It's Summertime! That means that parents have extra time to spend with their children and what better way to engage in classic fun with family and friends than to visit an amusement park. A visit to a theme park is a quintessential part of any all-American summer, and with warm weather on the horizon, locations across the country are upping the ante with a host of new attractions vying for a spot on thrill seekers’ must-ride lists. Here are a few descriptions: 1) No list of amusement parks would be complete without the happiest place on earth, Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Transport yourself back to your childhood with a trip to Space Mountain, or say hello to one of your favorite Disney characters. 2) Although most people associate Universal’s Islands of Adventure with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the park also has a number of roller coasters, 3-D rides and nearby restaurants and nightlife. Don’t forget to try the wizarding non-alcoholic beverage, butterbeer! 3) Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay finally reopens its gates on May 24th (after several failed attempts to revive the former Six Flags park), touting Lightning Run as its new centerpiece attraction. This coaster will lift riders up a chain-lift hill to a 100-foot drop, followed by inversions, banked turns, and stomach-turning bunny hills. While admiring the fresh coats of paint around the revitalized park, make sure to ride Thunder Rock, Kentucky Kingdom's newly refurbished 3,000-foot-long wooden roller coaster featuring a 74-foot drop and enough negative air to make you question gravity. 4) Las Vegas, long the city of gambling thrills, is quickly becoming known for roller coaster thrills as well. The Adventuredome, located on the Circus Circus property, has taken a big step into the roller coaster pantheon. Their new steel coaster, El Loco opened this past February and is garnering much acclaim for its remarkable turns, which bank outside at a 45-degree angle. Paired with a jaw-dropping, 90-plus-degree drop, this is a coaster experience you will not soon forget. While at the Adventuredome, it's hard to miss the original, twisting Canyon Blaster, running daily, rain or shine (because it’s all indoors). I hope this inspires you to take your family on a summertime holiday / vacation; creating a lifetime of memories along the way. ~LIVE LAUGH & LOVE~