The summer fun continues at USA Travel Guide, and this time we’re keeping up our hometown spirit at Six Flags Over Texas right here in Dallas (well, Arlington, but it’s close enough).
The original Six Flags theme park, and a likely 11th place to our “10 Best Amusement Parks“, Six Flags Over Texas blends modern thrills and family entertainment with historic ambiance and a lived-in charm. Despite near constant fumblings at the corporate level (in fact, the parent company just filed for chapter 11 last month), the park remains a phenomenal success and an iconic part of life in the Big D, especially for the youth.
I remember going to the park on a 10th grade field trip. It was a surprisingly frigid mid-September day. Like 55 degrees, tops, and windy. My friends and I were joking around, one thing led to another, and in no time at all we had the bright idea of riding the river rapids ride (twice!) and heading straight to the top of the 300 ft. Oil Derrick. So we’re soaked head to toe and 300 ft. up in the air in 10 miles an hour wind on a day barely pushing 50 degrees. It was practically an Altoids commercial.
Best thing about that day: no lines!
I digress. You too can enjoy the abundant thrills (and hopefully not as many of the chills) of Six Flags Over Texas, heading into the peak of its season as we speak. The park has a Texas energy too it (I’m sure you’ve heard that everything is bigger here), but the appeal is universal.
If our sidebar poll is any indication, you theme park fans are all about the coasters, and Six Flags Over Texas has got them in spades. The Texas Giant is the most famous. A majestic wooden rollercoaster that once claimed the highest lift in the world, the Giant offers a thrill-packed ride complemented by the back-breaking herky-jerkies that make wooden coasters so notorious (and in some cases, so loved).
The Texas Giant is an icon. It’s as much a part of history as it is a part of the fun. But if all you’re looking for is extreme excitement, make your way top the Titan. This intimidating hypercoaster is the tallest and fastest in the state, hitting a top speed of 85 miles per hour and crushing your skeleton every inch of the way.
Other must-rides include the backwards flying Flashback!, Mr. Freeze, the brand new Tony Hawk’s Big Spin and, while not a roller coaster, the forced-falling Superman Tower of Power, which has certainly made mice out of plenty of men.
Six Flags Over Texas is also well-known for its extensive family and kids attractions, as well as events, shows and a summer concert series. The big one right now is the Glow in the Park Parade, a nightly illuminated parade complete with vibrant floats, music and dancing. Like something right out of Disneyworld, it’s a new kind of attraction for the park, and it’s working out well.
A common complaint against the park is the prevalence of low quality, high priced food. I can’t defend it except to say that the recent addition of more chain restaurant properties, like Johnny Rocket’s, has certainly boosted the quality, while not exactly alleviating the cost concerns.
Like most modern parks, Six Flags Over Texas employs a Flash Pass system.
Six Flags Over Texas is currently open daily, hours roughly 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., though this could vary. Online ticket prices are cheapest, $31 for regular adult admission, or you can buy a six-day ticket for $49.99 (the days do not have to be consecutive). Learn more about pricing and everything else here.
If you’re coming to the Dallas-area this summer, consider the Doubletree Club Dallas – Farmers Branch. One of our favorite Dallas area hotels, it features the upscale tastes of the Doubletree brand at competitive, just-out-of-town prices, when really it’s not out of the way at all. It’s a quick trip to most Big D attractions, and Six Flags is only 12 miles out. In Texas, that’s not far at all.
Have fun!
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One Comment
Theme Parks are a favorite of our family as well as the visitors to our site… we especially enjoy roller coasters and the faster thrill rides! Theme parks are always a fun time, and if you can find accomodations close by a park, then all the better.