10 Of The Most Extreme Rollercoasters Why Coasters Are So Popular When thrill seekers want to face the ultimate rush, some fly high in an airplane and parachute to earth, while others choose bungee jumping.  Others use whitewater rafting to satisfy their urge for the extreme and dangerous.  For some people, though, there is no greater thrill than strapping themselves into a roller coaster and rocketing into the sky, only to careen back to Earth at ear-shattering speeds.  These people are the roller-coaster junkies.  They’re the people who never find enough satisfaction from more down-to-earth pursuits, and nothing can thrill them quite like the roller coaster.  Theme park rides have played a major part in the world’s enjoyment of weekend trips to parks such as Six Flags, Busch Gardens, Cedar Point, and King’s Island.  Theme park water rides are extremely popular, as well, though to a lesser extent than their land-based counterparts.  Aside from providing refreshing, relaxing respite to the entire family during hot summer days, theme park water rides and other theme park rides provide fun and entertainment that are sure to make a lasting impression. What To Look For Many people wonder what to look for when seeking the ultimate theme park rides.  Some people prefer the incredibly frightening, while others prefer a more mellow experience.  Regardless of which your family prefers, it’s always a good idea to try out the extreme theme park rides; that way you can experience the entire spectrum of the American theme park experience.  There are many great rides from which to choose, and most of them are within a 12-hour drive of the country’s most populous cities.   The Coasters Superman - Ride of Steel The Ride of Steel is believed by many to be among the top roller coasters in the world.  The Ride of Steel is 208 feet tall, features a 205-foot vertical plunge, and reaches a top speed in excess of 70 miles per hour.  That makes it among the tallest and fastest coasters in the world.  The Ride of Steel is located at Six Flags America, and can handle more than 1,000 passengers per hour.  The high passenger turnover means that the ride is relatively short for a so-called “super-coaster,” but also means that the ride is extraordinarily fast over its short duration. Top Thrill Dragster Built on the premise of hydraulically launching riders into a nearly immediate vertical climb, followed by an extreme bank and plunge, Top Thrill has been named among the top 10 coasters in the world for sheer enjoyment.  Located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, the Top Thrill is 420 feet tall and features a drop of over 400 feet during the downward plunge.  The coaster reaches speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest in existence.  Only a few coasters are as tall as the Top Thrill, and to experience the other one, you’ll need to travel to Japan.  El Toro El Toro is situated in the plush landscape of Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.  The coaster is consistently named by coaster enthusiasts as one of the top 5 coasters in the world.  Because of this recognition, riders flock by the thousands to ride El Toro every day.  Although El Toro is a wooden coaster, riders will enjoy a ride that is silky smooth and comfortable, even as they are terrified out of their minds.  The Cyclone The Cyclone is located at Coney Island in New York.  Despite many attempts to update the coaster, it retains its old-world charm.  The Cyclone is very old by today’s standard, and reaches a top speed of only around 60 miles per hour.  Regardless, the ride, which crests at 85 feet in height, has been popular with families for generations.    Nitro The Nitro, located at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, has a height of 230 feet and a drop of 215 feet on the first hill.  The ride is heavy with twists and turns, and large dips make customers guess what the next bend in the track will bring.  The Nitro is one of the fastest steel coasters available, and one of only a few built by manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland.  Families with children taller than 54” are eligible to ride the coaster, and screams of delight can be heard for miles.  Kingda Ka The Kingda Ka holds the record as the fastest and tallest roller coaster in the world.  The Kingda Ka offers a drop of 465 feet, at speeds in excess of 128 miles per hour.  Being the tallest and fastest, though, brings many expectations, some of which aren’t always met by this beast of a coaster.  The ride is atypically short for a mega-coaster, and the ride quality is very bumpy.  That, combined with the sheer speed of the coaster, leads many people to avoid it after riding it once.  Goliath The Goliath is one of the most popular coasters in the world.  Featuring blistering speeds of around 90 miles per hour, and twisting spirals and banks that will cause even the most dedicated coaster buff to pause at the end of the ride, Goliath is just too fast and too intense for many riders, and should only be attempted by those with a strong stomach.  The extreme g-forces of the Goliath lead many riders to feel that they’ll pass out during the ride.  Of course, for many coaster enthusiasts, that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.  Superman The Escape - 328 Foot Drop The 328-foot drop of Superman – The Escape at Six Flags is one of the tallest coasters in the world.  One of the most highly sought-after rides in American theme park history, The Escape features a 328-foot vertical plunge, leading many enthusiasts to call it the “The Mountain.”  The Escape is similar in design to the Tower of Terror in Australia, though it has little in common with Disney’s Tower of Terror in Orlando.  The Beast The Beast is a traditional wooden roller coaster located at King’s Island in Ohio.  The Beast is one of the longest and fastest wooden coasters in existence, and has been in use for over 40 years.  The Beast is considered by many to be the ultimate roller coaster in the world; it features a 140-foot drop and reaches speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour.  While The Beast isn’t the longest or tallest coaster in the world, its unique design features entice riders to ride again and again.  Many people will queue up for hours just to ride this wooden behemoth.  The cream of the crop of rides in American theme park attractions, the Best stands at the head its class.  Son Of Beast The sequel to the spectacular Beast, also located at King’s Island in Ohio, Son of Beast was the first wooden coaster to incorporate a number of design features, including the first vertical loop incorporated into a wooden coaster.  The ride is more than a mile long, and lasts just over 2 minutes.  Unfortunately, the wooden coaster has had its vertical loop removed, but not before charging its way to the head of the pack of wooden roller coasters.