Michigan’s Adventure
Muskegon, Michigan
Rolled into one fun-filled playground, Michigan’s Adventure offers an amusement park and a water park. The two boast more than 60 rides and attractions, including seven roller coasters.
Shivering Timbers roller coaster remains a guest favorite. Since opening in 1998, it has ranked as one of the world’s most thrilling wooden roller coasters. On its one-mile journey, it reaches a top speed of 65 mph as it plunges down the track.
“People come from all over the country and overseas to ride Shivering Timbers,” said Laure Bollenbach, the park’s director of marketing. “It’s an out-and-back coaster with a single lift hill. The first hill is over 125 feet high and provides guests with a large amount of air time, which translates to a sensation of weightlessness.”
The amusement park’s classic rides include the Tilt-A-Whirl, the Scrambler, bumper boats and bumper cars. The lake’s swan-shaped paddle boats provide a peaceful retreat from the midways. Also quite popular, Grand Rapids is the amusement park’s big river raft ride, where there’s a guarantee of getting just a little bit wet.
Groups can cool off at Wildwater Adventure, the adjacent water park. Two- to three-person rafts slither down steep slides and through tunnels. Three wave pools and tubing on the lazy river are popular for those who prefer to lounge.
Groups can opt for a catered picnic in the pavilion. A Midwest barbecue menu includes a choice of hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, chicken and ribs.
Silver Dollar City
Branson, Missouri
Old-fashioned Ozark legend and craftsmanship combines with theme park pleasures at Silver Dollar City. The 1880s-style destination celebrates with seven major festivals throughout the year. World-Fest kicks off the season, and An Old-Time Christmas offers festivities through December.
Scattered throughout this forested park’s rolling hills are more than 100 resident craftspeople who demonstrate America’s heritage crafts and sell their wares. Visitors can shop for pottery, glassworks, ironworks and much more. High-speed rides, an authentic steam train, a cave tour and lots of down-home entertainment will make any visit memorable. Foodies will gravitate to the park’s Midwest Living Culinary and Craft School, which offers an ever-changing array of demonstration classes.
New for 2015, Silver Dollar City will open Fireman’s Landing, an $8 million development. It will salute the spirit and training activities of community volunteer firefighters. The expansion’s 10 new rides and attractions will boost the park’s total to more than 40.
“Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in Ozark history at our new Fireman’s Landing and enjoy the charm of this re-created 100-year-old town,” said Lisa Rau, director of public relations and publicity for Silver Dollar City Attractions. “It’s based on a re-enacted volunteer fair, and two recruits will become part of the local fire brigade. Plus, there’s a tribute to firefighters everywhere.”
In addition, June ushers in the Star-Spangled Summer festival and the Harlem Globetrotters. The team will dazzle onlookers with its basketball prowess in a 30-minute show. After 88 years, the crowd-pleasing Globetrotters have played more than 25,000 games on six continents and 122 countries and territories.
