They say that people come from all over the world for the thrill of riding a classic wooden roller coaster - reveling in the ingenuity of engineers who more than eighty years ago had a vision of harnessing gravity to achieve the utmost in speed and excitement.

At Six Flags Darien Lake, in Western New York State, the thrill riders gather for the traditional rush of the Predator, a classic wooden coaster that's one of the finest in New York State, and for the sheer energy of riding the most modern coasters in the North East - world class rides like SupermanTM Ride of Steel, one of the tallest coasters in the North East, the Viper, and more... Six Flags Inc. operates 39 theme parks worldwide - 29 in the United States - and they have more major roller coasters than any other single company on Earth. ( Above and Left: Superman - Ride of Steel )

You can day-trip to Six Flags Darien Lake from South-Central Ontario - it's located mid-way between Buffalo and Rochester NY, less than an hour from Niagara Falls, and just a bit more than two and a half hours from Toronto, depending on the traffic at the border… but you would be missing the real adventure - you see, Six Flags Darien Lake has one of the largest campgrounds in North America, offering 2,000 sites for RV's or tenting, in a campground with a wide variety of sunny or wooded areas. (Top)

Camping at Six Flags Darien Lake has been a local tradition since Darien Lake opened as a campground in 1964, but this is not the Darien Lake of your childhood - the park's early development saw a gradual addition of rides and attractions through the 1970's and '80s, including notable landmarks like the 165 foot tall Giant Wheel, and the 20,000 seat Performing Arts Center, which opened in 1993.
( Right: The Predator - a classic wooden coaster )

With the acquisition of the property by Premier Parks, of Oklahoma City, in 1995, the facilities began a massive capital improvement plan that essentially reinvented Darien Lake. In 1998, Premier Parks Inc. acquired the Six Flags Theme Parks, and converted five of its existing parks, including Darien Lake, to the Six Flags brand.

In 1999, the first year of operation as Six Flags Darien Lake Theme Park/ Resort, the signature ride SupermanTM Ride of Steel opened. The ride reaches 208 feet in the air, and speeds of more than 75 miles per hour.

Today, with all of the attractions of the theme park, and excellent facilities for more than 2000 camping families, this destination campground has few rivals for summer touring.

The campground and accommodations complex includes a beautiful hotel, Six Flags Lodge on the Lake, which opened in 1998, featuring rustic decor family-sized rooms, and various amenities, as well as a 2000 site campground with more than 250 rental RV trailers. ( Left: The 2000 site Six Flags Darien Lake campsite is the one of the largest in North America. )

All accommodation packages include admission into the theme park, use of rides and attractions, free parking, park special events (except concerts), and discounts on breakfast. The park has a new on-line reservation system, at www.sixflags.com/darienlake, that will allow guests to conveniently book their stay through the internet - it also lets you check prices and availability for a range of Six Flags Darien Lake accommodation packages. You can also book your reservations by telephone by calling 716-599-2211.

It's not too late to book your reservations! Special fall events include Sports Weekend, Oktoberfest, and "Fright Fest" the park's annual Halloween event, in October. (Top)

The campground includes various small lakes, and more than 250 RV rental units are available. Depending on the vintage of the trailer sections, you can select Shasta, Prowler, or Gulf Stream trailers, capable of accommodating from four to six people. Over the past few years, the park has added new trailers to the RV rental sections. Summer RV rental rates for a family of four range from about $135 US to $160 per night, depending on the size of the RV and whether it is equipped with air conditioning.
( Right: More than 250 RV's are available for rent. )

Rates in the early season, prior to June 22, and after September 2, are lower, starting at just $60 US per night, and special Canadian Dollar packages are available.

The campground features a range of sites, from wooded areas to semi-wooded sites, as well as open campsites. New this year is a family camping area, a special section reserved for families who may prefer the convenience of earlier "quiet hours". If you have small children, you should request a site in this section - it's clearly marked on the campground map, and can be reserved based on availability. ( Left: Many sites are located in beautiful wooded areas. )

Many sites offer the convenience of pull-through access. Bring your own RV to the campground, and the rate for a family of four ranges from $90 US per night to $95 for a three-way hook-up site. That's not bad at all, when you consider that the theme park admission alone is $29.99 US per adult per day, and $14.99 US for children 48 inches tall or smaller. Children two and under are free - seniors get in for the same rate as children - $14.99 US per day - call it the best part of your second childhood! (Top)

We requested a three-way hook-up in a picturesque sector of the campground, where we would be far enough from the excitement to get a quiet night's sleep - but there is just so much to do at Six Flags Darien Lake! As an end to your fun-filled day, don't miss the "Laser Blast", a laser light spectacular and fireworks show held at 10:10 pm on summer nights. There will also be a show for Halloween on October weekends. Laser Blast is one of the best laser light shows we've seen! ( Right: Laser Blast light show )

While every site in the campground is accessible by foot from the theme park's private campground entrance, we would caution that some sites are a brisk fifteen-minute walk from the action. If you have a travel trailer or fifth wheel, you'll want to ride back and forth to the pool and general store area. We visited in a motorhome, so we walked (and walked, and walked). We've never been in such fine physical condition!

The campsite facilities at Six Flags Darien Lake are on a par with the best campgrounds in New York State. Hook-ups are reasonably positioned, but the sites are quite large, and shared water and electric hook-ups for every two sites mean that you'll want to bring along extension cables for the 110V system, and a 50 foot water hose. Sewer hook-ups at three-way sites are placed conveniently for each vehicle, so you probably won't require a sewer hose extension, but be sure to ask when you make your reservation. ( Left: Camping in a 2002 Winnebago Minnie 24V. )

For the more sedate personalities, there are a variety of rides,and live shows which boost your adrenaline level without maxing out your fear factor. ( Right: The Mind Eraser )

The more daring souls can test their mettle on rides like SupermanTM, Ride of Steel, the Mind Eraser, New York State's first suspended looping roller coaster, and the Twister, that literally turns you every which way but loose!

If riding the coasters isn't your prime objective in life, there are many attractions within Six Flags Darien Lake that will prove very entertaining. We enjoyed the live shows throughout the park, especially the Batman Thrill Spectacular, and there are live world-class rock concerts, as well as classical music shows at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. Concert fans can buy souvenirs at the On Tour boutique. ( Left: The Twister )

On a hot summer day, the private pool, at the campground entrance to the theme park, is a refreshing spot, or you can really get wet and wild at Barracuda Bay, the totally revamped waterpark area, or frolic in the million gallon wave pool at Crocodile Isle. For the youngsters, Hook's Lagoon is a three-pool interactive water attraction surrounding a replica of Captain Hook's pirate ship. Essentially a huge wading pool, it's the best place for the kids to cool their jets during a day at Six Flags Darien Lake. Change rooms are spacious and well appointed, and there are lockers available at the site. You can even hunt for a new bathing suit at the Surf Shop in Crocodile Cove. For water fun that's a bit more exciting, try the Thunder Rapids log ride - it's a great opportunity to cool off without getting too seriously soaked. ( Above: Hook's Lagoon is a paradise for the whole family. )

Youngsters of all ages will love the new Looney Tunes Seaport, where Warner Bros. characters led by Bugs Bunny and his friends greet children in an area with ten interactive rides designed for parents and children to ride together. You'll love this area, especially the Looney Tunes Rockin' Road Show. (Top)

Dining at Six Flags Darien Lake is a delightful experience. We enjoyed a fabulous breakfast buffet at Beaver Brothers Lakeside Cafe, a huge log cabin style restaurant offering traditional American fare at reasonable rates. We also enjoyed our share of fast food, and highly recommend Prospector's Pizza, not far from the campground park entrance. Among the many specialty restaurants on-site, you can choose from Italian fare at Maria's Spaghetti House, chicken at the Chicken Ranch Cafe, or ribs at Porky's - everyone we spoke to enjoyed their meals - this is far better than dining at any theme park we've visited lately.

Once you've arrived at the campground at Six Flags Darien Lake, you really don't have to go off-site for anything. The General Store, located right at the campground entrance to the theme park, has a very wide assortment of everything a camper would want, from groceries to clothing, and all types of RV gadgets, gizmos, and supplies. Forgot your barbecue? Pick one up at the general store for about the same price as you would pay anywhere else... that's right - Six Flags Darien Lake is reasonably priced! All of the shops, and all of the restaurants, offer goods and services at pretty fair market value - this is a major tourist attraction - not a tourist trap. (Top)

With Looney Tunes, and DC Superheroes characters for the kids, thrill rides for the teens, and more fun than the adults could ask for, Six Flags Darien Lake campground and theme park is a great destination for families and RV enthusiasts. Considering that all campground and hotel accommodation fees include theme park admission, the daily rates are quite reasonable - about $95 U.S. per night for a three way hook-up site, for a family of four. Want to visit the park on a day visit during the same day concert? Purchase a Combo ticket through Ticketmaster and the park admission increases by only $9.00 US per person. Book on the day of the event, and the rate is $12.00 per person - a real bargain for major live performances! Visiting in the off-season? There are several fall events coming up at Six Flags Darien Lake, where you can enjoy the park, relax in the campground, and view the spactacular fall foliage. Accommodations (hotel/camping) as well as day theme park tickets are offered at the fall-season discounted rates. Special Canadian visitor rates for accommodations also apply - they're a super deal! Day theme park tickets are also available at CAA's - in Canadian funds! ( Left: One of many gift shops, The Looney Tunes boutique was a favorite. )

Six Flags Darien Lake is open from 10:30 am to 10:00 pm, through September 3, weekends in September from 10:30 am to 8 pm, and October (Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays). For more information call 800 532 7436 (716 599 2211) or surf to www.sixflags.com/darienlake. ( Right: Looking for a little extra fun - try the arcade near the General Store. )

Keeping in touch
With so much to see and do, and so many rides and shops, it's quite likely that you'll have every family member looking to head off in a different direction. We solved the communication problem among our family by using a pair of FRS family FM radios, recently available in Canada. The Kenwood models we carried were smaller than cell phones, had a range of more than two miles, and provided 120 hours of stand-by time, on three AA batteries each. The beauty of these little radios is that you don't require a license of any kind, and once you've made the investment, you can talk as much as you want at our favourite rate - free. The Kenwood radios we use are worth about $99 CDN each, but you can find a wide range of models from as low as $25 CDN to more than $200. It is worthwhile to look for radios that provide long battery life, and 38 sub channels for each of the 14 FRS frequencies. (Top)