Your Guide to Theme Parks and Amusement Parks in Ohio

Ohio is home to two of the biggest and best amusement parks anywhere, Cedar Point and Kings Island, and boasts some of the best roller coasters on the planet. Whether you live in or near the state or plan a visit from afar, Ohio will satisfy your thrill fix.

The following Ohio amusement parks are listed in alphabetical order.

Cedar Point in Sandusky

Cedar Point, the self-proclaimed "America's Roller Coast," is one of the world's great amusement parks, with an incredible collection of roller coasters. With on-property hotels and a beach, it is also something of a destination resort. Its water parks (which are not included with admission) are Castaway Bay Indoor Water Park Resort and Cedar Point Shores Waterpark, an outdoor water park. Among the featured rides is Steel Vengeance, one of the best hybrid wooden and steel roller coasters, Millennium Force, a 300-foot "Giga-coaster," and Top Thrill Dragster, a 420-foot-high rocket coaster.

Since the pandemic disrupted its plans, Cedar Point could not properly celebrate its actual 150th anniversary in 2020. Instead, it will mark the occasion in 2021. Highlights will include Snake River Expedition, a new attraction that will take passengers on a narrated, themed boat ride, and the Celebrate 150 Spectacular, a nighttime parade that will pay homage to the park’s history. Cedar Point will also open Town Hall, a museum that will contain exhibits chronicling the park.

Funtimes Fun Park in Alliance

The family entertainment center offers mini-golf, go-karts, batting cages, and bumper boats. It also has a few rides such as a Tilt-A-Whirl, a carousel, the spinning ride, Gunky Monkey's Barrels of Fun, and kiddie rides. The adjacent Splash Waterpark offers water slides and a slash pad.

Island Adventures in Port Clinton

The family fun center offers bumper boats, go-karts, mini-golf, an arcade, and a gemstone mining attraction.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The rides area of the park, which used to be known as Wyandot Lake, is small and is more of a diversion for visitors to the zoo than a destination in its own right. It includes the adjacent Zoombezi Bay water park. Among the highlights at the amusement park is the Sea Dragon junior wooden coaster.

New for 2021, the zoo is opening a second coaster, Tidal Twist. It will feature spinning cars.

Kings Island in Mason

One of the country's premier amusement parks, Kings Island has an incredible lineup of coasters, including the legendary wooden coaster, The Beast, and the great steel hypercoaster, Diamondback. More recent additions to the park’s coaster lineup are Banshee and Mystic Timbers. The outdoor water park, Soak City, is included with admission. Adjacent to the park is the indoor water park resort, Great Wolf Lodge at Kings Island.

In 2021, Kings Island will open Camp Cedar, a resort that will include RV sites and cottages. In 2020, the park debuted the giga-coaster, Orion, which drops a heart-stopping 300 feet and hits a top speed of 91 mph.

Memphis Kiddie Park in Cleveland

This is a small, classic amusement park built in 1952. Rides include a kiddie roller coaster and a small train. It's geared to families with children that are 2 to 5 years old.

Playzone Toledo

A small indoor family entertainment center, Playzone Toledo offers arcade games, redemption games, laser, tag, bumper cars, and a small, outdoor roller coaster for young children.

Scene75 in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton

The chain of indoor family entertainment centers offers all kinds of fun activities including 4-D motion theaters, bumper cars, go-karts, laser mazes, virtual reality experiences, mini-golf, and arcades. The locations in Columbus and Dayton also offer roller coasters.

Stricker's Grove in Hamilton

This odd little park is private and used for functions and picnics. It is, however, open a few days each year to the public. Its wooden coasters include the Teddy Bear and Tornado.

Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia

This is a small park for young children that offers vintage kiddie rides, including a roller coaster and a train. It also offers swimming pools, mini-golf, and batting cages.

The Workz in Cuyahoga Falls

Housed in a converted movie theater that dates back to 1928, The Workz is an entertainment center that includes duckpin bowling, an arcade, VR gaming attractions, a pub, and a restaurant.

Defunct Ohio Parks

There used to be even more amusement parks in the state, including Six Flags, SeaWorld, and Geauga Lake. The three parks were all connected to one another, but, as of 2016 all remnants of them are gone.

There were also many other lake-based parks in the state, including Brady Lake Park in Ravenna; Buckeye Lake, which remained open until the 1970s; LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park in Youngstown, which lasted for 80 years until it closed its gates in 2002 and had coasters such as the Screechin' Eagle; and Chippewa Lake Park, which operated for 100 years from 1878 to 1978 and offered coasters such as the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. Another popular Ohio park that has since closed is Euclid Beach in Cleveland. It was open from 1895 to 1969 and featured coasters such as Thriller, Flying Turns, and Derby Racer. Idora Park in Youngstown delighted visitors from 1899 until 1984 and offered coasters such as Wildcat and Jack Rabbit.