This summer resort area is where you'll find Cedar Point, which is known as the roller-coaster capital of the world. There, you'll find 17 roller coasters and more than 50 other rides. It is one of three must-see theme parks in the state. (The others are Paramount's Kings Island, near Cincinnati, and Geauga Lake, in Aurora.) Built in 1870, Cedar Point hasn't rested on its laurels: It adds new attractions each year and now occupies 365 acres/145 hectares of Lake Erie shoreline. Among the rides and live entertainment shows, there's a children's area, a water park (Soak City) and, of course, a big selection of roller coasters, from vintage wood coasters to modern, inverted ones. The newest, Maverick, has an Old West theme, but the ride is cutting edge. It offers two-and-a-half minutes of terrain-hugging terror following a 95-degree drop from its 105 ft/33 m first hill. Another favorite, the Top Thrill Dragster, has a drop of 420 ft/130 m and reaches a top speed of 120 mph/195 kph. And if you tire of all the theme-park hubbub, relax on the white sandy beach at the Breakers Hotel. 55 mi/90 km west of Cleveland.
