Roller coasters, cotton candy, ferris wheels, skeeball, live music, water rides, and plenty more can be found at one of my favorite amusement parks: Canobie Lake Park.
Canobie Lake Park is an amusement park that I’ve been going to since I was a youngster, and while the rides aren’t as thrilling as they once were and the place itself seems to have shrunk as I’ve aged, I still make the quick trip there about once a year with my friends. Why do I keep returning to a park where the majority of the rides are targeted to little kiddies? Well, to put it simply, it’s fun! Fun has no age limit, so I’m going to continue my Canobie summer trips until I’m old and grey.
Canobie Lake Park is in Salem, New Hampshire, and abuts Canobie Lake, a beautiful, sparkling-in-the-sunshine lake that you get a fantastic view of when riding the “Boston Tea Party” --kind of like the log flume, but on a larger, splashier scale—or “Davinci’s Dream”--one of those liberating, spinning swing rides. There is a ton of parking--free parking! And the employees are amiable and enthusiastic. I went a couple of weeks ago and received more high fives in a few hours than I usually do in a year! The cheery atmosphere is a sure way to get the park-goers fired up and eager to start their fun-filled day. You can spend your time courageously hopping on every ride in sight, or you can choose to settle in a beach chair to relax on “Castaway Island,” a refreshing lemonade in hand. Maybe you love air hockey and arcade games--they’ve got you covered. Perhaps roller coasters frighten you, but you love the whirling around in cutely painted tea cups--no problem, Canobie has an eclectic mix of rides to accommodate everyone’s preferences.
My favorite ride is “Untamed. “Untamed is a roller coaster that I have a love-hate relationship with. I psych myself out every single time--prior to getting strapped into the cart, and then I rave about it afterwards, craving the exhilaration that comes the loops and fleeting moments of being upside down. The only truly scary parts of the ride are the anticipation while rising straight up 72 feet and then the drop, which curves inwards, creating a terrifying but awesome 97 degree angle.
My friend, Grace, says that her favorite ride is the “Yankee Cannonball,” a rickety wooden coaster that’s kid-friendly with nice, easy drops and nothing too crazy. This classic coaster is the first thing you see upon entering the park’s parking lot, so that’s the prime time to gauge whether or not this ride is for you. I know that I’m a fan. Give it a try!
My other friend, Erin, has a blast on “Policy Pond Log Flume,” which is your classic log ride. Jam into a log with two or three friends and roll down a “river” until you climb up the backside of the drop that leaves you drenched and beaming. The three of us couldn’t help but immediately jump back in line for another go.
One of the highlights of the flume is the hilarious pictures they snap as you plummet towards the water.
While I go for the rides, I know some people who find the food equally as enticing. They’ve got fried dough, popcorn, hotdogs, chicken fingers, Dippin’ Dots, smoothies, fries, burgers, fudge, candy apples, pizza, and several other food options.
General admission is $38, getting you a ticket that can last the whole day and includes every ride! So suit up, grab some friends or family, and take the day to be a kid again.
