Carowinds named one of the best amusement parks in America. Here’s why

Carowinds has been a popular staple in the Carolinas for decades, but now the amusement park is named one of the best in the country.

In Tripadvisor’s 2023 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Amusement Parks and Water Parks, Carowinds ranked No. 25.

The travel site measured the top experiences and attractions with a “high volume of above-and-beyond reviews” on the travel website. Less than 1 percent of Tripadvisor’s 8 million listings are awarded “Best of the Best.”

The 400-acre park, nestled along the North Carolina-South Carolina border, was described in the report as a “mecca of family fun” with various rides and live entertainment.

“Excellent amusement park through and through. Great collection of roller coasters and other flat rides. Great rides for kids and adults,” one Tripadvisor review says.

Carowinds, which opened 50 years ago, is now more than five times larger than it was when it opened in 1973, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

The family-friendly park now has over 60 roller coasters, a 26-acre water park with several slides, wave pools, games, and more.

Here’s what other amusement parks were also named the best by Tripadvisor:

1. Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri)

2. Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)

3. Universal’s Islands of Adventure (Orlando, Florida)

4. Fun Spot America (Kissimmee, Florida)

5. Magic Kingdom Park (Orlando, Florida)

6. LEGOLAND California (Carlsbad, California)

7. Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, Pennsylvania)

8. Universal Studios Florida (Orlando, Florida)

9. Whale’s Tale Waterpark (Lincoln, New Hampshire)

10. LEGOLAND Florida Resort (Winter Haven, Florida)

11. Universal Studios Hollywood (Los Angeles, California)

12. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park (Orlando, Florida)

13. Disneyland Park (Anaheim, California)

14. Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Orlando, Florida)

15. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Tampa, Florida)

16. Noah’s Ark Water Park (Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin)

17. Splash Lagoon (Erie, Pennsylvania)

18. Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio)

19. Dollywood’s Splash Country (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)

20. Kings Island (Mason, Ohio)

21. Dutch Wonderland (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

22. Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park, California)

23. Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California)

24. Hersheypark (Hersey, Pennsylvania)

25. Carowinds (Charlotte, North Carolina)

This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Carowinds named one of the best amusement parks in America. Here’s why."

Chyna Blackmon

The Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription