Pennsylvania’s amusement parks aren’t just fun — they’re among the best in the country, and summer 2026 is the season to prove it. Whether you’re chasing a 232-foot drop on Phantom’s Revenge, letting the kids meet Duke the Dragon, or riding America’s #1 wooden coaster through the trees at Knoebels, there’s a Pennsylvania park adventure with your name on it. Header image credit: Amanda S. Polyak



Knoebels Amusement Resort 

Elysburg 


Nestled in the wooded Susquehanna River Valley of Central Pennsylvania, Knoebels is unlike any other amusement park in the country. There’s no gate fee, no parking charge, and a genuine old-fashioned atmosphere that generations of Pennsylvania families have made their own. This summer is extra special: The park celebrates 100 years since it opened as a simple swimming hole in 1926 with a special anniversary weekend set for July 3–5, 2026. 


TripAdvisor named Knoebels the #1 Amusement Park in the U.S. in 2026, while USA TODAY 10Best put it at #2 nationally. One of their most iconic rollercoasters, the Phoenix, even holds the title of USA TODAY’s #1 Roller Coaster. From the Grand Carousel to the Haunted Mansion dark ride, Knoebels is a living, breathing museum of American amusement park history. 



Hersheypark  

Hershey 


If Pennsylvania has a flagship theme park, it’s Hersheypark. Built on the original leisure grounds created by Milton S. Hershey for his chocolate factory workers, the park has grown into a 121-acre, 70-plus ride destination that’s also a USA TODAY 10Best Top 10 amusement park for 2026. This summer, The Boardwalk At Hersheypark water area brings beach-club energy to Central PA, now with two brand-new water play areas in the Bayside Pier featuring 45 new aquatic elements. 


With 15 coasters ranging from family-friendly to heart-pounding, there truly is a thrill for every age group. Wildcat’s Revenge, the first Rocky Mountain Construction hybrid coaster in Pennsylvania, delivers four inversions and landed a spot on USA TODAY’s Top 10 Roller Coasters list, while Candymonium (the park’s tallest, fastest, longest hyper coaster) serves up 205 feet of pure adrenaline.  


And after all that, you can walk next door to ZooAmerica, an 11-acre wildlife park accessible via a bridge inside Hersheypark and included with your park ticket.