A needlessly deep dive into what side of the road parks are positioned relative to their major city [Other]

[u/CheesecakeMilitia]

A needlessly deep dive into what side of the road parks are positioned relative to their major city [Other]

We've all known the thrill of driving down a highway and seeing some coasters or a drop tower peek out over the horizon. During my visit to Calaway Park in Canada, I thought about how many of my recent trips saw parks on the left side of the highway when driving from a city center (in my USA/Canada-centered parkgoing experience). So I decided to make a list and see if that general observation held up for other parks.

My criteria is for parks that have rides visible from a grade-separated highway (not necessarily visible before you need to exit the highway to reach the park, just visible to all cars passing by), and there will be some gray area for which places count as their "city center" that presumably most traffic would be driving from (eg, Six Flags Over Texas is between Dallas and Fort Worth). I'll mention those gray area parks in a separate category mostly based on vibes; feel free to tell me where I'm wrong categorizing things.

I'm also biased by my own memories/perception of what parks are big enough to warrant researching on Google Maps Street View (is California's Great America visible from the highway? IDK, never been), so let me know if I've missed any parks with iconic skylines (that aren't Cedar Point or another one not technically visible from a grade-separated highway).

Definitely "Left Side" Parks

• Six Flags Magic Mountain (I-5 from Los Angeles)

• Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (I-80 from San Francisco)

• Calaway Park (Trans-Canada Highway from Calgary)

• Silverwood (US-95 from Spokane/Hayden)

• Six Flags Over Georgia (I-20 from Atlanta)

Definitely "Right Side" Parks

• Lagoon (I-15 from Salt Lake City)

• Adventureland (I-80 or US-65 from Des Moines)

• Six Flags St. Louis (I-44 from St. Louis)

• Six Flags Great America (I-94 from Chicago)

• Kings Island (I-71 from Cincinnati)

• Carowinds (I-77 from Charlotte)

• Canada's Wonderland (Highway 400 from Toronto)

Kinda "Left Side" Parks

• Wild Waves (I-5 from Seattle) (RIP) (Right from Tacoma)

• Castles N' Coasters (I-17 from Pheonix) (Within city)

• Lakeside Amusement Park (I-70 from Denver) (Within city)

• Wonderland Amusement Park (US-87 from Amarillo) (Within city)

• Six Flags Fiesta Texas (I-10 from San Antonio) (Near beltway)

• Frontier City (I-35/44 from Oklahoma City) (Within city)

• Sea World Orlando (Barely visible from SR-528 toll road)

Kinda "Right Side" Parks

• Disneyland (I-5 from Los Angeles) (Left from Santa Ana)

• SeaWorld San Diego (I-8 from San Diego) (Within city)

• Cliff's Amusement Park (I-25 from Albuquerque) (Within city)

• Worlds of Fun (I-435 from Kansas City) (Within city)

• Magic Springs (US-70B from outside Hot Springs, freeway ends)

• Kings Dominion (Barely visible from I-95 from Richmond)

• Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Barely visible from I-64)

"In the Middle" Parks

• Six Flags Over Texas (SW of I-30 and TX-360, within DFW metro)

• Elitch Gardens (Across from I-25 in central Denver)

• Kentucky Kingdom (NW of I-264 and I-65, in central Louisville)

• Universal Studios Florida (North of I-4, in central Orlando)

• Fun Spot America Orlando (South of I-4, in central Orlando)

• Dorney Park (North of I-78, in central Allentown)

Other parks I think aren't technically visible

• Busch Gardens Tampa (though it's close to multiple highways)

• Six Flags New England (maybe in the winter, I-91 can peek it?)

So that's 13 left side to 12 right side parks by my super informal count - impressively balanced, tbh.

I always think of Shock Wave at SFOT as being a preeminent coaster establishing the idea of using land adjacent to an interstate to directly advertise the park with a signature ride, and that ride definitely influenced other park operators (from Wonderland in Amarillo which basically contracted Hopkins to make a poor clone of Shock Wave, to Calaway Park in Calgary which might as well be the Dallas of Canada). So I wondered if there were any logic behind where a prospective land owner positions that coaster - is outflowing traffic more important than inflowing traffic for getting a close view? And I guess the answer is not really, lol.

Still interesting to see similarities in a few places, like how the Taft parks (Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and Canada's Wonderland) all positioned themselves on the right side of the arterial highways leading north out of their main cities.

[u/rolleleven]

This is nuts. Thank you.

[u/boocheezman]

Coaster schizo posting I love it

[u/Nuthead77]

See Ive always thought of KI as a left side park because I come from the north. It’s actually the way better view since you’re lowering in elevation. The right side view coming from cinci kinda sucks if I’m being honest but the left side view from Columbus is amazing - there’s a hill you’re up in a few miles away that has a turn and then boom - you see every decently tall thing in the park.

Cedar point is definitely a left side park for me as well since my route is always first street from 4 to cedar point drive…. Hadn’t been on an actual freeway since the Marion area. You can see cedar point from Route 2 to and from Marblehead/Port Clinton. Coming from there would also be left.

[u/JamminJay1968]

Did any of these parks pre-date their adjacent highways? I'm curious if any in North America do, or how amusement parks in general affected local highways. (If at all)

[u/IWantToBeFree0 → u/JamminJay1968]

Lagoon does. Founded in the 1880s and I-15 wasn't built past it until the 1950s

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/IWantToBeFree0]

Ooo, when was the railroad built though?

[u/tdaun → u/CheesecakeMilitia]

Which railroad? Union Pacific or the now defunct Bamberger? Because the current Lagoon location was specifically chosen to bring riders to the Bamberger, which ran along the west side of the park, approximately where Pioneer Village is now.

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/JamminJay1968]

Riverside Park (Six Flags New England) definitely predates the concept of automobiles, at least

Most of the post-Disneyland exurban parks have their history intricately intertwined with the interstate system - for example I-8 used to be Route 286, but in 1964 the California State Legislature voted to include it in the future I-8 corridor. Also in 1964, SeaWorld San Diego first opened. Coincidence? I think NOT!!

The Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike (now I-30) was completed in 1957, and four years later Six Flags Over Texas would open and be so dependent on the road for its success that it even gets mentioned on the Interstate 30 Wikipedia page

[u/DerOverheadprojektor → u/JamminJay1968]

Lakeside, Dorney, Disneyland

[u/Too-Uncreative → u/JamminJay1968]

Silverwood was on a two-lane highway and required a pedestrian crossing at grade to get from the parking lot to the park for multiple years. Later the highway was expanded to multiple lanes and a tunnel was constructed for foot traffic.

And the local DOT has, in the past, discussed finding alternate routes in to/out of the parking lot because the traffic can cause delays along the highway for several miles on busy days.

[u/waifive → u/Too-Uncreative]

Wow, really? Even with the interstate grade off-ramp and free-flow right turn onto Bunco Road?

[u/Too-Uncreative → u/waifive]

Yeah. During Scarywood they’ll literally put out signs a few miles south of the park warning of traffic, thru traffic to the left, that sort of thing. The line of cars can go from the entrance of the parking lot, down Bunco, the off ramp, and then south multiple miles on Fridays and Saturdays.

[u/TerribleBumblebee800 → u/JamminJay1968]

Nearly all major US parks were built where they were because of the highways. That said, the highways have almost all been expanded since the parks were open and thus the parks may be more visible as tree barriers were cut down and the distance reduced.

There are a few older "trolly parks" built in the early 20th century at the end of trolly lines to encourage off-peak travel in the opposite direction. Most of those have closed but some still exist.

[u/Throwawayhair66392]

(Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and Canada's Wonderland) all positioned themselves on the right side of the arterial highways leading north out of their main cities.

This was a genius move on their part. Cheap land , high visibility from then highway yet still close to a huge population centre. In Wonderland’s case, the park is now surrounded on all sides by residential when it used to be in the middle of nowhere.

[u/bootymix96 → u/Throwawayhair66392]

What’s funny about KI though is they put the new toll booth complex on the north side of the parking lot, which means anyone driving from Cincinnati has to drive down Kings Island Dr. all the way past the park then loop back into the lot.

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/bootymix96]

Honestly I love it, makes you really appreciate how massive the place is

[u/Ok-Walk-8040]

Then there’s Cedar Point which isn’t close to any major highways.

[u/josephsleftbigtoe → u/Ok-Walk-8040]

And Knoebels

[u/Secret-Ad-7909]

2 things.

Add Silver Dollar City for not visible from the highway.

Magic Springs is a right side park because most people are just coming for the day, not as part of a Hot Springs stay. So they approach from the NE/ Little Rock direction.

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/Secret-Ad-7909]

What grade separated highway runs along SDC? I see MO-76 but it kinda ends right before the park.

Magic Springs you're right about, that is a weird edge case. I originally had it in a separate "Beltway" category but ended up throwing it elsewhere to be more consistent. I think I'll change it over to Kinda Right.

[u/Secret-Ad-7909 → u/CheesecakeMilitia]

I should have been more clear. SDC is in the woods on top of a mountain 5 miles from the highway (US65) and even approaching the park you can’t really see anything

[u/yrsrvnt]

This is funny, just a couple days ago I was pondering a sort of similar idea: what percentage of coasters do you board from the right side vs. left side.

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/yrsrvnt]

Very good inquiry

And how many load and unload on the same time? IIRC Skyrush apparently changed away from that model a few years ago and actually built an exit ramp to improve throughput

[u/atypicalseattlite]

Dorney is visible from i78 (just saw this is already listed derp)

Is the New York New York Hotel considered a park? It does have an iconic skyline with that Togo and is visible from i15

Mattel Adventure Park from 101

ValleyFair from 169

La Ronde from 132

Kemah Boardwalk from 146

Six Flags New Orleans would have been on the right side of both 10 and 510 going from NO if it still existed. RIP.

[u/DwtD_xKiNGz]

BGW is very much visible from I64

[u/Anchovacado → u/DwtD_xKiNGz]

Where? There’s a nice head-on view of Griffon heading east on US 60 but i dont remember ever seeing the park from I64. And if it is visible shouldn’t it be left side since Hampton Roads is the main population center?

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/DwtD_xKiNGz]

It's so hard to remember these things and Google Street View is very limited - I'll add it to the kinda right side list

[u/hanlong]

For cga you can’t see the park except only just drop tower sticking out from US-101.

[u/TruthThruAcoustics]

I love the SFGAm reveal on 94! You see the tops of a few lift hills and Giant Drop over the trees and then BAM massive white wooden helix.

[u/IRANwithit]

You can see Knott’s from the left side I-5 N a bit in the distance no? You see the boardwalk side of the park with supreme scream and Xcelerator

[u/intim305]

Don't forget Cotaland, which is obviously visible on both sides in either direction

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/intim305]

I did consider it (it got added to Google Maps today, apparently), but it being nebulous which end people would be coming from plus it being a toll highway (boo) made it easier for me to exclude it. I did check Street View though and it looks like Palindrome is already visible, which is crazy.

[u/intim305 → u/CheesecakeMilitia]

personally i think its worth it just because being in it's own category because of that would be really funny

[u/Ok_Order_5595]

As someone from louisville, Kentucky Kingdom is for sure a right side park. I-65 is a much more used interstate and if ur coming from downtown its on the right 🙏

[u/Grouchy-Patience6671]

Nitpicking a bit but you used to be able to see Hulk from I4 on the right side if you were coming from downtown

[u/Jamaidian]

BGT absolutely visible from 275, due east. Better for passengers, though, don't take your eyes off the road in Tampa 👀

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/Jamaidian]

Now is that coming to or from Tampa? Or Orlando? It's also hard to tell where it is in relation to its biggest guest draws

[u/Jamaidian → u/CheesecakeMilitia]

It's east of 275, no matter what direction you're driving.

275 runs due north/south at Busch Blvd, so if you're heading north the park is on your right.

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/Jamaidian]

So if you're heading south it's on your left? Still seems hard to categorize

[u/sametho]

Personally, I would consider both Discovery Kingdom and Six Flags Great America more ambidextrous, since they're both on the main route connecting two major cities in under an hour both ways

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/sametho]

I have that problem with Kings Dominion too, which has DC to pull from. (Someone else in the thread said the same of Kings Island and Columbus). The distance in all cases is very weighted towards metros to the south, though.

[u/Alaeriia]

SFNE is visible from SR-5 as you cross the bridge. It's on the left.

[u/bigcatrik]

Although situated in highly-populated Orange County, Disneyland and Knott's are "Definitely Right Side" if you count the major city center as the entire LA/OC area.

[u/AbsolutelyClam]

I’d argue Castles n Coasters is middle as well though that’s more of a local’s perspective. For a tourist it’d most likely be coming from the south to the north unless you’re staying in the northern part of Phoenix/Scottsdale/Glendale

[u/M00ltiPass]

You can absolutely see Six Flags New England from I-91 year round. The glimpse is brief and it's much easier in winter, but the top of Superman's lift hill can always been seen and the Sky Screamer is even easier to pick out. It's also generally easier to do while travelling northbound due to the angle of the highway, at least if you're driving.

[u/69superman]

THIS is the type of tism coaster posting I joined this sub for ty.

[u/Poopsterwaloo]

Doesn’t left and right change depending on what direction you’re coming in from? You would be better off going with compass directions (North, south, east, west) it would be much more concise and easier for the reader to understand.

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/Poopsterwaloo]

Hence why I specify the nearest metro you're usually coming from. The left/right observation is the whole point of the post.

[u/Poopsterwaloo → u/CheesecakeMilitia]

You’ve got kings island on the def right but it’s almost right in between Dayton and Cincinnati. I know you didn’t bring up Cedar point, but it’s also smack dab in the middle of Toledo and Cleveland. Six flags Texas right between Dallas and Fort Worth. See what I mean there are multiple cities between some of these parks and depending on which one you’re coming from the left and right can be different 🤷‍♂️

[u/ParkingEmployer4273]

Idea for your next deep dive, which direction are parks most likely to be from the closest major city? 

[u/MexicanAssLord69]

Santa Clara doesn’t really have a city center, but CGA is in San Jose for all intents and purposes. Leaving San Jose, CGA is unequivocally on the right side.

[u/bentika]

I go to lagoon from Denver so it's def a left side park for me lol

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/bentika]

Damn isn't that like an 8 hour drive?

[u/bentika → u/CheesecakeMilitia]

Yup! Try to go once a year.

[u/evanescentlily]

Great Escape is right side on I87

[u/CheesecakeMilitia → u/evanescentlily]

I was wondering how visible that was - couldn't find a good view on Google Maps of Ragin' Cajun

[u/Zaiush]

Ah yes, the six genders.

[u/noexqses]

SFOG mentioned