Is there anything better than an amusement park? We love riding rollercoasters, screaming as we fall from a drop tower, and flying around on the swings.
Thankfully, there are so many fantastic amusement parks near Philadelphia. There are some are made especially for kids, some that offer waterparks with admission, one that is entirely indoors, and many that have thrilling rides!
Sesame Place, Dorney Park, and Hersheypark are some of the best ones we’ve visited. But we’re not done yet!
Below is a list of amusement parks close to Philadelphia. So, let’s start planning our next adventure!
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Best Thrill Ride Amusement Parks Near Philadelphia
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
📍 4000 Dorney Park Rd, Allentown, PA 18104
📆 Open Mid-May – Labor Day Weekend
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an exciting theme park close to Philadelphia and New York. With rollercoasters for both big kids and the little ones, it’s a great place for the whole family to enjoy.
A bonus of visiting Dorney Park in the summer is enjoying the water rides in its Wildwater Kingdom area. Visitors can go on a water slide and then dry off on a Steel Force!
Dorney Park also has an excellent section for little kids featuring some of your favorite Peanuts characters, including Snoopy.
🛌 Stay Nearby: Four Point by Sheraton is across the street
Six Flags Great Adventure
📍 1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, NJ 08527
📆 Open Mid-April – December
Six Flags Great Adventure is one of the largest theme parks in the world, second only to Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World. One of the reasons it is so significant is its Wild Safari animal park. However, the amusement park side still packs a punch!
Six Flags boasts ten rollercoasters and several other thrill rides like Slingshot and SkyScreamer. They also have plenty of family-friendly rides like the Runaway Mine Train and the Saw Mill Log Flume.
Hersheypark
📍 100 W. Hersheypark Dr, Hershey, PA 17033
📆 Open April – December
We love Hersheypark! It’s one of our favorite amusement parks in Pennsylvania and not a far drive from Philadelphia.
With more than 70 attractions, like their 14 rollercoasters, Hershey offers more thrill rides than either Dorney Park or Six Flags. Plus, they have over three dozen rides for toddlers!
Like Dorney Park, Hersheypark’s water rides are also included with admission, so you can cool off from the summer heat before heading back on the sooper dooper Looper.
We also love Hersheypark’s special events, like their Dark Nights in the fall and Christmas Candylane in November and December.
🛌 Stay Nearby: The Hershey Lodge has a fantastic indoor pool
Unique Amusement Parks Close to Philadelphia
Knoebels
📍 391 Knoebels Blvd, Route 487, Elysburg, PA 17824
📆 Open May – October
Knoebels is the only FREE admission amusement park on this list. That means everyone can enter Knoebels at no charge. You can pay-per-ride or get unlimited rides on their 60 rides during weekends using a “Ride All Day” pass.
Knoebels is a family favorite for good reason. They have thrilling rides like the Phoenix rollercoaster and Impulse. Plus, they have unique experiences like a haunted coal mine ride and a bobsled coaster.
Although this is one of the furthest amusement parks from Philadelphia, it is still worth the drive!
Diggerland
📍 100 Pinedge Drive, West Berlin, NJ 08091
📆 Open Mid-March – November
Diggerland is one of the most unique amusement parks in the country! A theme park based on construction equipment, most of the rides have been made out of trucks, diggers, and other machinery.
There are more than trucks at Diggerland. They also have a playground, a rock wall, and a ropes course. The ropes course is four stories tall and is one of the tallest in the world! If you have a fear of heights, you can stay on the lower levels.
As a bonus, Diggerland also has a waterpark area included with admission. The Water Main has a giant wave pool, some water slides, and a splash area.
🛌 Stay Nearby: The Hampton Inn offers complimentary breakfast
Nickelodeon Universe
📍 1 American Dream Wy, East Rutherford, NJ 07073
📆 Open Year-Round
Nickelodeon Universe is the only indoor amusement park on this list! It’s a perfect winter day trip from Philadelphia or really at any time of the year.
Located in the American Dream Mall in North Jersey, the rides feature favorite characters from Nickelodeon shows like Spongebob, Pay Patrol, and Blue’s Clues.
Inside the park, you’ll find a few rollercoasters, a climbing area, a drop tower, and several family-friendly rides.
Don’t forget to buy your admission ahead of time to reserve a spot at the park. Same-day admission is not guaranteed.
While you’re there, you might also want to check out the DreamWorks indoor waterpark or Big Snow, a year-round indoor ski resort. There is a lot going on at the American Dream Mall!
The Fun Plex
📍 3320-24 NJ-38, Mt Laurel Township, NJ 08054
📆 Open Year-Round
Not your typical amusement park, The Fun Plex is more of an amusement center with a waterpark and rides but also offers bowling, laser tag, and more.
During the summer months, guests can access the waterpark with several waterslides, a spray climbing structure, and a lazy river, to name a few. Also, outside, there are fun rides like a rollercoaster and drop tower.
Inside, guests can enjoy bumper cars, a 4D dark ride, and other spinning rides.
The Fun Plex has another location in East Hanover that offers similar attractions.
Clementon Park
📍 144 Berlin Rd., Clementon, NJ 08021
📆 Open Memorial Day – Labor Day
Clementon Park is one of the oldest operating parks in the country! Now, it’s a fun, mid-size amusement park that is perfect for a quick day out near Philadelphia.
Clementon Park offers classic amusement park rides, like rollercoasters, a swinging boat ride, and a Ferris wheel. They also have a water park area that is included with your ticket that has body slides, South Jersey’s largest wave pool, and more.
Best Amusement Parks For Little Kids Near Philadelphia
Sesame Place
📍 100 Sesame Rd, Langhorne, PA 19047
📆 Open throughout the year (select days in winter)
Sesame Place is such a popular theme park near Philadelphia for kids. Visitors come from all over to spend time with Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster, to name a few.
This family-friendly amusement park in Langhorne combines an amusement park and a water park. Kids will love splashing around Count’s Castle, the wave pool, and the many water slides during the summer months.
When it’s too cold to get wet, kids will enjoy plenty of dry rides like Oscar’s Wacky Taxi and Elmo’s Blast Off. Sesame is open on select weekends in the winter, making it a fun place to visit any time of year.
Dutch Wonderland
📍 2249 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602
📆 Open Spring – Fall
When asked about the best amusement parks near Philadelphia for kids, Dutch Wonderland is the number one answer.
Located in beautiful Lancaster County, Dutch Wonderland is an amusement park built for kids that parents can also enjoy. Kids can enjoy over 35 rides, attractions, and shows, like rollercoasters made for them, as well as a log flume, carousel, swings, and many other kid-friendly attractions.
During the summer months, kids can cool off at Duke’s Lagoon, where there is a spray structure and water slides.
🛌 Stay Nearby: The Cartoon Network Hotel is right next to the park
Land of Make Believe
📍 354 Great Meadows Road – Rt. 611, Hope, NJ 07844
📆 Open Memorial Day – Labor Day
What used to be a dairy farm has been transformed into a family-friendly amusement park in North Jersey.
Land of Make Believe has several fun rides for kids and parents, including some rollercoasters, Tilt-A-Whirl, and many spinning rides. Admission also includes all of the water rides, like the lazy river, body slides, and spray structure.
Visitor’s Tip: Land of Make Believe only takes cash or Discover Cards. They do not accept payment from Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.
Storybook Land
📍 6415 E Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
📆 Open Spring – December
Another small, kid-focused amusement park in New Jersey is Storybook Land. It might be small, but it’s the perfect size for a day out with your toddler or young child.
This amusement park is perfect for the littlest ones in your family, with cute rides like swings, a kid-friendly drop ride, a small rollercoaster, and more. There is even a fun train that takes you around the park.
Wrapping Up Amusement Parks Near Philadelphia
There are so many amazing amusement parks close to Philadelphia! In two hours or less, you can be on a thrilling rollercoaster or zipping down a body slide.
And there are parks for every age. Little kids will love Sesame Place and Dutch Wonderland, while bigger kids will love the thrills at Six Flags Great Adventure and Dorney Park. And the whole family can enjoy Hersheypark!
No matter where you choose to go, you’ll have a great time at any park near Philadelphia.
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