Waldameer Park & Water World sits at the base of Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, where it has drawn lakeside crowds since 1896 — making 2026 its 130th season. Originally a picnic ground called Hoffman’s Grove, the site was leased and renamed by the Erie Electric Motor Company to appeal to the area’s large German community — “Waldameer” roughly translates to “woods by the sea.”
It now ranks as the fourth-oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania and one of only thirteen trolley parks still operating in the United States. This guide covers everything you need for an actual visit — hours, ticket and pass pricing, parking, the full ride lineup, and what’s new for 2026 and 2027 — plus the park’s history as a lakeside trolley park.
Quick Answer
Waldameer Park offers free general admission and free parking; you only pay for rides, either through a wristband/points card or a combo pass that also covers the adjoining Water World water park. The amusement park typically runs weekends-only in early May, goes to daily operation through the summer, and tapers back to weekends in early fall, while Water World opens a few weeks later in May and closes earlier in the fall. Address: 220 Peninsula Drive, Erie, PA 16505, at the entrance to Presque Isle State Park.
Planning Your Visit: Hours, Tickets & Prices
Waldameer’s operating calendar follows a typical seasonal trolley-park pattern: the amusement park opens for the year around the first weekend of May on a Saturday/Sunday-only schedule, shifts to daily hours once schools let out for summer, and scales back to weekends again after Labor Day before closing for the season. Water World opens a few weeks after the main park (usually in late May) and generally runs a shorter season and shorter daily hours than the rides side. Because both schedules shift year to year and can change for weather, always check the current calendar on the official Waldameer park hours page before you go.
There’s no gate admission charge for the amusement park itself — you only pay to ride. Waldameer sells single-day Water World passes (which include water park access only), combo passes that unlock both the rides and Water World for the day, and reloadable ride wristbands/points cards for guests who just want a few rides. Pricing is tiered by height and age (roughly 48 inches and taller, under 48 inches/seniors 60+, and young children who ride free), and season passes — sold in the same three height/age tiers — include unlimited rides and Water World all summer with no blackout dates. For current dollar prices and to buy tickets or season passes online, visit the official Waldameer tickets and season pass page.
Getting There & Parking
Waldameer Park & Water World is located at 220 Peninsula Drive, Erie, PA 16505, right at the base of the causeway leading into Presque Isle State Park along Lake Erie. Parking is free in both of the park’s main lots, which include accessible spaces and feed directly into the amusement park and Water World entrances — there’s no separate parking fee layered on top of ride or water park tickets, which is unusual among modern amusement parks. Full driving directions from Erie, Cleveland, and surrounding areas are listed on the official Waldameer directions page.
Rides and Roller Coasters
Waldameer’s lineup totals roughly 37 rides in the amusement park plus a dozen water slides and pools in Water World, blending heritage attractions with newer additions. The park currently operates five roller coasters: The Comet (1951, wooden, built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters and recognized as an ACE Coaster Classic), Ravine Flyer 3 (2000, a steel kiddie coaster from E&F Miler Industries), Steel Dragon (2004, a Maurer AG steel spinning coaster), Ravine Flyer II (2008, the park’s signature hybrid wood coaster from The Gravity Group), and Whirlwind (2020, a smaller steel spinning coaster from SBF Visa Group aimed at younger riders).
Ravine Flyer II remains the headline attraction: it has a roughly 118 to 120-foot first drop, tops out around 57 mph, runs through four tunnels, and is famous as the only roller coaster in the world that crosses a public highway — twice — via an arched bridge over PA Route 832 (Peninsula Drive). It was built in the same ravine once occupied by the original early-20th-century Ravine Flyer and has consistently placed among the top wooden coasters worldwide in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards since opening in 2008.
Water World
Adjacent to the rides, Water World adds slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river, giving Waldameer a dual identity as both a classic trolley park and a modern water park on Lake Erie’s shore. Water World requires its own separate admission (or a combo pass) and typically opens a few weeks after the amusement park each spring, with a shorter operating season heading into fall. As of this season, the park’s new Winding Waters endless river attraction is under construction, with an opening date still to be determined — check the official hours page for the latest status before visiting.
What’s New at Waldameer
Waldameer continues investing in new attractions even as it celebrates its 130th anniversary. Water World is adding Presque Isle Plunge, a set of five-person raft slides, as part of its 2026 expansion. Looking further ahead, the park has announced Eagle’s Pursuit for 2027 — a double-launch steel family coaster from Vekoma overlooking Lake Erie, which will become the park’s sixth roller coaster.
A Trolley Park Legacy
Few American amusement parks trace their roots as far back as Waldameer. Its founding as a streetcar-line picnic destination in the 1890s places it among a small handful of surviving trolley parks nationwide, alongside the likes of Kennywood and Lake Compounce. That history, combined with free admission, free parking, and continued investment in new rides, has kept Waldameer a fixture of Erie summers for well over a century.
Waldameer Park visitor guide FAQs
Is Waldameer Park free to enter?
Yes, general admission and parking are both free. Guests pay only for rides, either through wristbands/points cards or a combo pass that also covers Water World.
What are Waldameer Park’s hours?
Hours vary by season: the amusement park typically runs weekends-only in early May, daily through the core summer months, then weekends again into September, while Water World opens later and closes earlier. Check the official hours page for the current calendar.
How much do tickets cost at Waldameer?
Waldameer sells single-day Water World passes, combo passes covering rides plus Water World, ride wristbands/points cards, and season passes, all tiered by height (roughly 48 inches) and age (seniors 60+). Exact current prices are listed on the official ticket page.
Is parking free at Waldameer Park?
Yes. Waldameer offers free parking in two lots that feed directly into both the amusement park and Water World, including accessible spaces.
What is Waldameer Park’s most famous ride?
Ravine Flyer II, a hybrid wooden roller coaster designed and built by The Gravity Group that opened in 2008, is the park’s signature attraction and the only coaster in the world that crosses a public highway.
How many roller coasters does Waldameer have?
Waldameer currently operates five roller coasters: The Comet, Ravine Flyer 3, Steel Dragon, Ravine Flyer II, and Whirlwind. A sixth, Eagle’s Pursuit, is planned to open in 2027.
How old is Waldameer Park?
Waldameer dates to 1896, making 2026 its 130th season and placing it as the fourth-oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania and one of the oldest in the United States.
Is Water World included with Waldameer admission?
No. Water World charges separate admission from the free amusement park, though combo passes and season passes cover both.
Get More from Waldameer Park visitor guide
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Waldameer Park visitor guide, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.