The Fastest Family Fun

School's out, temps are up, and the dog days of summer are looming large. As kids everywhere get comfy in front of Xboxes and set their iPods to "shuffle," moms and dads are pondering alternatives to a couch-bound break for their brood. What summer destination appeals to teenagers and ten-year-olds alike? Where can the whole family have fun together? Theme parks and amusement parks, long a staple of summer vacations, deserve a second look. While they might seem almost "retro" to today's tech-savvy kids, these bonanzas of rollercoasters, water rides, carnival food, and cartoon characters come-to-life really can provide something for everybody.

However, with gas prices hitting record highs this summer, picking the right park to visit is key. We've narrowed the nation's bounty of rip-roaring rides and parks that pack a punch to a convenient list of the best. Kids will be delighted with these choices – some of the oldest, largest, and most unique theme parks around – and parents can give themselves a pat on the back for gathering the whole family together with nary a television in sight.

Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA. This theme park started incorporating rides and 'coasters in 1968 when the owners began charging admission, but the roots of Knott's extend much further back. Walter Knott, the first berry farmer to cultivate boysenberries, started a roadside restaurant on the highway between Los Angeles and Orange County in 1934. Word of the restaurant's fabulous fried chicken and homemade pies spread rapidly, and Knott wanted to entertain the long lines of folks patiently waiting for a booth inside. He constructed a ghost town, complete with gold-panning and a narrow gauge railroad, around the restaurant in 1940. The rustic, family-oriented feel of the first theme park brought visitors in droves, and the Knott family knew they had a hit on their hands. The decision to enclose the park and charge an entry fee in the '60s signaled a new direction for Knott's, but you won't hear any complaints today. Over 35 fast-paced rides and attractions are spread across the park's five distinct areas. A recent addition in summer 2007 was the Sierra Sidewinder, a dizzying rollercoaster that spins you around even as it hurtles you along its twisty track.

Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH. An amusement park that has garnered many superlatives over the years, Cedar Point perches on a peninsula in Lake Erie, joined to the rest of Sandusky, OH, courtesy of the Cedar Point Causeway. Spectacular lake views can be had from the tops of most of the park's phenomenal 69 rides, an amenity that distinguishes Cedar Point from much of its landlocked competition. Construction of the park began in 1870 on a former favored picnic spot, which had also been used to house artillery during the Civil War. With a history that long, it's no wonder that Cedar Point is considered a national treasure, accumulating one of the biggest collections of rollercoasters and rides in the world. The latest and greatest attraction is the park's seventeenth rollercoaster, Maverick, which debuted in May 2007. Riders experience a disorienting initial drop of 95 degrees before encountering three 360-degree rolls, ten banked turns, and a 400-ft tunnel. The two-and-a-half minute ride maxes out at 70mph – definitely not for the faint of heart. Another must for adrenaline addicts is Top Thrill Dragster, a hydraulically powered coaster that launches riders 400 feet into the air at the unbelievable speed of 120mph.

Disneyland® Park, Anaheim, CA. No list of theme and amusement parks would be complete without this, the granddaddy of them all. While Disneyland® may not be the biggest park around, it's still a de rigueur destination for family vacations, and will likely never lose its cachet. The original member of the Disney family of parks opened in 1955 featuring five themed areas: Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Main Street, USA. Today, newer additions New Orleans Square, Critter Country, and Mickey's Toontown provide even more opportunities for fun. Hop on the park's signature monorail to expedite the journey to attractions like Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, an interactive experience where kids can save the universe with movable laser-cannons, and Indiana Jones™ Adventure, a ride for adventure-seekers enhanced by superb special effects. Guests on the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage traverse the Tomorrowland Lagoon with Disney Pixar characters Marlin and Dory in search of that lovable orange and white fish, Nemo.