So this is very exciting news—Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson opens this weekend for spring 2023 (cue the applause). Get ready to spin the carousel, get dizzy on the enchanted teacups, and experience all the thrills on some of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in the world, including the Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom. But even for a family that’s not up for daring scream-inducing thrills, Six Flags Great Adventure is a fun day for all ages. You can find gentle rides for littles, moderate ones for everyone, and mind-blowing attractions for older kids, teens, and adults. Scroll down for everything you need to know for a day trip to Six Flags Great Adventure theme park. And after you visit the park, check out Six Flags Safari Drive-Thru, which also opens this weekend. (featured photo credit: Six Flags Great Adventure)
A day of thrills at Six Flags Great Adventure
There’s a ride for everyone at Six Flags in New Jersey, theme park. Photo Credit: Six Flags Great Adventure
Take littles on pint-sized rides
Littles won’t feel left out at Six Flags since they offer many rides just their speed. Fly high with the elephants on the Air Jumbo ride, take a hot air balloon trip on Sky Zooma, or become a junior aviator on Air Safari. From there, spend time in the Safari Kids section with more kid-friendly rides like the Jumpin’ Joey, the Bugaboo ladybug cars, and Raja’s Rickshaw. And at Bugs Bunny National Park, there are a variety of gentle rides for a kid-sized amount of excitement.
Take a ride on the classic Big Wheel, a 150ft tall Ferris wheel. Photo Credit: Six Flags Great Adventure.
Go as a family on moderate thrill rides
Ready to move on from the kiddie rides to ones you can do with the whole fam? There are lots of moderate thrill rides around the entire Six Flags Great Adventure theme park. The carousel is the perfect first stop if you want to start slow. If you are looking for more movement, sway back and forth on the Buccaneer, loosen up on the Runaway Train, or test your driving skills on the Fender Bender bumper cars. Want to take it up another notch? Get wet on the Saw Mill Log Flume, dare to enter Skull Mountain, or test your bravery on the Sky Screamer.
The Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth ride takes thrill-seekers to new heights and speeds with fantastic park views. Photo Credit: Six Flags Great Adventure
Daredevils will get their kicks on ultra-thrilling coasters
Six Flags is full of thrill rides that will bring you up, up, up, and then drop you all the way down. For the brave, Kingda Ka goes from 0 to 128 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds, making it the fastest coaster in North America and the tallest roller coaster in the world. Or try Nitro, the Hypercoaster, which means over-the-top speed, height, and airtime, and then go on to El Toro, one of the fastest and tallest wooden coasters on Earth. Haven’t had enough? Try out more thrill rides like Dare Devil Dive, Twister, and Slingshot. Make sure you also hit the Jersey Devil Coaster, the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest single-rail roller coaster and a thrill for all the daredevils out there. New to the park this year is the return of Medusa, the world’s first floorless, top-rail roller coaster. And don’t forget to pick up the photo of you coming down the rails of your favorite thrill coaster (snapped mid-ride for purchase) to earn your future bragging rights.
A look from above at the entrance of Six Flags in New Jersey. Photo Credit: @sfgradventure
Beyond the rides at Six Flags Great Adventure
After all the rides, a bite or two is a must. Whether you are on the lookout for boardwalk fries, bbq, or pub-style food, there are plenty of choices all over the park. Dessert lovers, this is for you—ice cream, funnel cakes, and fried oreo stops are throughout the park. (Insider tip: purchase a One-Day Dining Deal pass to keep the family fueled all day.) If you want a souvenir to remember your day, specialty shops are open with Looney Tunes apparel, homemade fudge, and fun toys. Do you enjoy some live entertainment? Then you are in for a treat. There are a few events planned for 2023, including Spring Break from April `1- April 16 with extended hours and openings; Scream Break from April 8 through April 15, when the park stays open after dark and offers haunting chills, thrills, and ghouls; and the colorful Summer Vibes Festival during July and August.
Six Flags Drive-Thru Safari is a must-visit at Six Flags in New Jersey. Photo Credit: Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure – Make it a day trip
New Jersey’s largest and most popular theme park, Six Flags Great Adventure, is next door to the Six Flags Great Adventure Safari, where you embark on a journey of seeing animals from all over the world from the comfort of your car. The Safari Drive-Thru has over 1,200 animals from six continents (tickets are purchased separately online). Make sure you check out the “Giraffe Encounter”—a Safari VIP Tour that takes you in open-air trucks through seven sections of the Wild Safari, where you can even hand-feed giraffes. And when temps heat up, head over to Six Flag’s water park, Hurricane Harbor, and spend the rest of the day sliding and splashing on the lazy river and in the pools. New for 2023 is a treehouse splash area—with a giant tipping water bucket—and 7 new slides where littles will feel comfortable whirling and spinning down.
The Nitro hypercoaster can reach up to 80 miles per hour. Photo Credit: Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure—What to know before you go
Tickets are available starting for the day at $34.99, and if you’re planning to go multiple times throughout the season, there are season pass levels that include access to all parks. You can also add to your ticket with a Flash Pass—reservation access to the rides, so you don’t wait in line— purchase a One-Day Dining Deal to keep you fueled all day long, a parking pass, or document your day with a Picture Pass.
Visit Six Flags Great Adventure on their website, Facebook, and Instagram for more information.
Six Flags Great Adventure
1 Six Flags Boulevard, Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 928-2000
Has your family been to Six Flags in New Jersey? Let us know your favorite rides in the comments below!
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