Best Roller Coaster

If you're a thrill seeker, then chances are you love the adrenaline-fueled world of roller coasters. Over the decades, these amusement park staples have evolved from gentle pleasure rides to ferocious giants that tower over the skyline. We've spun up a selection of the fastest, highest and most nostalgic thrill rides in the U.S. So pull down the lap bar, keep your hands inside the car, and get ready to race through our list of the top roller coasters in the U.S.

These 10 roller coasters were selected by our featured panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.

1. El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure | Jackson Township, NJ

Hang on tight; you don't want to get bucked off the bull! El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure blends the look of traditional wooden coasters with modern engineering, giving you a jostling good time. Over two minutes and 19 stories of steep drops, 70 mile-per-hour speeds and the terror of floating and falling as you bump over hills—it'll take everything you've got to tame this bull.

2. Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | Tampa, FL

Gwazi, built in 1999 as Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's premiere wooden roller coaster, transformed into the Iron Gwazi in 2022—and now it's one of the best hybrid coasters on the globe. You'll hit a top speed of 76 miles per hour as you drop 206 feet out of the air before banking and barrel-rolling your way through the skies of Tampa.

3. Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Islands of Adventure | Orlando, FL

There's more to fear than just rampaging dinosaurs inside Universal Islands of Adventure; the park's Jurassic World VelociCoaster will make your heart pound as the world's tallest and fastest launch coaster. You'll reach 70 miles an hour in just 2.4 seconds as you blast off toward a second launch point and a dizzying array of g-forces—there's no slowing down on this extreme ride.

4. Millennium Force at Cedar Point | Sandusky, OH

When Cedar Point's Millennium Force was built in 2000, this monster of a thrill ride immediately set a new standard for the next generation of sky-scraping coasters. After you ascend to the peak of the 310-foot lift hill, your scream trip begins with a 93-mile-per-hour plummet to the earth before twisting your way over lagoons and through tunnels.

5. The Beast at Kings Island | Mason, OH

The Beast at Kings Island broke records when it was built in 1979, and that continues today: it's still the world's longest wooden roller coaster. You'll reach speeds of 65 miles an hour over your four-minute adventure, making vertical drops and crazy banked turns that you wouldn't expect from this veteran of the coaster world. Smiles are guaranteed after you race through the final tunnel and enter the station.

6. Fury 325 at Carowinds | Charlotte, NC

Ready to take on North America's fastest, longest and tallest roller coaster? Carowinds invites you to "feel the sting" aboard the swarming frenzy of Fury 325, a ride so big it straddles two states. You'll fly like a hornet 325 feet into the air before plunging and rolling at a whopping 95 miles an hour. This three-and-a-half-minute flight is so intense that it requires a minimum height of 54 inches.

7. Tron Lightcycle / Run at Disney's Magic Kingdom | Orlando, FL

Enter the digitized world of the Grid when you step onto Tron Lightcycle / Run, the newest indoor coaster at Magic Kingdom and one of Disney's fastest. You'll join Team Blue before mounting a unique motorcycle-style coaster car that's launched at 60 miles per hour to race against other teams. After one run, you may want to relive this popular franchise immediately with another race.

8. X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain | Valencia, CA

Backflipping seats, sheer drops, flame throwers—X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain hurls a thrill at you from every angle. This one-of-a-kind coaster, which rises 200 feet, sends you hurtling through a series of twists and drops at 76 miles an hour as your car spins backward and forward, all set to a rockin' soundtrack. Your senses will be bombarded at each turn for maximum fun.

9. Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City | Branson, MO

Think wooden roller coasters aren't as exciting as modern steel ones? Think again with a rowdy ride on Silver Dollar City's Outlaw Run. After a moment at the top admiring the Ozarks, you'll be flipped upside down not once, but three times—unheard of for a wooden coaster—as you speed along at 68 miles an hour. If that's not enough, it's also the only wooden coaster with a double barrel roll.

10. Pantherian at Kings Dominion | Doswell, VA

Feel the power of the panther when you strap into Pantherian at Kings Dominion, one of the fastest and tallest coasters on the East Coast. The 300-foot drop accelerates you to 94 miles per hour, and then the ride pounces on each twist and turn with frightening speed. Because of the coaster's extreme nature, the minimum height to ride is 54 inches.

About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards

Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.

Our Featured Panelists

Susan R. Pollack is an award-winning freelance travel writer and photographer with decades of experience. She worked 36 years at The Detroit News and has freelanced for publications including the Dallas News, Toronto Star, Delta Sky, Golf for Women, Midwest Living, Lakeland Boating, Jetsetter (HK), Michigan Blue, quirkycruise.com, WanderwithWonder.com, thewinebuzz.com and others. An avid golfer, foodie, museum buff and mahjong maven, she has visited six continents and all 50 states from her home base in Metro Detroit. Susan is also a copy editor for Jonglez Publishing's "Secret" guide series, including Singapore, Los Angeles, Boston and Kuala Lumpur. Follow her on Facebook.

With more than 20 years in journalism and content creation, Gretchen Pahia is a wife and mother of two teenage boys. With articles published in several publications, she is a recognized writer covering a variety of different topics including travel, dining, lifestyle, family and entertainment. You can follow along on Instagram @gpahia.

Jo Clark is a traveler, travel writer and an award-winning photographer. Her favorite topics are travel, history, food, wine and nature. She is the editor and a contributing writer of RecipesTravelCulture.com. She hosts Jo Goes Everywhere, a monthly podcast, and her written work appears in digital and print publications. Jo is an expert travel and wine contributor for Big Blend Radio and a member of IFWTWA. She often says, "I love food, and I'll eat anything that doesn't eat me!" Jo invites you to follow her travels on her website, HaveGlassWillTravel, on Facebook and Instagram.

Susan Lanier-Graham is founder and publisher of Wander With Wonder, an award-winning online travel journalism magazine. She has authored more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles while traveling the world over the past three decades. Susan's work has appeared in a variety of publications, including various AAA publications, TravelandLeisure.com, Hotels.com, Modern Luxury, WHERE publications, Fairmont.com, Marriott.com and more. Susan is a member of Society of American Travel Writers, International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, and North American Travel Journalists Association. She is also a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist.

Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.