Wanting to get your theme park fix? Here are some options near Columbia
Amusement parks can be a great option for summer activities for families or individuals. Whether you’re looking for rides, games, food or just something to do, here are some things to consider when weighing which of the closet theme parks to buy a ticket for.
Carowinds
Distance from Hilton Head: 236 miles or 3 hours and 42 minutes
Daily admission price: $75 at the gate, $65 online
Opened in 1973, Carowinds is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Located just outside Charlotte, the park straddles the North Carolina-South Carolina border.
The park has 14 roller coasters, including the 325-foot-tall Fury 325, the sixth-tallest in the world, according to the Roller Coaster database. There are 45 total rides and 33 dining locations in the park, according to the park’s website.
This year the park opened an aviation-themed area in the back of the park, including new rides and restaurants. Carowinds has an on-site (though separately ticketed) waterpark, hotel and campground. It is a 25-minute drive from Charlotte.
Dollywood
Distance from Hilton Head: 389 miles or 6 hours and 48 minutes
Daily admission price: $89
Operating under several names since 1961, Dollywood officially opened in 1986 after singer Dolly Parton partnered with the park’s owners, according to the park’s website.
Dollywood has 46 total rides and attractions and over 30 dining locations, according to its website. There are 9 roller coasters, including the Big Bear Mountain family coaster, which opened this year. It was ranked the best theme park in America by Tripadvisor in 2022, beating out all of Disney and Universal’s parks. Parton visits and performs at the park multiple times a year, according to the park’s website.
Dollywood has a separately ticketed water park, two branded resorts and is 10 minutes from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Six Flags Over Georgia
Distance from Columbia: 277 miles or 4 hours and 41 minutes
Daily admission price: $55
Six Flags Over Georgia was the second park in the national Six Flags chain when it opened in 1967.
The park has 41 rides and 29 places to eat, according to its website. There are 11 coasters, with a 12th — a family racing coaster — coming this year. Previously, its most recent addition was a major overhaul of the 1986 wooden coaster Georgia Cyclone to replace the wooden track with steel, adding several inversions to the ride.
Six Flags Over Georgia has a separately ticketed water park. It does not have its own hotel or lodging, but there are several nearby. The park is 12 minutes from Atlanta.
Family Kingdom
Distance from Columbia: 220 miles or 4 hours
Unlimited ride wristband price: $50 – individual ride tickets $1 each
Located just across Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Boulevard from the Atlantic Ocean, Family Kingdom opened in 1966, reopening in 1992 after being closed by damage from Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
The park has 37 total attractions, mostly aimed towards children and families. There are four operating roller coasters, including the historic Swamp Fox wooden coaster opened in 1966. Swamp Fox was recognized by the American Coaster Enthusiasts at a ACE Roller Coaster Landmark in 2016, the organization calling it the only remaining wooden seaside roller coaster in the south.
Family Kingdom is located on Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Boulevard, near many other local attractions, including water parks, hotels and public beaches.
