Visiting Mickey Mouse and friends or Bugs Bunny and pals can put a real dent in the family budget. Fortunately, the United States is peppered with smaller, family-owned amusement parks that give cash-strapped parents more bang for their buck.
If the struggling economy has forced you to cancel a summer trip to a major theme park this summer, then consider salvaging the season for your kids by taking them to one of the following smaller amusement parks that offer cheaper admission, lower ticket prices, and shorter lines:
WISCONSIN
Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin is my family’s favorite summer getaway. Not only is admission free, but also ride tickets are just 25 cents each and individual rides only require one to two tickets per person. The park is located on the picturesque shores of Green Bay and is ideal for kids 12 and under. Bay Beach boasts a host of kiddie rides, including little helicopters, mini-speed boats, a cool carousel and spinning ladybugs. For bigger kids there’s a Ferris Wheel, Tilt-a-Whirl, Scrambler, Big Swing and other thrill rides. In addition, there are pony rides, a super train ride that takes you around the park, and ample picnic areas to eat cheap concession treats or your own snacks from home.
CONNECTICUT
Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, Connecticut allows guests in free of charge and sells ride tickets for just a few bucks. Tickets for individual rides are $3, while a book of 12 tickets is $27. If your kids are about about thrills and chills, then consider purchasing an all-day ride pass ($21 for adults or $17 for kids under 45 inches). The pass is good for all rides and provides access to the lakefront beach and three free shows, Cirque Equinox, the Kent Family Magic Circus and the Kenya Safari Acrobats. Other deals at Quassy include an after 5 p.m. pass for $9, and a “Saturday Carload” $20 pass.
PENNSYLVANIA
Lakemont Park, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, is one of the most-famous trolley parks (a park built by a streetcar line to attract disembarking riders) in the nation. It opened in 1894 and continues to draw tens of thousands of visitors to the area each year. Lakemont offers great deals, including an all-day pass for just $10 and a season pass for the unbelievably low price of $40 (that’s less than a one-day ticket to some of the nation’s larger theme parks). If you go, don’t miss out on riding the park’s famous roller coaster, Leap-the-Dips, which is supposedly the world’s oldest roller coaster. It was built in 1902, restored and reopened in 1999, and named a National Historic Landmark in 1996.
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