Kings Island rules Cincinnati area with amusement
| |
From a distance, Paramount's Kings Island looks like an ancient megalopolis stripped of its beauty. But as visitors near what appears to be the skeletal remains of a once-proud infrastructure, the frameworks are revealed as ... roller coasters.
Lots of them. The 364-acre theme and water park, 24 miles north of Cincinnati, is home to 13 roller coasters of various shapes, sizes, twists and speeds.
Want thrills that turn the nervous system inside out⢠There's the King Vortex, the world's first looping roller coaster with six inversions, and Top Gun, which simulates the thrills of the Tom Cruise movie of the same name.
If classic coasters are more to your liking, try The Beast, the longest wooden roller coaster in the world, or Son of Beast, the tallest, fastest and only looping wooden roller coaster on Earth.
There are even four roller coasters for kids, including the new Rugrats Runaway Reptar, the world's first inverted roller coaster for kids. Just don't ride it with little Johnny or Mary right after lunch.
Despite the plenitude of rides that climb, dive and loop, there are enough amusements, attractions and diversions to satisfy almost anyone at Kings Island. The rides range from the Miami Valley Railroad, a slow-paced train ride that snakes through the park, to the Paramount Action FX Theater, where nascent daredevils can replicate driving a car in the aptly-named Smash Factory, or pretend they're a superhero in the 7th Portal.
There's also the usual amusement park attractions: Bumper cars, white-water rides and swinging chairs, along with tried-and-true midway attractions such as skee ball, shooting galleries, remote control cars and boats, and arcade games.
| |
But Paramount's Kings Island truly shines in its attention to the small fries (and no, we don't mean miniature french fries, although they're undoubtedly available somewhere in the multitude of food booths).
The kids like Tommy, Chuckie and Angelica⢠They're taken care of at Nickelodeon Central, where there's a theater and a character studio, among other diversions, devoted to the 'Rugrats' characters. Other kiddie-oriented attractions pay homage to 'Blue's Clues' and 'The Wild Thornberrys.'
For parents who still have nostalgia for '60s cartoons, there's Hanna-Barbera Land, where the rides include the 'Flintsone's Bumper Boulders,' 'Yogi's Sky Tours,' 'Pixie & Dixie's Swingset' and, most curiously, 'Boo-Boo's Baggage Claim,' which, despite the name, was not inspired by an airport horror story.
WaterWorks (which is free with park admission) is especially popular during the summer, with water slides, a wave pool and Wipe Out Beach, billed as the the only place to body surf in the Midwest.
There also are attractions for those afflicted by vertigo and motion sickness. International Street harbors a replica of the Eiffel Tower, theaters for Broadway-style revues, a bandstand for concerts, gift shops and other enticements for those who desire a more leisurely pace.
One of the most essential ingredients of any amusement park is, of course, the food. The usual suspects - hamburgers, hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn - are available, of course, but there's also regional foodstuffs. Try the Montgomery Inn Ribs, LaRosa's pizza, and especially Skyline Chili: sweet, cinnamon-flavored chili served over spaghetti with cheddar cheese topping.
Despite it's spacious grounds, Paramount's Kings Island gets packed on weekends. Even park officials advise potential guests to come on any day but Saturday, when crowds grow as large as 35,000.
Regis Behe can be reached at (412) 320-7990 or rbehe@tribweb.com .
| Paramount's Kings Island |
| |
Season: Open daily from through Aug. 20. Also open Aug 24 through 26, Sept. 1 through 3, Sept. 23 and 30, and weekends from Oct. 6 through 28.
Hours: Park opens at 9 a.m., rides begin operating at 10 a.m. Park closing times vary from 8 to 11 p.m. (depending on the crowds). WaterWorks hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Admission: $39.99 for ages 7 to 59; $19.99 for ages 3 to 6 and those less than 48 inches tall; $19.19 for age 60 and older; $23.99 after 5 p.m. Two-day passes are $56.99 for ages 7 to 59,; $28.50 for ages 3 to 6 and those less than 48 inches tall. It's free for age 2 and younger.
Parking: $7; $10 for preferred parking; free for buses.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, take Interstate 279 South to Exit 1. Take I-79 South to the Wheeling exit of I-79 South to the Wheeling exit of I-70 West. Take Exit 99A-B to I-71 South. Take Ohio 741 Exit to Ohio Route 741 to Kings Mill Road. Turn left onto Columbia Road at park.
Details: (800) 288-0808, (513) 754-5600 or www.pki.com .
| What do you do⢠|
If you're in southwestern Ohio, and your destination is Paramount's Kings Island (where as many as 35,000 flock on summer Saturdays) all is not lost. There are plenty of nearby attractions to satisfy action seekers and those in search of more sedate diversions.
Wild Wild West
The Dude Ranch, only 10 minutes from Kings Island on the Ripple Creek Ranch, offers a bit of the Wild West experience. Go on a leisurely trail ride on tame trail horses, or try the western cattle drive, complete with longhorn steers, where you do everything save rope the critters.
There also are hayrides, a petting zoo, marshmallow roasts, a fishing hole, and some of the friendliest cowboys and cowgirls east of Laramie to help even the most challenged city slicker ride comfortably - and safely - with minimal instruction.
Hours: Rides leave every morning starting at 10 a.m.; the last ride leaves at 5 p.m. Call for reservations.
Admission: Prices range from $22.95 for a 30-minute trail ride to $49.95 for a 1 &*#189; hour western cattle drive. Group and children's rates available.
Directions: Follow directions from Pittsburgh to Kings Island to Interstate 71 South. Take Waynesville Road exit south to The Dude Ranch.
Details: (513) 956-8099 or www.theduderanch.com .
Not-So Wild Waters
If water sports are more to your to your liking. Morgan's Canoe Livery at Fort Ancient, near Oregonia, offers rafting and canoeing excursions on the scenic Little Miami River. Designated a National Scenic River, the slow-moving stream has a minimum of rapids, but the gorgeous landscape and abundant wildlife make it a relaxing trip. A variety of excursions are available via raft and canoe, with 60 acres of campgrounds nearby for extended stays.
Hours: Open 8 a.m. daily. The first trip departs at 9 a.m.; the last departs at 3 p.m. weekdays, 4 p.m. weekends. Call for reservations.
Prices: Range from $25 to $42.50 per person per canoe or raft, depending upon length of trip.
Directions: Follow directions from Pittsburgh to Kings Island to I-71 South. Take Exit 50 to U.S. Route 68, turning left. Turn right onto U.S. Route 22 West/Ohio Route 3 South. Turn right onto Ohio Route 350 to Morgan's Canoe Livery.
Details: (800) 932-2663 or www.morganscanoe.com .
Tame Small-Town America
Finally, for those who like to shop, Waynesville, the 'Antiques Capital of the Midwest,' offers 70 shops in a five-block area. There's a quaint, small-town atmosphere that evokes an 'It's a Wonderful Life' feeling. Don't believe it. Check out the 32nd Ohio Sauerkraut Festival (Oct. 13 and 14.)
For more adventurous souls, the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail extends north from Milford, in Clermont County, to just past Yellow Springs in Greene County. Corwin Peddler, across the Little Miami from Waynesville in Corwin, offers great rates for bike rentals.
Directions: Follow directions from Pittsburgh to Kings Island to I-71 South. Take Exit 45 to Ohio Route 73. Turn right onto Corwin Avenue to Waynesville.
Details: (513) 897-8855 or www.waynesvilleohio.com .
