Updated: July 8, 2026
Ohio does a lot of things well. But there’s nothing, I repeat, NOTHING we do better than roller coasters.
Cedar Point was named the “Best Amusement Park in the World” by Amusement Today 16 years running, from 1998 through 2013. And if we’re all being honest, Kings Island is pretty dope too. From steel to wood to hybrid, there are coasters for all levels of thrill seeking in the Buckeye State.
If I’m being honest, I should tell you that I’m not historically great at riding roller coasters. I frequently spend hours waiting in line talking myself out of and into riding the ride about 15 times. But at the end of the day, facing your fears isn’t always bad for you. That’s why an Abnormal Psych college professor took his students to Cedar Point to ride some of the worlds best coasters.
Terrified or thrilled, these coasters are all just a short drive from Columbus, waiting for you to hop onboard and scream your little heart out. Kings Island is about 90 minutes south and Cedar Point about two and a half hours north, so either park is a doable day trip. We’ve included average wait times here, but listen up thrill-seeking buttercups: Your wait time will vary greatly depending on the time of day, the weather, what date you’re visiting the park, and a bunch of other factors.
Luckily for you, both parks are now part of Six Flags, and the free Six Flags app shows live wait times for every ride at Kings Island and Cedar Point so you can make the most of your day at the park.
Here are the 10 Best Roller Coasters in Ohio.
Top Thrill 2
Park: Cedar Point
Opened: 2024
Specs: Cedar Point rebuilt the retired Top Thrill Dragster into Top Thrill 2, now the tallest and fastest triple-launch coaster in the world. It has a height of 420 ft and a top speed of 120 mph, which it hits on the last of three launches between two 420-foot towers.
Average Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Requirements: Riders must be 52 inches.
Millennium Force
Park: Cedar Point
Opened: 2000
Specs: When this steel coaster opened, it broke 6 world records and was coined the world’s first “gigacoaster”. It has a height of 310 ft, a top speed of 93 mph, and can service 1,300 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Requirements: Riders must be 48–78 inches.
The Beast
Park: Kings Island
Opened: 1979
Specs: This world famous wooden coaster is the longest in the world. It has a height of 110 feet, a top speed of 65 mph, and can service 1,200 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 1 hour
Requirements: Riders must be 48 inches.
Steel Vengeance
Park: Cedar Point
Opened: 2018
Specs: Formerly the wooden Mean Streak, Steel Vengeance reopened in 2018 as a record-breaking steel-and-wood hybrid, and it still lands on lists of the best coasters in the world. The hybrid coaster has a height of 205 ft, a top speed of 74 mph, and can service 1,200 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 2-3 hours (one of the most popular coasters in the park, so ride it early)
Requirements: Riders must be 52 inches.
Diamondback
Park: Kings Island
Opened: 2009
Specs: When Diamondback was built, it was the first hypercoaster to feature a splash down. Diamondback has a height of 230 ft, a top speed of 80 mph, and can service 1,620 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 1 hour
Requirements: Riders must be 54 inches.
Gatekeeper
Park: Cedar Point
Opened: 2013
Specs: This steel wing coaster opened in 2013 with what was then the tallest inversion in the world, a 170-foot dive straight over the park’s front gate. Gatekeeper has a height of 170 ft, a top speed of 67 mph, and can service 1,710 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Requirements: Riders must be 52–78 inches.
Orion
Park: Kings Island
Opened: 2020
Specs: Orion is a giga coaster, one of only a handful in the world, which means it clears 300 feet from crest to bottom. It has a height of 287 ft, a 300-foot drop, and a top speed of 91 mph.
Average Wait Time: 1 hour
Requirements: Riders must be 54 inches.
Raptor
Park: Cedar Point
Opened: 1994
Specs: When this inverted steel coaster opened in 1994, it was the tallest, fastest and longest inverted roller coaster in the world. Raptor has a height of 137 ft, a top speed of 57 mph, and can service 1,600 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 1-1.5 hours
Requirements: Riders must be 54 inches.
Magnum XL-200 aka Magnum
https://youtu.be/3nPG4l9-LkM
Park: Cedar Point
Opened: 1989
Specs: Magnum was the first hypercoaster in the world. This steel coaster has a height of 205 ft, a top speed of 72 mph, and can service 2,000 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Requirements: Riders must be 48 inches.
Banshee
Park: Kings Island
Opened: 2014
Specs: Banshee is the longest steel-inverted coaster at 4,124 feet. It has a height of 167 ft, a top speed of 68 mph, and can service 1,650 riders per hour.
Average Wait Time: 1-2 hours
Requirements: Riders must be 52–78 inches.
I’ll see you at the park everyone. I’ll be the one simultaneously crying and having the best time of my life on some coasters.
