Roller Coasters in Maryland

Yahoo! After a string of some not-very-exciting states, there are more than a few roller coasters in Maryland! Most of them are in the Six Flags near Washington DC, but there are some oceanside parks, a mountain coaster, and two annual Fireman’s carnivals, which I think is hilarious. Way more fire departments should have carnivals! Noting these roller coasters really highlights the diversity of this long, weirdly-shaped state.

As always, you can click on the coaster name below for a video of each ride! Ride all the roller coasters in Maryland from your couch!

Six Flags America

Most of the roller coasters in Maryland are found in Six Flags America. Not Six Flags Great America, like in Illinois. Just plain, ol’ America. Which seems appropriate since this park mostly serves the Washington DC area. “Just America” has 9 roller coasters to its name. The biggest, or at least tallest, is the hyper coaster (AKA over 200 feet) Superman – Ride of Steel. Other steel coasters include the Batwing flying coaster, Firebird floorless coaster, and Joker’s Jinx launched coaster. Two wooden roller coasters are Roar and Wild One. On the tamer end is the Ragin’ Cajun spinning wild mouse and kid’s Great Chase coaster. (A suspended coaster, Mind Eraser, seems to be in a closed-off area of the park for now. Maybe to save costs, maybe for a later re-theming.)

Other thrill rides in the park include a “Lasso of Truth” high swings, a 140″ drop tower, a Harley Quinn-themed spinning pendulum, and one of those looping fireballs. There’s also an extra-fee go-kart raceway. There are 10 more family rides, including a get-wet boat chute, plus 7 more Looney Tunes-themed rides for little kids. The Hurricane Harbor waterpark can be included as an add-on.

Tickets

A day ticket to Six Flags America costs between $35-45 online, depending on the day of your visit, and is probably more at the gate day of – they’ve changed the way they show prices. Add on the Hurricane Harbor water park for $7 more. Go-Karts are an extra $25. Parking is an extra $30 per car.

OR, Six Flags has renewed its membership program, now called Six Flags Plus. For only $9 a month, you get access to ALL Six Flags parks and water parks, free parking, and 15% off food & merch. With this option, you are locked into 12 months of payments, so it ends up being about $110 total (more with taxes & fees, I expect.)

There are two things to consider with this option. First, Six Flags Plus is $9 at Six Flags America, but at Six Flags Great America, the same program is $12/month. Second, make sure to do the math. It might be about the same cost for one of the higher-tier annual passes, which offer more discounts and perks. For instance, the Diamond Pass at Six Flags America is $140, and includes all Six Flags properties, better parking, a special VIP entrance, a drink bottle, VIP waterpark seating, skip-the-line passes and specialty-rate tickets, and deep discounts on flash passes and cabanas.

The biggest benefit to the Six Flags Plus program is it’s less money upfront – you can get in the gate for only $9 (plus a few fees on the first bill.) Note that you’ll have to activate your membership at your home park, or at least the first Six Flags you want to use it.

Trimper Rides

The rest of the roller coasters in Maryland are in much smaller parks than Six Flags. These next few are on the beach in Ocean City. First up is Trimper Rides with one pretty decent shuttle coaster called Tidal Wave, and Spinning Coaster, one of those spinning figure-8s. Some of their spinning flat rides are arguably more thrilling than their coasters. Plus, there are three funhouses and a large Ferris wheel. In all, Trimper has 27 rides, 9 of which are just for smaller kids.

Rides seem to work on a points system, costing anywhere from 6-14 points each. Points are 75 cents, meaning rides cost between $4.50-10.50 each. (FYI, The Ferris wheel and the Tidal Wave are the only 14-point rides.) However, wristbands are available for unlimited rides. A $35 day band is good for 4 hours, ending at 5 pm. (Though be aware! During the week, the park doesn’t open until 3 pm, giving you only two hours of time?) For $40, you can get a night band, good for 4 hours after 5 pm (and they seem to close around 10 pm.) Or for $50, you can get a mega pass good for all day and no time limit. There is a large parking lot, though it’s paid city parking, charged by the hour.

Jolly Roger at the Pier

Literally right across the parking lot from Trimper’s is Jolly Roger at the Pier. This park has been open since 1964 and has even expanded to a second location down the street that I’ll talk about next. There’s one roller coaster in the “at the pier” version, the Looping Star. All the Jolly Roger coasters look kinda janky and this one is no exception. The Looping Star gives you one loop and that’s about it. It looks like there are 18 attractions total, plus games, a fishing pier, and a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. (They also have a Ferris Wheel – do both parks have Ferris wheels across from one another?)

Rides are on a pay-as-you-go system with points similar to Trimper’s. Rides take between 6 and 11 points each, though I can’t find information on how much points cost. Similarly, you can purchase a wristband for unlimited rides – a day band for $29 seems to work at both Jolly Roger amusement parks, including 1-5 pm at the pier. Unlimited night rides for $32 are good 7-11 at both locations. There are also combo tickets for all the Jolly Roger properties, including a water park and a go-kart track. Splash & ride = $55, Drive & ride = $57, and all three = $100. Parking is in the same pay-by-the-hour lot as Trimper’s. Make sure to check their website for coupons!

Jolly Roger Amusement Park

The Jolly Roger brand has extended its reach three miles down the road with a secondary location for amusement rides called Jolly Roger at 30th Street. This location also contains the brand’s Speedworld go-kart track and Splash Mountain water park. 30th Street features three more janky steel coasters, the Wildcat, the Barracuda, and a kid’s Wacky Worm. They have 30 other rides, but a lot of them look like they’re for smaller kids. There is yet another Ferris wheel, two mini-golf courses, and a free circus!

Again, it’s a points system with rides between 5.5-10 points per ride. The pay structure is as outlined above, you can purchase a wristband for unlimited rides – a day band for $29 seems to work at both Jolly Roger amusement parks, including 2-6 pm at the 30th Street location. Unlimited night rides for $32 are good 7-11 at both locations. There are also combo tickets for all the Jolly Roger properties, including a water park and a go-kart track. Splash & ride = $55, Drive & ride = $57, and all three = $100. Parking is free at this location. Again, Make sure to check their website for coupons, like $2 off wristbands or $5 off combos.

Adventure Park USA

Out in the middle of nowhere in particular is Adventure Park USA, about an hour west of Baltimore and an hour and a half north of Washington DC. This is one of those arcade-based family fun centers, but with a robust outdoor area that includes three (still janky) steel roller coasters. They’ve got the Wildcat, Wild West Express, and a kiddie Tumbleweed coaster. Outside, there are some spinning rides, mini-golf, and go-karts. Inside, there’s bowling, an XD theater, laser tag, and a ropes course, among other offerings, including a BBQ & beer restaurant.

To play, you can buy credits per ride with bundles that save money, or pay $30 for an all-day pass to everything indoors, and add $10 for everything outdoors (when open.) They also have a unique approach to operating with less staff – when you want to ride something, you text a number and someone comes along to turn it on! The website doesn’t say how many credits the roller coasters are worth, but I’m sure you can work it out once you’re there if that’s all you want to ride.

Wisp Resort

Way out in the corner of Maryland sandwiched between Pennsylvania and West Virginia is the Wisp Resort featuring a Mountain Coaster! It looks like it’s a decent length, too. Like most mountain coasters. it’s on the expensive side for just one ride. Wisp’s is $29 per ride or $59 for three rides. For $99, you can select 5 of 6 options that include the mountain coaster, a ropes course (kid & adult versions), a scenic chairlift, disc golf, and gem mining. There’s also zip lining, archery, and boat tours in the summer. In winter, the mountain coaster is joined by snow tubing.

Annual Sharptown Firemen’s Carnival

In Sharptown, right on the border with Delaware, and not terribly far from Ocean City, the Sharptown fire station puts on an annual carnival with some amusement rides, including a kid’s Wacky Worm. Last year, it was most nights in August. Look out for it again for some wholesome family time. It costs $12 to play on Monday, $14 for Tuesdays-Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.

Hebron Fireman’s Carnival

And here’s another Fireman’s Carnival! This time in Hebron, not too far from Sharpton. Must be a thing in these parts! This one features Roller Coaster 5, among other kid’s rides, plus games and cookout food. They seem to run theirs from late June until early July, Wednesday-Saturdays, starting at 7:15 pm. Check their calendar for the most current dates. Rides are on a per-ticket basis, or about $16 for a wristband.

Water Parks in Maryland

There is not a whole lot of water park action going on in Maryland. Prince George’s County has a collection of splash pads and pools, but for real slides, there’s only Six Flags and Splash Mountain in Ocean City. There’s one little extra campground park near Ocean City, and two more regional parks that you really can’t visit unless you’re a local.

• Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags America near DC is Maryland’s biggest water park with 10 slides, including a new water coaster, RipQurl. Then there are 4 kid’s areas/slides and a lazy river and wave pool. I don’t think you can visit it as a stand-alone park, but it’s only $7 to add to a day ticket for the theme park. Parking is $30 extra, unless you do something like the Six Flags Plus membership.
• Splash Mountain in Ocean City (part of the Jolly Roger parks) is arguably the biggest water park in Maryland slide-wise, but I think the Six Flags location is much nicer. Splash Mountain has 13 slides, 5 areas for kids, a wave pool, lazy river, and even real-live mermaids! All-day admission is $46, or $16 for kids 48″ and under, and $23 for seniors 55+. Slide for the last three hours of the day (usually 3-6 pm) for $30. Combos with other Jolly Roger properties are available, and parking is free.

• Frontier Town Water Park in Berlin, a little south of Ocean City, has 3 slides, a kid’s slide tower, and a lazy river. It’s attached to the Sun Outdoors Frontier Town and campground, with a free wild west town with reenactments all day, mini-golf, and a ropes course. The water park is free for guests at the campground (and some other Sun Outdoors locations) or $30 for adults, $25 for kids 48″ and under, and only $15 from 4-6 pm. Parking is free.

• Chesapeake Beach Water Park in Chesapeake Beach is mostly a lazy river with a cave, surrounding a lap pool and a large activity pool with several small kiddie slides. A baby pool is off to one side, a grill on the other, and 2 slides over the cave. It’s small but cute! It looks like they are limiting attendance to mostly residents by charging locals $22 for adults and $18 for kids, and charging non-residents *$70* during the week and **$90** on the weekends! Oof, it’s definitely not a $90 park. And that’s just for a day, not a whole season.
• Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, near DC, has a small regional water park with 4 slides (2 of which are for smaller kids) and a play pool. It’s not open to non-residents, but it’s only $6 if you’re a city resident, and $12 if you’re a county resident – and only then on weekdays.

Did I miss anything? Have you been to any of these parks? What are you looking forward to doing this summer? Let me know in the comments below!