Amusement Parks Open
California's Great America
4.4(15,461)4.4 out of 5 stars, 15461 reviews Sunnyvale, CA
About California's Great America
California's Great America offers a diverse range of rides and attractions suitable for various age groups, with a particular focus on family-friendly experiences and seasonal events, making it a memorable destination for families.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families looking for a fun day out with varied activities for all ages.Parents wanting to enjoy seasonal events and decorations.Groups of friends or family wanting to experience thrill rides together.Children under six can enjoy rides in the 'Snoopy' area.Older children and teens can enjoy a variety of thrill rides.
Why families love it
- Impressive decorations and themed events, especially during holidays like Halloween.
- A solid collection of roller coasters, particularly Gold Striker and RailBlazer.
- Family-friendly rides grouped under 'Snoopy' for younger children.
- Fast Lane passes available for quicker access to rides.
- Ample restroom facilities throughout the park.
- Ability to bring your own food and drinks.
Insider tips
- Purchase Fast Lane passes to minimize wait times on busy days.
- Plan visits on weekdays or non-holiday periods to avoid crowds.
- Bring a stroller or cart for younger children to ease walking distances.
Good to know before you go
- Visiting during peak holiday seasons when crowds are at their highest.
- Not booking wheelchairs or electric scooters in advance if needed.
- Long wait times for popular rides, often exceeding an hour.
- Limited availability of wheelchairs and electric scooters, leading to accessibility issues for those with mobility challenges.
- High food prices compared to other parks.
- Crowds
- The park gets very crowded near year-end and on holidays, making visits during off-peak times advisable.
- Value
- Tickets are generally pricey, and parking should be booked in advance. Fast Lane passes cost $45 per person. Food prices are higher than average, and renting electric wheelchairs can cost $62, which is significantly more than other parks.
- Food
- Guests are allowed to bring their own food and drinks into the park.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchairs and electric scooters are available but can sell out quickly; advance reservations are recommended.
- Safety
- General safety measures in place for rides, although some reviews noted slow operations that could impact safety.
What parents say
"Even during the holidays, it didn’t seem too crowded. However, for popular rides, the lines are long, and you’ll have to wait at least an hour. There’s a $45 Fast Lane pass per person, so I highly recommend purchasing and using it. In addition to the rides, there are impressive decorations and various events to enjoy. There aren’t many rides suitable for children under six, but the ones they can enjoy are grouped under the name "Snoopy.""
4 months ago
"Fun activities for all age group .. kids to youth to adult. Everyone can enjoy rides which suits them. Lots of eating options but but pricy as with other parks. Recommended buying tickets and parking in advance. Plan to come on weekdays and non holiday as it gets super crowded especially near the year end. You can bring your own food and water or drinks. Ample restrooms. You will have to walk a lot so plan to get stroller or carts for the young kid if you don't want to carry them around."
4 months ago
"This is a great theme park! It is easily the best park in NorCal. My favorite part of this park is that front entry plaza. The classic American music combined with the beautiful views of the carousel and other rides is very memorable! They have a very solid coaster collection. Gold Striker and Railblazer offer an amazing 1-2 punch, you can't go wrong with either of those. Flight deck is a good third place coaster, then the rest are okay. I think the operations here could use improvement, some of the ride operators were just moving too slow. I would highly recommend getting fast lane if you are"
3 weeks ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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