Gas Tank Getaway: Six Flags Great America

Don’t let high gas prices keep you home this summer.  There’s no need to sweat it out in your backyard when extreme family fun is less than a tank of gas away. If you live in Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan or Illinois, a mecca of mind-blowing adventure awaits at Six Flags Great America.  The popular theme park is located in Gurnee, Illinois; less than an hour’s drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, and a host of other major Midwestern cities. Great America’s convenient location is a major timesaver, but the savings don’t stop there.  In addition to banking gas money, you can continue … Continue reading

Be Smart When Dealing with Discounts

Paper coupons, online coupon codes, group rates, and military discounts are spectacular ways to save big bucks when traveling to amusement parks.  However, not all discounts are authentic.  Each year, thousands of complaints are filed with the Better Business Bureau regarding counterfeit deals.  To protect yourself from getting ripped off this summer, consider the following: Research:  When you see a coupon that appears too good to be true, go online and check it out.  Sites such as RipoffReport.com feature fraudulent coupon offers.  The popular website also gives tips on how to avoid using expired coupon codes.  It also has a … Continue reading

Save on Theme Park Admission

Experiencing the thrills and chills of a major theme park isn’t cheap.  In fact, paying for a family of four to visit kid-friendly vacation destinations like Six Flags Great America or Universal Studios can really put a dent in your bank account.  Still, taking a spin on the latest and greatest amusement park rides is what makes summer so memorable. If you are an adrenaline junkie, but are short on cash, consider the following money-saving tips that will allow you to get your theme park fix this summer without going bankrupt: SIX FLAGS Coke Cans:  Coke can discounts are a … Continue reading

The Best Laid Plans

What’s that they say about the best laid plans often going awry? I’d bet anything that a parent came up with that one. It was probably a mom traveling with kids. A mom on vacation desperately trying to squeeze a million activities into a single day in order to make her children happy, but finding that the universe, and the kids, had other ideas on how the day should unfold. Sound familiar? It does to me. A few days ago my 6-year-old daughter and I took a summer road trip to Six Flags Great America, so that she could be … Continue reading

Ways to Save on a Six Flags Staycation

It’s never a good day when travelers are actually excited to see gas prices hovering near $4. Three dollars and 89 cents for a gallon of unleaded–SCORE!! While the cost of gas has fallen slightly in the last couple weeks, from its highest levels since July 2008, Americans are still paying nearly a dollar more per gallon than a year ago. As a result, families from coast-to-coast continue to restructure their summer vacation plans in order to preserve their household budgets, and still have fun in the sun. That goes double for clans living in and around Chicago. According to … Continue reading

Splash Into Summer Fun at Six Flags Great America

When was the last time you experienced liquid love… minus the nasty hangover? Forget about the Patron-laced tropical libations; now’s your chance to splish, splash, slide and surf your way into a wet and wild summer vacation you’ll remember for years to come. Soaking up the sun and hanging ten on cobalt blue water is easy when you live in Hawaii, but what do you do when you want to take a summer plunge in the Midwest? (Take the plunge at Riptide Bay!) Never mind Lake Michigan; instead, set your sights on Gurnee, Illinois. That’s where you’ll find Six Flags … Continue reading

Get Your Wiggle on at Six Flags

My preschool daughter has never been a huge Wiggles fan. What’s more, she screams like a banchee every time I try to put her on an amusement park ride. And I’m not talking about those baby roller coasters that travel on a flat track, or those crazy toddler swings that spin around with modified reckless abandon. For the past three years my child has unleashed glass shattering, ear splitting, high-pitched shrieks each time I’ve tried to place her on merry-go-round horses (the paralyzed ones that don’t move up and down), baby boats (that barely move in a pool no bigger … Continue reading

See What’s New at Universal Studios Orlando This Summer

The sagging economy is bad news for popular U.S. theme parks, but there may be a silver lining for families who spend the summer months racking up frequent rider miles on scream-a-minute amusement park offerings. This year several major theme parks are unveiling amazing new attractions designed to keep thrill seekers on the edge of their seats. One of the rides making the biggest splashes on the summer scene is Universal Studios, Orlando’s new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. The interactive coaster is being billed as the “most mind-blowing ride” in the park’s history. Daring guests board the coaster and immediately … Continue reading

Theme Parks that Won’t Break the Bank

How much money did you have to set aside to pay for your family’s summer vacation to Disney, Six Flags or Universal? Unless you found an outstanding package deal I doubt that your family of four could get admission, parking, meals, drinks, and souvenirs for less than $500. Now consider how much more you could get for the same amount of money if you opted to visit a smaller theme park like Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana or Alabama Adventure in Bessemer, Alabama. All-day admission at both parks cost about half of what Disney charges. Currently, a one-day ticket … Continue reading

Summer Theme Park Review: Splashes and Screams

I must admit, even though I grew up frolicking on Hawaii’s powder soft sand beaches and surfing in the state’s cobalt blue waters, as a kid I would have given my right foot to visit a water park on the mainland. Luckily my parents obliged every few summers (and I didn’t have to lose an appendage) and to this day I still consider those trips some of the best moments of my childhood. Water parks have come a long way since I was a kid… and they keep getting bigger and better each year. Take a look at the wet … Continue reading