Michigan’s Adventure sits just outside Muskegon and holds the title of the largest amusement park in the state, spreading across roughly 250 acres alongside its adjoining water park, WildWater Adventure. What began in 1956 as a small petting zoo called Deer Park has grown into a full-scale regional park with more than 60 rides, slides, and attractions, anchored by seven roller coasters and a mile-long wooden giant that still ranks among the longest wood coasters in North America.
Whether you’re deciding if a visit is worth the drive, trying to figure out ticket prices and parking before you go, or just want the full ride lineup and history, this guide covers the practical details and the park’s backstory in one place.
Quick Answer
Michigan’s Adventure is the largest amusement park in Michigan, located in Muskegon County, with seven roller coasters (headlined by the wooden Shivering Timbers), a full water park included with admission, and a season that typically runs from late May through early September. Daily tickets are cheaper in advance online than at the gate, and parking is a separate paid add-on.
Planning Your Visit: Hours, Tickets & Parking
Michigan’s Adventure operates seasonally, generally opening in late May and running through Labor Day weekend, with the park open daily during peak summer and on a reduced weekend/select-day schedule in the spring and early fall shoulder seasons. WildWater Adventure, the adjoining water park, opens a few weeks later than the amusement park (typically mid-June) since it depends on warmer weather, and it keeps shorter daily hours than the rides side of the park. Because both schedules shift from year to year and can change for weather or special events, check the official Michigan’s Adventure website for the exact calendar and daily hours before you go.
Admission works like most regional parks: a single-day ticket covers both the amusement park and WildWater Adventure, advance online tickets are noticeably cheaper than buying at the gate, and season passes and multi-park packages are available for repeat visitors. Add-ons like preferred (closer-in) parking, all-day dining plans, and Fast Lane-style ride reservation upgrades are sold separately from base admission. Parking itself is a flat per-vehicle fee, with a modest surcharge for oversized vehicles like vans and RVs, and it’s paid separately from park admission whether you buy your ticket online or at the gate.
For anyone budgeting a trip, the general pattern to expect is: buy tickets online in advance for the best price, plan on paying for parking on top of admission, and treat preferred parking and ride-reservation upgrades as optional extras rather than requirements.
The Ride Experience
Shivering Timbers, built by Custom Coasters International and opened in 1998, is the park’s marquee attraction, standing over 120 feet tall with a top speed above 55 mph across more than a mile of out-and-back wooden track. It’s joined by Wolverine Wildcat, a wooden coaster dating to 1988, and Corkscrew, an Arrow Dynamics steel looping coaster that opened in 1979 and remains one of the older rides of its type still operating anywhere. Thunderhawk, a Vekoma suspended looping coaster added in 2008, gives riders a swinging, inverted experience with multiple inversions, while Mad Mouse, also from Arrow Dynamics, delivers the tight, jerky turns typical of the wild mouse design. Woodstock Express and Zach’s Zoomer round out the coaster lineup as family-friendly wooden and steel rides built for younger or less thrill-seeking visitors.
Beyond the coasters, RipCord is the park’s tallest attraction at 183 feet, a Skycoaster-style free-fall ride that drops riders into a swinging, hang-gliding flight at speeds up to 80 mph; it’s sold as an extra-charge experience separate from general admission. Camp Snoopy is the dedicated kids’ zone, packed with gentler rides sized for younger children and built around a minimum height (with most rides allowing smaller riders on with a supervising adult). Ride access park-wide is governed by individual height requirements posted at each attraction and in the park’s mobile app, so families with young kids should check specific ride heights before planning their day.
WildWater Adventure
WildWater Adventure is included with regular park admission rather than sold as a separate ticket, which makes Michigan’s Adventure effectively a combined amusement-and-water-park day. The water park features multiple wave pools, a lazy river, a collection of body and tube slides anchored by attractions like the Funnel of Fear, and Half Pint Paradise, a shallow, low-intensity area built for younger children. Because the water park opens later in the season and closes earlier in the day than the rides side of the park, it’s worth checking the daily hours before counting on a full water day.
History and Growth
The park’s roots trace to 1956, when founders L.R. Beardsley, Dr. E.S. Gillam, Hardin Dey, and Martin Kasichke opened Deer Park as a small petting zoo featuring deer, llamas, and a children’s area called Storybook Lane. Roger Jourden purchased the property in 1968, and it operated as Deer Park Funland through the 1970s and into the ’80s before a major relaunch in 1988 introduced the Michigan’s Adventure name under new leadership.
Ownership has shifted several times since then. Cedar Fair acquired the park in 2001, and it became part of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation following the 2024 Cedar Fair-Six Flags merger. In early 2026, Six Flags sold Michigan’s Adventure along with several other regional parks to EPR Properties in a deal worth roughly $331 million; the sale closed that spring, with day-to-day operations handled by Enchanted Parks under a long-term lease. The 2026 season marks the park’s 70th anniversary, and it ran under its normal schedule through the ownership change, with season passes honored and no disruption to guest operations.
Michigan’s Adventure visitor guide FAQs
Is Michigan’s Adventure the largest amusement park in Michigan?
Yes, Michigan’s Adventure is widely recognized as the largest amusement park in the state, covering approximately 250 acres near Muskegon.
What are Michigan’s Adventure’s hours?
The amusement park typically operates daily from late May through early September, with reduced weekend-only hours in the shoulder seasons; WildWater Adventure opens a few weeks later and keeps shorter daily hours. Exact daily hours change by date, so check the official Michigan’s Adventure calendar before visiting.
How much are Michigan’s Adventure tickets?
Single-day tickets bought in advance online cost less than buying at the gate, and admission covers both the amusement park and WildWater Adventure. Season passes and multi-visit packages are also available. Current prices are posted on the official ticketing page.
Is parking included with admission?
No, parking is a separate flat per-vehicle fee, with a modest surcharge for oversized vehicles, and preferred (closer) parking is available for an added cost.
What is the tallest ride at Michigan’s Adventure?
RipCord, a Skycoaster-style free-fall ride, is the park’s tallest attraction at 183 feet. Among roller coasters, Shivering Timbers is the tallest and longest at over 120 feet.
Is the water park included with regular admission?
Yes, WildWater Adventure is included with a standard Michigan’s Adventure ticket rather than sold separately, making it a combined amusement-and-water-park visit.
Who owns Michigan’s Adventure today?
As of 2026, Michigan’s Adventure is owned by EPR Properties and operated by Enchanted Parks, after being sold off from Six Flags Entertainment Corporation in a deal covering seven regional parks.
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