Yes, we’re throwing in yet another Six Flags.  This franchise holds a teeny tiny CORNER ON THE MARKET when it comes to theme parks.  There are plenty of other parks out there.  But trust us, no matter where you are in the country, if you see the famous flags – you’re definitely in for some thrills.

SF Great Adventure is located in Jackson Township, New Jersey.  So it’s a great addition to those mid-Atlantic trips like New York City graduation trips or Philadelphia educational tours.

It’s got almost as many roller coasters as its California counterpart and holds a few records of its own.  For instance, Kingda Ka.  This steel coaster is the tallest in the world as well as the fastest AND the one with the tallest drop.  El Toro comes in second in its category, but that’s hardly a count against you when you’re the second tallest, second fastest wooden coaster in the world.  An alternative name for it could be Nine Times the Air Time based on how many dips in the ride give you the feeling of weightlessness.  Bizarro is one the newest rides here (opening May of 09) based on the comic book character to whom everything is backwards, aka, bizarre.  The head rest includes audio.  There’s fog.  There’s fire, and there’s a cool zone.  All the senses get to experience this ride.  And if affecting several senses at once is part of the thrill for you, then you’ll love the ride themed after the latest Batman installment, The Dark Knight, which takes place in something akin to the bat cave before anyone turns on the lights, encouraging you to rethink your answer to the question, “Are you afraid of the dark?”

Six Flags Great Adventure is just one more way Six Flags is making the world a scream-ier place, one great coaster at a time.  Don’t forget!  These parks have all kinds of moderate thrills, food, entertainment, and family-type rides as well.  So don’t stay away just because you’ve fully embraced the fact that the answer to the last question is an emphatic yes or if roller coasters seem like the marriage of all your worst fears at once.  There’s plenty more for you to do there.  Still, we’re not highlighting it this week for the corn dogs.  Thus the looping coaster in the photo and the focus on maximum thrill.  Come back tomorrow for more!

(photo by OliverN5 on Flickr)

Valencia, California is home to our next featured theme park.  And if that doesn’t sound familiar, your hint is this:  It’s just a hop and a skip from Los Angeles student tours.

The theme at this park is Extreme, a challenge well met by the fact that Six Flags Magic Mountain is second in the world for the largest collection of coasters in any one park.  THE LARGEST COLLECTION.  (Later in the week, you’ll meet the the park that takes the top spot in that prestigious title).  Let’s discover some of the thrilling participants:

X2:  Um . . . 360-degree rotating seats, head-first drops, visual, audio, and sensory effects – Extreme doesn’t seem extreme enough to describe this ride.

The Riddler:  Another record breaker, the Riddler is the world’s tallest, fastest, stand up roller coaster.

The Viper:  This coaster named for a poisonous serpent has SEVEN head-over-heels inversions.

Tatsu:  A flying coaster, which describes your position to the ground, and also the tallest, fastest of its kind.

Deja vu:  You’ll be strapped into ski-lift type chairs, experience crazy-scary drops, a vertical loop and a 110-story butterfly.  Then you do it all AGAIN.  Backwards.

Are you intrigued yet?  This park is practically the theme park to end all theme parks.  At least if your favorite part is the thrills.  You know Six Flags, of course, there are plenty of attractions for the less than thrill-inclined members of your group.  Perhaps sometime we’ll even devote an entire week to attractions just for them.  This week it’s all about the dips, the dives, the scary climbs, mind-boggling loops, and of course – all the screaming.  Be sure to come back tomorrow for more!

(Photo by respres on Flickr).

You know what doesn’t get talked about enough?  Awesome roller coasters.  And what are exciting student tours without a roller coaster or two?

This week:  THEME PARKS.  Five great ones spread throughout the country, giving you five more reasons to travel and to diversify the destinations.

Today’s highlighted theme park is Bush Gardens Europe.  Kind of like the Epcot Center of theme parks, you’ll feel you’re traveling the world in this park divided by sections into various European countries. 

Despite the themes based on authentic countries, the rides here are pure legend.  Let’s take a look at a few of the higher thrills just to whet your appetite.

The Griffon - Pictured here by milst1 on Flickr, The Griffon is based on a mythical bird that is actually part eagle and part lion.  This drop?  It’s ninety breathtaking degrees at seventy miles per hour.  And it’s just the beginning.

Apollo’s Chariot – This ride consistently ranks on the lists of top 10 steel coasters in the world.  It’s all 4G climbs and smooth, weightless falls that keep visitors coming back again and again.

The Big Bad Wolf – An exciting suspended coaster, the premise here is that you’re following the Big Bad Wolf as he races over natural terrain that includes a dense, dark forest.  At any given point your answer to “Who’s afraid?” might very well be a raised hand.  But isn’t that why we enjoy them?

The Loch Ness Monter – I told you it’s all about the legends here.  And after this monster flings you 13 stories in the air and 114 down, you’ll probably feel it’s been answered once and for all just who the phony is in this story.

I think that fills our thrill factor quotient for the day.  Come back tomorrow for more high-speed, fast-plunging, ultra-looping excitement.  For whatever less thrilling stuff you have to focus on now, I’m truly sorry.

With all the talk about theme parks and roller coasters this week, let’s take a moment to relish another kind of thrill:  Coming face to face with some of the most powerful animals with whom we share the planet – like this gorgeous tiger pictured here by Dr. T on Flickr).  That’s exactly what you can do in Tampa, Florida, along with thousands of visitors every year who helped make Busch Gardens Africa number 21 on the Forbes list of the most visited attractions in the entire country.

This park is truly amazing.  And it does put you in close proximity to its animal life, from a safari adventure to a tour of the Serengeti.  But it wouldn’t be featured in our week of popular theme parks unless it also offered some of these:

(Photo by gnislew on Flickr).  

The thrill rides in Busch Gardens Africa are easily as exciting as its animal adventures.  They have a double wooden coaster and two with names befitting the “wild things” theme with their Scorpion and its high-speed, 30-degree loops, and Sheikra with its floorless 90-degree drop.

Besides these, Busch Gardens offers all kind of other rides and attractions, some in cool, refreshing water – always a perk in the hot Florida sun.

Busch Gardens Africa is a great addition to Orlando educational tours or student trips as it’s only about an hour’s drive from that theme park mecca of the southeast.  Be sure to put it on your agenda, so you can see what all the fuss is about.  According to Forbes, there certainly is one.

This park is part of Universal’s strong position as an Orlando powerhouse.  You can’t just think of Disney when you’re planning Orlando student tours anymore.  Islands of Adventure is exactly that – five exciting sections divided by water and themed around all your favorite comic book heroes, movie legends, and animated characters.  It’s number 12 on the list of America’s top 25 tourist attractions, certainly due in part to its innovation. 

The Universal theme is “Where Blockbusters Come to Life,” and their high-thrill rides are no exception to it.  Combining entertainment with action-packed thrills is their specialty and exactly what keeps guests returning in the kind of droves that led to that mid-list ranking with Forbes.

The Incredible Hulk probably headlines the most popular coaster in the park.  Guests also love the 3D Amazing Adventures of Spiderman on Marvel Superhero Island and the interactive games and discovery centers on Jurassic Park right before they plummet through a raging river and end up face to face with the powerful prehistoric creatures.

The Lost Continent marries ancient history with modern thrills as well.  The Dueling Dragons is a side-by-side coaster not far from the undersea walk through Poseidon’s Fury.  Thus far, the high-thrill, action-packed stuff.  Islands of Adventure has tamer attractions throughout the park, on Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon, as well as entertainment and interactive shows.  

Universal was an entertainment powerhouse long before they built these fantastic islands, and the thrill rides just add to the charm.  Guaranteed you’ll love it just as much as every other visitor who put it on the list.

(Photo by Rob J Brooks on Flickr).

A funny thing happened the last time I went to Orlando.  Not really funny-ha-ha, just funny/interesting.  First of all, the resort we stayed at, as is usually true, contained everything we needed for a perfectly lovely and relaxing vacation.  You don’t really even need attractions when the resort is good enough.  But of course we want attractions anyway, and for my kids and I – it was all about Disney.  I have a little obsession with this magical place where all your dreams come true, and I couldn’t wait to experience it again – this time with my children.

Then, the day before Disney, we stopped off at Sea World – another Orlando cliche really – of which all I really knew was that Shamu lived there (and jumped and dove and splashed and generally put on a show).  Well, I was converted.  I had totally underestimated Sea World.  In a city crowded with tourists and lines and sunshine and humidity and high-thrill focused theme parks, Sea World was like a peaceful, smiling oasis.  

I’m not an animal person in general, but just try not to be impressed by these leaping, spinning animals and the exuberant trainers who adore them.  Is that a personality I just witnessed?  I think it is.  Sea World is brightly colored, immaculately landscaped, and refreshingly shaded.  Besides the classics like Shamu, many other animals are showcased here.  You can even touch some of them – probably not what you’ll be thinking in the shark tunnel, of course, which you will love.

And Sea World isn’t just about the animals.  They have rides too, including the Journey to Atlantis (pictured here by lemoncat1 on Flickr) and the Kracken – Orlando’s longest, tallest, fastest.  You sit on a pedestal for this exciting ride, and thrill seekers will love it.

Sea World deserves a spot on your radar, certainly a place on your attraction list for Orlando student tours.  It’s gorgeous, thrilling, and one refreshing experience after another.

Number Seventeen on Forbes’ list of most visited attractions is one of the many theme parks that makes Los Angeles so popular for graduation and senior class trips.  It’s Universal Studios in Hollywood.  It combines all the thrills of a theme park while capitalizing on the LA tourist’s love for all things movies, celebrities, and innovation in film.

In this photo by NightRpStar on Flickr, you can see some of the real-live movie fun you’ll experience on the studio tours. This is one of the Who homes from the set for Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  You’ll see many sets like this – houses, buildings, and entire streets from some of your favorite films and television shows.

Rides and attractions here let you experience Shrek in 4D, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Revenge of the Mummy, Jaws, and so many other characters and scenes from your favorites.  If you thought they were exciting on screen, just wait until you find yourself in the midst of the action.

Hollywood Studios is the perfect attraction for this area of the country and one of the favorite theme parks in the nation.  You’ll certainly see why when you experience everything Hollywood and high thrill these studios have to offer.

Still talking about the Forbes Traveler list here – and the 25 most visited attractions in the U.S.  There were just way too many attractions on it perfect for students.  Perhaps, based on the attractions featured, students are some of country’s most frequent travelers.  

This week is all theme parks.  I suppose it’s no surprise that so many exciting attractions made the list.  We don’t get a lot of coaster-riding on the day jobs, and a full day of pleasure and high-thrills usually makes the list when choosing destinations for that next great escape.  Certainly, these choices are perfect for families and students.  Today’s feature is the powerhouse of entertainment:  Disney.  And its parks that made the list can be included in Orlando or Los Angeles student tours.

The Magic Kingdom in Orlando was highest on the list at number Five.  But Disneyland in California was just one spot behind.  Disney has been pleasing visitors since it all began with Cinderella’s castle in California.  Now both parks are a favorite for family vacations, student tours, destination weddings and honeymoons, and every kind of proper escape.  Its classic rides have become American icons.  Its animated characters are beloved around the world, and they come to life in these theme parks both in the rides and attractions as well as the parades and throughout the parks, signing autographs and spreading Disney joy.

The Disney parks are beloved because they have something for everyone – live entertainment, rides for children and adults, snacks, shopping, fascinating exhibits, nostalgic thrills.  They grow all the time with new thrills, and they are surrounded by resorts of the same name so that vacation packages can begin and end with nothing but Disney magic.  

For student tours, the Disney parks offer all the same plus educational opportunities just for students like their Y.E.S. program and thrills just for them as well like their yearly Grad Night extravaganza. 

Come on, you know you wanna.  Don’t let the Small World jokes and Mickey ears burnout stop you from experiencing all that Disney has for people of every age group.  They know they can thrill you, and so do we.  And apparently, most of the country’s population agrees.

(This is a photo of Disney’s nightly fireworks display – a thrilling attraction in and of itself, set to music with amazing precision and timing.  It was taken by d4rr3ll on Flickr.)

Are you ready for the TENTH most visited attraction in the country?  It’s right here in the Midwest, where most of us at StudentTravel.net call home, and it’s a beautiful metropolis that recently helped make presidential history.  I’m talking about Chicago, and today’s featured attraction is the incomparable Navy Pier.

This is definitely one of the most exciting ways to spend a day on Lake Michigan.  Its most recognizable feature is Pier Park with its giant ferris wheel.  The park also has miniature golf and other exciting attractions.  Navy Pier is home to museums as well, including the Children’s Museum.  There is a variety of shopping and dining as well as Amazing Chicago’s Funhouse Maze.  This attraction is over 400 square feet of twists and turns.  It has spinning tunnels and exciting interactive experiences to make you want to get lost there.

Despite its name as the Windy City, Chicago is one of the most beloved cities in the nation, and Navy Pier is its playground.  Chicago student tours are a perfect choice for student groups.  It’s great for traveling regionally if you live nearby or for experiencing the best of the Midwest no matter where you’re from.

(Photo by willowbrookhotel on Flickr).

Today’s exciting student travel attraction is NUMBER THREE on the Forbes Traveler list of most visited attractions in the nation.  But with a name like “the National Mall,” that seems only fitting.

Hopefully you know what the National Mall comprises – at least in part – or that you at least recognize this photo (by morrissey on Flickr) as the beautiful stretch of Washington D.C. flagged by the powerful Washington Monument (that tall thing in the middle), famous for monuments and memorials of great prominence, and famous as the scene for some of the most important demonstrations in history, including the famous speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.

The National Mall is the name given to a space of D.C. even bigger than pictured here as some people use it to encompass Capitol Hill, the White House, and other D.C. government and historical sites.  This prominent rectangle is the gist of it though.  This picture was probably taken from somewhere on the grounds of Capitol Hill.  You can see the statue of Ulysses S. Grant in the foreground.  In front of the Washington Monument, you may be able to make out the flag poles at the beautiful World War II Memorial.  Beyond the tall pillar-like monument (did you know the shape is technically obelisk? And that due to zoning rules it will probably remain the tallest structure in the city forever?), you can see Lincoln’s prominent, famous memorial as well.  

These grounds also contain memorials to the Vietnam and Korean wars as well as the Jefferson memorial and that of Franklin D. Roosevelt.  They are all beautiful in their own right, powerful glimpses of history and of America’s amazing heritage, and you should see them illuminated at night!  This destination is a popular one for a reason.  There is so much to see here and celebrate about our amazing country, its successes, conflicts and heroes.  Plus, just beyond its pretty historic spaces rest our modern-day government facilities in all their own historic glory but with powerful prominence still today.  

The National Mall is an extremely moving experience – beautiful, powerful, and inspiring – and it should be number ONE on your list for excellent educational tours.