theme park world, you have to look past the Mouse and the Minions to find the true theme park gems of America. To do this, we looked at scores of reviews from guests at sites such as Tripadvisor, and only listed parks with a high number of 4- and 5-star reviews. For most of the parks listed here, the annual attendance is included using the latest figures we could find for each park. Note that some of the smaller parks, such as Lake Canobie and Belmont Park, don't report attendance figures, so those figures were not included here.