I’ve come to realize that, if you are a roller coaster lover, Southern California is the place to visit. In particular, Orange County and Los Angeles County are home to two of the best theme parks for thrill rides. No, Disneyland is not one of them, although it (and its adjacent sister park Disney’s California Adventure) does offer some exciting action rides worthy of a visit.

The two parks that come to mind when speaking of roller coasters are Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm According to the SoCal Vacation Guru website, these parks have made roller coasters a strong priority in competing against The Mouse.

You won’t find any place with more edgy thrill rides and coasters than Six Flags Magic Mountain. If you are visiting with folks who don’t care as much about thrill rides, you’ll still find plenty to do; check out the Southern California Vacation Guru for useful ideas.

Knott’s Berry Farm also has really focused on thrill rides, although they offer Camp Snoopy, Ghost Town and many other fun attractions and themed areas within the park. My daughter worked on the new Silver Bullet ride and she says that is one of several coasters that will really help you lose your dinner.

Speaking of dinner, if you go to Knott’s, don’t forget to allow time to eat at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It is a landmark, serving thousands of dinners weekly since the Great Depression years. Check out the Southern California Vacation Guru for insider information and tips for having the best time at Knott’s. The site covers hotels near the park, and provides useful information about other theme parks and vacation opportunities in SoCal.

You can learn about the other Los Angeles-area theme parks, namely the Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. Those parks offer many great attractions and some good thrill rides, but not as many as at Knott’s and Magic Mountain. If you’re a roller coaster enthusiast, this information may come in handy.