Salem Willows
Salem
Massachusetts
(978) 745-0251
This place is so small, it barely qualifies as an amusement park. And it has seen better days. Having said that, Salem Willows (named for the stately willow trees that line its promenade) is located on a stunning peninsula, surrounded on all sides by the ocean. The circa 1926 carousel is charming, the cruise line is delightful, the buttered popcorn may be the world's finest, and you haven't truly lived until you've had a Salem Willows chop suey sandwich.
Sam's Fun City
Pensacola
Florida
(850) 505-0800
Small amusement park, mostly geared to younger children. Includes a waterpark (in 2003).
San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park
San Diego and Escondido (near San Diego)
California
619-234-3153
No roller coasters or other rides, but arguably the nation's finest zoos.
Sandy Lake
Dallas
Texas
(972) 242-7449
Traditional picnic grove amusement park with a couple dozen rides, including bumper cars, Tilt-A-Whirl, Scrambler, and a classic Rock-O-Plane.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Santa Cruz (between, Monterey and San Francisco)
California
(831) 423-5590
Classic seaside amusement park with three coasters, including the vintage 1924 Giant Dipper.
Santa's Land
Cherokee
North Carolina
(828) 497-9191
Clearly, the triple-Ho guy is the big attraction here. Features Christmas-themed rides and shows. Also has a petting farm (with reindeer, of course).
Santa's Land
Putney
Vermont
(800)-SANTA-99
Note that Santa's Land announced that it will be closing in December 2011. Very small park with a Christmas theme (obviously!). Includes a petting zoo, a few kiddie rides, and audiences with a certain white-bearded gent.
Santa's Village
East Dundee (near Chicago)
Illinois
The park closed in 2006.
Santa's Village
Jefferson (in the White Mountains)
New Hampshire
(603) 586-4445
There have been a number of parks called "Santa's Village," but this is the original. It has the perfect blend of authentic nostalgia and contemporary appeal. Young children and adults alike will find its charm irresistible.
Santa's Workshop
North Pole (where else?), NY (150 miles north of Albany, near Lake Placid)
(800) 806-0215
Small, Christmas-themed park with a few rides and shows. Open in the summer and some weekends before Christmas.
Santa's Workshop
North Pole (really!-near Pike's Peak)
Colorado
(719) 684-9432
Small, Christmas-themed park.
Scandia Amusement Park
Ontario (near Los Angeles)
California
(909) 390-3092
Small park with a junior steel coaster, thrill and kiddie rides, plus go-karts, 2 mini-golf courses, and bating cages.
Sea Life Park Hawaii
Oahu (near Waikiki)
Hawaii
(866) 365-7446
Like Sea World, but without the rides. Swim with the dolphins, feed the stingrays, watch the whales make a big splash, and other marine life attractions.
Seabreeze Amusement Park
Rochester
New York
(585) 323-1900
Park on Lake Ontario features the classic Jack Rabbit wooden coaster and the Quantum Loop steel coaster. Also includes Raging Rivers waterpark.
Seasme Place
Langhorne (near Philadelphia), Pennsylvania
Includes water park rides as well as dry rides.
SeaWorld Ohio
SeaWorld used to operate a separate marine life park. Between 2000 and 2003, Six Flags bought SeaWorld Ohio, combined it with Geauga Lake, and called the mega-park Six Flags World of Adventure. Six Flags sold the property to Cedar Fair in 2004. Cedar Fair closed the marine life park and reverted to the park's original name, Geauga Lake.
SeaWorld Orlando
Orlando
Florida
(877) 434-7268
No longer just the happy home of Shamu, SeaWorld has some great rides and a second park where you can swim with dolphins.
SeaWorld San Antonio
San Antonio
Texas
SeaWorld San Diego
San Diego
California
(619) 226-3901
Shamu's West Coast digs. Offers a few rides along with the marine life shows and exhibits.
Sherman's Amusement Park
Caroga Lake (in the Adirondacks)
New York
(518) 835-4110
Small, lakeside park with a carousel and a steel kiddie coaster.
Silver Dollar City
Branson
Missouri
(800) 475-9370
The theme here is 1880s America. Thrill rides and coasters mix nicely with some great shows, music, and period crafts demonstrations.
Silver Springs
Silver Springs
Florida
(352) 236-2121
Its Glass Bottom Boats have been showing guests the underwater wonders of the Silver River since 1878. Other attractions at the nature park include a Jeep Safari and an alligator show. Separate admission waterpark nearby.
Silverwood
Athol
Idaho
(208) 683-3400
The park features two wooden coasters, Timber Terror and Tremors among its thrill rides, kiddie rides, and shows. General admission also includes access to Boulder Beach water park.
Six Gun City
Jefferson (in the White Mountains)
New Hampshire
(603) 586-4592
An Old West-themed park. A cowboy show, with guests participating in the action, is the highlight. There are also some waterpark attractions.
Southern Adventures
Huntsville
Alabama
(256) 880-6599
Primarily a waterpark. Also has some carnival rides plus mini-golf, go-karts, and other family entertainment center attractions.
Speed- The Ride (at the Sahara)
Las Vegas
Nevada
(888) 696-2121
A great magnetically powered roller coaster that tears out of the Sahara casino, explodes through its neon sign, and roars down the Strip.
Stagecoach Stop USA
Irish Hills
Michigan
(517) 467-2300
Wild West-themed small park with train ride, panning for gold, and antiques museum.
Star Trek: The Experience (at the Las Vegas Hilton)
Las Vegas
Nevada
Note: Star Trek: The Experience closed in September 2008. You can read about the defunct attraction in the About Theme Parks review. You don't have to go to a theme park to experience a world-class theme park-like attraction. Get transported to the 24th Century in this great motion simulator ride, located at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Steel Pier
Atlantic City
New Jersey
(609) 345-4893
One of the most famous amusement piers, the Steel Pier was rebuilt in the 1990s with a modest assortment of rides and amusements.
Storybook Gardens
Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin
The park closed in 2011.
Storybook Island
Rapid City, South Dakota
(605) 342-6357
A non-profit children's park that is run by local Rotary clubs. It features fairytale and nursery rhyme characters, and offers a children's theatre. Admission to the park and the theatre is free to the public and the park itself is supported purely through donations.
Storybook Land
Cardiff (near Atlantic City)
New Jersey
(609) 646-0103
Family-owned and -operated park geared to young kids with storybook theme.
Storyland
Glen (in the White Mountains)
New Hampshire
A beguiling and meticulous park themed to classic fairy tales and geared for the under-12 set.
Stratosphere Tower Thrill Rides
Las Vegas
Sylvan Beach Amusement Park
Sylvan Beach (near Syracuse)
New York
(315) 762-5212
Small park on the shores of Oneida Lake. Includes LaffLand, a classic Pretzel dark ride. (Pretzel was a company that manufactured many haunted-house-like dark rides, few of which remain in operation today.)
