The Cedar Point Experience

Cedar Point

Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, Ohio, is the second-oldest amusement park in the United States, and it was voted “World’s Best Amusement Park” by Amusement Today for 16 years in a row. It’s no wonder its known as The Roller Coaster Capital of the World! Cedar Point has a host of coasters for adrenaline junkies, from the classic, wooden Blue Streak, to the park’s newest, first floorless coaster, Rougarou. Whether you want to travel upside down or just race over hills, the coasters at Cedar Point do not disappoint!

Rougarou is Cedar Point’s newest coaster that opened May 2015. It is the park’s first floorless coaster, which drops its riders 137 feet and whips them around the track – which includes four upside down loops – at speeds over 60 mph. Named after a mythical creature similar to a werewolf, the Rougarou coaster lives up to its legendary name, inducing both howls and screams from its passengers.

I am definitely not a roller coaster kind of girl. My eyes go wide just looking at a coaster, and the Blue Streak, which doesn’t go upside down at all, was enough to make me nauseous. Thankfully, Cedar Point has a lot of family-friendly rides for people like me. There’s various carousels, the Giant Wheel, the Sky Ride, antique Cadillac cars, and plenty of other fun things to do that don’t involve fast-moving, gravity defying [death] machines. There are even four kids’ areas, which provide mild thrills for future high-thrill-seekers.

Even though Cedar Point is the Roller Coaster Capital of the World, and I don’t do coasters, I always enjoy visiting the park. Seeing all of the awesome coasters and the excited people lining up to ride them is almost enough to make me wish that I was a roller coaster girl. (Of course then I see one of the coasters in action, and that wish disappears.) I love going on the carousels; next to those, my favorite ride is probably the Super Himalaya, which offers a thrill without the risk of flying off the rails. The Blue Streak and the Cedar Creek Mine Ride are two roller coasters that I will ride on; they don’t go upside down!

One of my favorite things to do is visit Frontier Town, where you can shop local artisans, pet sweet animals (like the llama above!), and eat delicious food.

Another awesome thing about Cedar Point is HalloWeekends, an event held every autumn to get visitors in the Halloween spirit. During Halloweekends, the park is decorated in spooky décor – from jack-o-lanterns, to graveyards, to skeletal carriage drivers – and the undead roam the streets. Haunted Houses, mazes, and gypsy camps are erected to provide a spooky experience.

Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or not, Cedar Point provides hours of entertainment for everyone.

Hotel Breakers

After a day of riding rides and walking around in the sun (yes, there is sunshine in Ohio!), it’s nice to have a place to relax and unwind. It’s also nice not to have to worry about driving home after an exciting, but tiring, day at the park. Hotel Breakers is Cedar Point’s historical hotel located right on Cedar Point Beach, and it’s the perfect place to complete your Cedar Point experience.

This hotel was established over 100 years ago, and it was newly renovated for 2015; there’s a brand new front entrance, an updated lobby, and beautiful guest rooms that feature new furniture, bedding, decor, LCD TVs, dorm-sized refrigerators, and microwaves. 

The hotel also updated its outdoor pool deck to include new deck chairs and umbrellas, a kiddy-pool, and a hot tub (which is super nice to soak in after a day of walking around).

Other accommodations for Hotel Breakers include a Cedar Point gift shop, a fitness center, an indoor pool, and a location that’s just steps away from the park itself. The hotel is located on Lake Erie and has its own beach, which is also very nice for relaxing after a day at the park.

You won’t have to worry about going hungry at Hotel Breakers; the hotel has its own Starbucks, Perkins, TGI Friday’s, TOMO Hibachi Grill, and Pool Side Parlor (that has amazing ice cream). There’s also the Surf Lounge Rotunda Bar where guests can purchase adult beverages. Did I mention that the Pool Side Parlor has amazing ice cream?

Additional benefits of staying at Hotel Breakers include:

• One hour early entry to the park
• Best deal on Cedar Point admission packages
• Shuttle service for the Cedar Point peninsula
• Complimentary parking.

Tickets

If you’re interested in giving your family the Cedar Point experience, you can purchase tickets online here. Daily tickets are $49.99 if purchased in advance online; the price for a front gate day ticket is $62.00. There are ways to save even more money, depending on what day and time you visit (for example, it’s cheaper to go on the weekdays, and after four o- clock). AAA also offers discounts to their members, and many Meijer, Giant Eagle, Wegmans and Discount Drug Mart stores sell discounted admission tickets.

So how about it? Are you ready to visit The Roller Coaster Capital of the World? What rides are you most looking forward to? Are you a coaster rider, or are you in the same boat with me? I’d love to know!

Molly Maurer (blogging intern)