Ohio's Largest Playground

Is your family seeking thrills this summer vacation? If so, you’re in luck! Just north of Cincinnati in Warren County (Ohio's Largest Playground®) is the largest amusement park in the Midwest: Kings Island. With more than 100 rides, shows and attractions, Kings Island offers the perfect combination of world-class thrills and family attractions, and is an easy day trip from Indianapolis. Adventure awaits your entire family at Kings Island! Recently, my family visited Kings Island. This was my husband’s FIRST visit; and my daughter, who has no fear, was finally tall enough to experience all the roller coasters. Their mission…. conquer Kings Island’s 16 thrill-inducing roller coasters, including the highly-anticipated new ride of 2017, Mystic Timbers. And while they looked fear in the eye, I was recording their enjoyment and tasting some delicious ice cream treats from the ground (swings are more this mama's speed…). We arrived on a cloudy Sunday morning (it was perfect weather -- just a "threat" of rain). As we made our way through the entrance, they headed directly for Diamondback, the tallest and fastest roller coaster at Kings Island. And to our delight, there were no lines. They made their way onto the ride while I anxiously watched my husband and daughter ascend into the sky and dramatically drop. I heard joyous cries of happiness and laughter from all aboard. When the ride ended, they came rushing at me to describe the amazing ride. Then we were off to find Mystic Timbers. Built by Pennsylvania-based Great Coasters International and themed to an abandoned lumber company, the 109-ft-tall wooden roller coaster boasts 16 airtime moments through wooded terrain along 3,265 ft. of track at speeds up to 53 mph with a tantalizing mystery: What’s in the shed? To their delight, there were once again no lines (cloudy days are the best days to visit KI) and they walked right onto the coaster. More smiles greeted me as they returned from riding Mystic Timbers. My husband loved the speed and my daughter enjoyed scenery but she refused to tell me “What’s in the Shed?”. I will have to ride it myself… maybe next time. As the day went by, they ventured onto The Beast, the world’s longest wooden roller coaster; Flight of Fear, zero to 54 miles per hour in just four seconds in total darkness; and many more. They almost conquered all 16 coasters, and have resolved to come back to Kings Island another day. And in the end, I enjoyed a mother/daughter swing ride before our visit was over. Besides roller coasters, Kings Island boasts of so many other family attractions. Your little ones will enjoy the 13-time, award-winning Planet Snoopy kids’ area where they will meet their favorite PEANUTS characters, enjoy kids rides and much more. Or if you are interested in learning about prehistoric creatures, step back in time to periods between 245 million to 65 million years ago in Dinosaurs Alive!. Kings Island is your family’s summer headquarters for fun and excitement. And as temps heat up, don't forget about Soak City: the park’s massive 33-acre waterpark! Call (513) 754-5700 or visit Warren County's website for tickets, hours, events and more. Kings Island is just one of the many adventures that await in Warren County. For more, check out our posts on 7 Things to do in Warren County, 5 Awesome Things to do at Laser Kraze and 5 Reasons to Book a Ride on LM&M Railroad. Feature Image Photo credit: Kings Island About Ainslie: Ainslie Gordon is a St. Louis, Missouri native and graduate of the University of Missouri’s Journalism School. Her career has focused on advertising, public relations and event planning. In 2011, Ainslie and her family moved to Cincinnati; and she became a stay-at-mom and founder of the blog, Modhousewife. Additionally, she was a fashion/trends contributor on Fox 19 and Fox 2. Currently, Ainslie is the Marketing Director for Game On! Fitness. She is also a Girl Scout leader and enjoys volunteering throughout the community. She lives with her husband and daughter in West Chester and loves all things Disney. You can find Ainslie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Ohio's Largest Playground

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Ohio's Largest Playground

Summer Adventure Awaits at Kings Island

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Read Current Issue

Latest Articles

The Ultimate Back-to-School Checklist

White Rock Park in Indiana – A Cliff Jumper’s and Thrill Seekers Paradise

Watch Us Farm: This nonprofit wants to shift the way we think about children with special needs

The Power of Dance: Studio360° Dance classes at Wright’s 360° Movement Academy in Grand Park and in Greenwood