Incredible Roller Coasters To Ride In California
By DANIEL FEININGER
On the 255-foot drop of Six Flags Magic Mountain's Goliath, riders are whisked up the hill, come over the top, drop to ground level, and immediately flash into a tunnel.
Goliath
A top speed of 85 mph enhances the huge drop. It was the world's fastest complete-circuit roller coaster when it opened in 2000.
In Six Flags Magic Mountain, X2 is a thrilling roller coaster with a unique, scream-inducing feature. The cars exit the station and climb up the hill backward.
X2
After a disorienting downhill launch, the cars spin vertically along a 360-degree axis. The main drop is a monstrous 215-footer, and the coaster tops at 76 mph.
X2 has two raven turns, which are half-loops that end in a straight drop, and you'll either be facing forward but upside down or riding right-side up but backward.
This floorless coaster in Six Flags Discovery Kingdom offers a top speed of 65 mph and drops riders from 150 feet to kick things off of the 3:15-minute ride.
Medusa
As the longest and tallest track in Northern California, Medusa has seven inversions along the way, keeping riders twisting and flipping for an enormous portion of the adventure.
Its unique "sea serpent roll" is the first of its kind. The double inversion element unwinds as you enter the second loop before doubling back on itself.
At California's Great America, this coaster sets its first drop at 91 feet, with high-speed turns and a buzz of the lake surface below as it returns to the station.
Flight Deck
The inverted track design means riders are suspended below the steel construction as the floorless coaster traverses multiple loops and corkscrew elements.
This historic woodie was built in 1924 on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and is now a National Historic Landmark. It is an excellent ride along the sandy coastline.
Giant Dipper
The coaster reaches a surprising top speed of 55 mph, a velocity that not all woodies built in the modern era can match. It offers a 65-foot drop, running just under two minutes.