Crazy for Coasters! 8 Rides to Remember

Sure, life has its ups and downs. But there's nothing like a ride on a roller coaster to make life a little less ordinary. Whether you're riding a rickety wooden ride or screaming along on modern steel cut rails, roller coasters aren't just a thundering good time: they're a lasting symbol of summer that kids and parents alike can enjoy.

Are you up for the thrill, but don't know where to start? Here's a roundup of the nation's best coasters, from coast to coast. Note: These rides are not recommended for young children, or faint-hearted adults.

The Voyage, Holiday Land, Santa Claus, IN

Do you like airtime? The Voyage will have you scraping the sky with a combined 24.2 seconds of weightlessness, as well as eight tunnel plunges to keep you grounded. Winner of the 2007 Golden Ticket Award for Best Wooden Coaster, The Voyage boasts one of the longest and fastest rides in the world.

Tatsu, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, CA

The longest, tallest, and fastest “flying” coaster in the world, Tatsu is meant to give riders a feeling of flight from start to finish (“Tatsu” is the Japanese word for “dragon”). Riders are strapped into place, then rotated 90 degrees so that, for the duration of the ride, they are face-down and “flying”! Nobody said being a dragon for a day would be a breeze.

El Toro, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ

Spanish for “the bull,” El Toro features a 76 degree drop, the steepest of any wooden coaster in the world. Made of laser-cut, bonded, and laminated wood sections, the structure makes for a remarkably smooth ride, even while the train is tearing along like a raging bull.