Home / Wait Times / Theme Parks Near New York City

Theme Parks Near New York City: 5 Parks Within 3 Hours

The 5 best theme parks within 3 hours of New York City — Six Flags Great Adventure is 1 hour, Hersheypark is 2.5 hours, Dorney Park is 1.5 hours. Live crowd data.

See Live Wait Times Park Guides
5Parks Tracked
LiveCrowd Data
FreeNo Account Needed
15 minRefresh Rate

Parks ranked by drive time from New York City

1

Six Flags Great Adventure

Jackson, NJ

New Jersey's major theme park. El Toro (one of the world's best wooden coasters), Kingda Ka (world's tallest coaster), and Jersey Devil Coaster are must-rides.

Live Waits
1h 15m 70 mi
2

Luna Park / Coney Island

Brooklyn, NY

The iconic Coney Island boardwalk. The Cyclone (historic 1927 wooden coaster) and Thunderbolt are surrounded by beach, boardwalk food, and New York City nostalgia.

Live Waits
30 min 10 mi
3

Dorney Park

Allentown, PA

Cedar Fair's Allentown park. Steel Force (hyper coaster), Possessed (inverted top hat), and Talon (inverted looper) — solid value coaster park 90 minutes from NYC.

Live Waits Best Time
1h 30m 85 mi
4

Hersheypark

Hershey, PA

14 coasters, beautiful wooded Pennsylvania setting, and Chocolate World next door. Candymonium and Skyrush are top-15 US coasters.

Live Waits Best Time
2h 30m 165 mi
5

Six Flags New England

Agawam, MA

Superman The Ride (world-class Intamin hyper) and Wicked Cyclone (RMC hybrid) are worth the 3-hour drive for serious enthusiasts.

Live Waits
3h 175 mi

Planning your trip from New York City

New York City is surrounded by theme park options. Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ is the closest major thrill park at 60 miles / 1 hour. Dorney Park in Allentown is 1.5 hours west. Hersheypark in Hershey, PA is 2.5 hours. For a shorter trip, Luna Park at Coney Island is right in Brooklyn — a classic seaside boardwalk with the legendary Cyclone wooden coaster.

Six Flags Great Adventure is the highest-quality coaster park in the NYC metro area by a significant margin — El Toro (top-5 wooden coaster globally) and Jersey Devil Coaster are world-class rides. The NJ Turnpike / I-78 connection makes it accessible from Manhattan in about 90 minutes from Midtown to parking lot.

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest theme park to New York City? +
Luna Park at Coney Island in Brooklyn is the closest theme park at about 10 miles from Midtown Manhattan — accessible by subway. Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ is the closest major thrill park at 70 miles (1 hour 15 min), home to El Toro (one of the world's best wooden coasters) and Kingda Ka (world's tallest coaster).
How far is Six Flags Great Adventure from New York City? +
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ is approximately 70 miles (1 hour 15 min in light traffic) from Midtown Manhattan via the NJ Turnpike (I-95) to I-195. New Jersey residents in the Monmouth/Ocean county area are 30–45 minutes away. On a busy summer Saturday, add 30–60 minutes for NJ Turnpike traffic.
Is El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure worth visiting? +
Absolutely. El Toro consistently ranks in the global top 5 for wooden coasters — many enthusiasts consider it the best. The ride delivers sustained, violent air time on every hill with 176 feet of height and an 80-degree first drop. If you're within 3 hours of Great Adventure, El Toro alone is bucket-list material. Jersey Devil Coaster (single-rail, RMC) is an excellent bonus.