Pennsylvania amusement parks, roller coasters named among best in US. What’s new in 2024?
Some of Pennsylvania’s premier amusement parks and resorts are once again earning national recognition.
Hersheypark, Kennywood, Knoebels Amusement Resort and more were recognized in several top categories for amusement parks and resorts across the U.S., according to USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Nominees in each category are selected by 10Best editors and topic experts before the public voted for four weeks to settle on this year’s winners.
With Memorial Day weekend nearing and the summer season on tap, here’s what you need to know about Pennsylvania’s award-winning amusement parks and entertainment options.
Hersheypark
Out in Hershey and just east of Harrisburg, this beloved amusement park has entertained guests since 1906. This year, it received praise from USA Today’s 10Best awards for its roller coasters, dining options and lodging accommodations.
Overall, readers voted Hersheypark the No. 4 theme park in the country. The publication gave praise to the amusement park for its variety of entertainment options included in a single-admission pass.
“The amusement park of every chocolate lover’s dream, Hersheypark features 121 acres with more than 70 rides (including more than a dozen roller coasters), strolling shows, multiple stages, and additional performance areas, a water park and an 11-acre zoo — all accessible via a single admission,” USA Today wrote online.
Hersheypark also earned the No. 4 spot on the Best Roller Coaster list for Wildcat’s Revenge, a hybrid coaster that launched last June. The coaster features a slick steel track with added inversions and high-speed thrills fashioned atop one of the park’s historic wood coaster frames.
Though Hersheypark doesn’t have a new roller coaster to launch this year, it recently upgraded some of its coasters with new seats, restraints and trains.
Elsewhere, Hersheypark’s Chocolatier restaurant was ranked the nation’s second-best theme park restaurant. The Chocolatier, which opened in 2021 alongside a newly expanded Hersheypark entrance, is known for adding hints of chocolate to its dishes, including cocoa-dusted short ribs or Reese’s peanut butter burgers.
Last but not least, the famed Hotel Hershey took the top spot among the nation’s theme park hotels. The lodge is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and opened in 1933.
“The four-star Hotel Hershey is an elegant retreat that references its chocolate town roots without drowning guests in cloying fudge,” USA Today wrote.
Single-day Hersheypark tickets start at $86.95 for adults and children ages 9 and up, though discounts are available for passes purchased online. Discounted tickets are also available for children and seniors. Children ages 2 and younger receive free admission.
Learn more about Hersheypark admission at hersheypark.com/tickets. The park is open daily through early September, when it transitions to weekend offerings and themed events around Halloween and Christmas.
Kennywood
This Pittsburgh-area amusement park took home a pair of honors through the 10Best awards. Kennywood celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2023 and offers more than 40 rides and attractions, including some themed after the Keystone State itself.
Overall, Kennywood claimed the No. 8 spot among USA Today’s top theme parks in the country. Additionally, the park’s beloved Phantom’s Revenge earned recognition as the nation’s No. 3 roller coaster. The high-flying coaster reaches a top speed of 85 mph with drops of up to 232 feet along 3,365 feet of track.
“If you love a theme park with oodles of history and a collection of iconic rides, Kennywood is your place,” USA Today wrote online.
New attractions and offerings at Kennywood in 2024 include restored rides, a new bar and restaurant and the Potato Smash bumper cars, which open May 25. Steel Curtain, the park’s beloved Pittsburgh Steelers-themed coaster, is undergoing “an extensive maintenance project” and will be closed through the 2024 season, Kennywood says.
The park is open daily throughout most of the summer and on select weekends for themed events in the fall and winter. It is located in West Mifflin in Allegheny County.
Tickets are available online at kennywood.com/buy-tickets. Single-day passes start at $74.99, but discounts are available for online purchases and for veterans. Discounted rates are also offered for senior guests. Children ages 3 and younger receive free admission.
Knoebels Amusement Resort
This Northumberland County amusement park has become a perennial honoree among Pennsylvania’s tourism destinations, and 2024 is no different.
Knoebels, located in Elysburg, offers more than 60 rides and attractions after opening nearly a century ago in 1926. This year, USA Today and its readers named Knoebels the No. 2 theme park in the country behind Silver Dollar City in Missouri.
Knoebels managed to take the top prize in two categories. One top honor came for Phoenix, the classic wooden roller coaster that claimed a first-place finish among the nation’s best roller coasters. The Alamo, Knoebels’ full-service sit-down restaurant, earned the top spot among the nation’s best theme park restaurants in 2024.
“While some parks jack up food prices and treat their captive audience as a big profit center, The Alamo is as friendly to the pocketbook as it is to families, with burgers and hot dogs still priced at or under $5,” USA Today wrote online. “The menu at this eatery located on the park’s main boulevard also includes heartier options, like deep-fried crab cakes, chicken and waffles and spaghetti and meatballs.”
Knoebels is working through several restoration projects in 2024, including efforts to restore some amusement and water-based attractions like the Giant Flume and Paratrooper drop ride. Some under-construction rides are expected to open later this summer to expand the park’s offerings.
The park stands out from some other Pennsylvania attractions thanks to its free-admission model. Instead of paying to enter the front gate, guests can purchase never-expiring ride tickets to experience individual attractions at their leisure, though costs vary between rides.
Ride books start at $20 online, but bundles are available in ticket packages for up to $500. For the summer season, all-day passes are also available starting at $39 for those who hope to skip ticket books entirely.
Learn more about Knoebels admission online at knoebels.com/plan/pricing. Parking is free. The amusement park is open daily through early September and on select weekends for events in the fall and early winter.
USA Today’s 10Best amusement park honors
Here’s a brief look at the top 10 finishers in several USA Today 10Best categories, including amusement park restaurants, roller coasters and more.
Best Theme Park (2024)
Silver Dollar City — Branson, Mo.
Knoebels Amusement Resort — Elysburg, Pa.
SeaWorld Orlando — Orlando, Fla.
Hersheypark — Hershey, Pa.
Dollywood — Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
LEGOLAND California — Carlsbad, Calif.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg — Williamsburg, Va.
Kennywood — West Mifflin, Pa.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay — Tampa, Fla.
Cedar Point — Sandusky, Ohio
Best Theme Park Restaurant (2024)
The Alamo at Knoebels — Elysburg, Pa.
The Chocolatier at Hersheypark — Hershey, Pa.
Aunt Granny’s Restaurant at Dollywood — Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Yak & Yeti at Disney’s Animal Kingdom — Orlando, Fla.
Grain & Grill at Kings Dominion — Doswell, Va.
Das Festhaus at Busch Gardens Williamsburg — Williamsburg, Va.
Satu’li Canteen at Disney’s Animal Kingdom — Orlando, Fla.
Zambia Smokehouse at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay — Tampa, Fla.
Trapper’s Smokehouse at Busch Gardens Williamsburg — Williamsburg, Va.
Le Cellier Steakhouse at EPCOT — Orlando, Fla.
Best Roller Coaster (2024)
Phoenix at Knoebels — Elysburg, Pa.
Mako at SeaWorld Orlando — Orlando, Fla.
Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood — West Mifflin, Pa.
Wildcat’s Revenge at Hersheypark — Hershey, Pa.
Lightning Rod at Dollywood — Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Giant Dipper at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk — Santa Cruz, Calif.
The Voyage at Holiday World — Santa Claus, Ind.
Fury 325 at Carowinds — Charlotte, N.C.
Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay — Tampa, Fla.
Pantheon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg — Williamsburg, Virginia
You can find other USA Today 10Best lists, including those for the best theme park hotels and water park attractions, online at 10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel.
