The search for the largest roller coasters in the world will take you to countries like Spain, Japan, Canada, and Australia. There are six magnificent coasters in the United States — with two situated in the same theme park at Cedar Point in Ohio. Book vacation rentals near any of these exciting theme parks to enjoy an adrenaline rush, thrills, and weightlessness like you’ve never experienced before.
1. Kingda Ka
Head to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey to experience the largest roller coaster in the world – and it’s also the second-fasted in the world, launching you from 0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds. Kingda Ka has a jungle theme, and it runs on double tracks to keep the excitement going. Get ready for a 418-foot drop from the top of the first hill. At the peak of the second hill, you experience the highlight of the ride: a moment of true weightlessness. Kingda Ka, named after a mythical tiger, definitely treats you to the most exciting 28 seconds of your life.
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2. Top Thrill Dragster
When Top Thrill Dragster debuted at the Cedar Park theme park in Sandusky, Ohio in 2003, it was the world’s tallest and fastest coaster, and it offered the steepest drop. Although Kingda Ka has eclipsed it, that 420-foot drop is still dazzling. Top Thrill Dragster takes you on a drag race like you never imagined, complete with the sounds of engines revving as you launch, reaching 120 mph in only 3.8 seconds. A 270-degree twist gives you a final thrill before the ride ends in 30 seconds.
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3. Superman: Escape From Krypton
Southern Californians have flocked to Six Flags Magic Mountain in the city of Santa Clarita since 1997 to ride Superman: The Escape, which, when it opened, was the tallest roller coaster in the world and tied at 100 mph for the title of the fastest coaster as well. In 2010, the ride was refurbished, and it reopened as Superman: Escape From Krypton, this time with cars that launch backward. With a 415-foot drop, this 28-second ride still thrills after all these years.
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4. Tower of Terror II
It’s a good thing that the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia has great vacation rentals waiting for you, because that’s where you’re going if you want to take a ride on the Tower of Terror II at the Dreamworld amusement park. This coaster was the tallest and fastest in the world when it opened in 1997, reaching 100 mph and dropping a stomach-churning 355 feet. On Tower of Terror, you ride in an “escape pod” for 28 seconds, during a full 6.5 seconds of which you are completely weightless as you go up and fall down the vertical section of the ride.
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5. Red Force
Tucked away in Salou, Tarragona in Spain, PortAventura World is home to a whole series of high-speed roller coasters, including Red Force, which is the highlight of the park’s sports car-themed section, Ferrari Land. Red Force is the fastest roller coaster in Europe, reaching top speeds of 112 mph – not nearly as fast as the fastest Ferraris, but certainly enough to give riders the experience they crave. With a vertical drop of 367 feet, this newest entry to the list of the world’s biggest roller coasters just opened in 2017.
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6. Fury 325
Fury 325 is the second largest coaster in the world with a vertical drop of 300 feet, which means it draws roller coaster fans from all over the country to ride it at the Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. The city of Charlotte actually had to get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to build it, since the park is so close to the Charlotte airport. Fury 325 certainly gives riders more than they bargained for, with a length three minute and 25-second ride. The course runs over a mile in length, reaching speeds of 95 mph.
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7. Steel Dragon 2000
Head to Japan’s Kuwana, Mie Prefecture to experience Steel Dragon 2000, the seventh-tallest roller coaster in the world and the tallest in Asia. When this coaster opened in (not surprisingly) 2000, it was the tallest full-circuit roller coaster in the world, and it’s still the second-fastest coaster in Asia, reaching speeds of 95 mph and taking the rider through two tunnels. Steel Dragon may also be one of the safest coasters in the world, since it had to pass Japan’s stringent earthquake requirements, costing more than $50 million to build as a result.
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8. Millennium Force
It’s back to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio to ride Millennium Force. While this coaster only hits no. 8 on the list of the tallest coasters in the world, it has been voted the no. 1 coaster in the United States 10 times, and it’s never fallen below no. 2 on those rankings. This mile-plus ride, which also opened in 2000, takes thrill-seekers through two tunnels, over four hills, and around three overbanked turns, with a total G-force of 4.5 and a maximum vertical drop of 300 feet. The whole ride is a generous two minutes and 20 seconds, after which most people are ready to get in line again.
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9. Leviathan
In Vaughn, Ontario, Canada, Leviathan awaits the brave who venture to the Canadian Wonderland theme park. This giga coaster swings riders out over the park’s parking lot (to thrill people entering the park, presumably) while traversing its mile-long track at 92 mph. With a vertical drop of 306 feet, Leviathan is the fastest and tallest coaster in Canada, and it’s the third-tallest in the world to use the traditional chain lift up a hill before releasing the coaster into each incredibly long ride of three minutes and 28 seconds.
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10. Intimidator 305
If you’re visiting the eastern seaboard and have roller-coaster fans in your family, definitely plan a stop at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. This coaster is only one of 14 in the amusement park, but it’s the tallest and fastest, with a vertical drop of 305 feet (giving the coaster its name) and speeds of 90 mph. The Intimidator features a NASCAR theme, complete with engines revving as you take off, and the ride is a full three minutes long, covering just under a mile.
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