This park has really everything, it has thrill rides(Pitt Fall, Aero 360), dark rides(Noah's Ark, Old Mill), gentle rides(Turtle, Auto Race), steel coasters(Phantom's Revenge, Exterminator), classic wooden coasters(Jack Rabbit, Racer, Thunderbolt), great food, a great backdrop(on a bluff beside the river), a great history. Originally planned in 1898, Kennywood opened in 1899 as one of 14 "trolley parks" in the Pittsburgh area, one of only two that still exist(the other being Idlewild, which since 1984 has been owned and run by Kennywood), and just great fun.

This park has such a rich history two giant books have been written by Charles J. Jacques, Jr. to cover it(Kennywood: Roller Coaster Capital of the World and More Kennywood Memories), and it was the first amusement park to have a documentary made solely on it(Kennywood Memories). This is a review though, not a history lesson, so I won't get into it too much.

Kennywood is the definition of "fun for the whole family", it's very cheap for a park of it's stature($21 for ride all day, free parking), you've got one of the most expansive Kiddielands in the nation for the youngsters, five world class roller coasters for the enthusiast, thrill rides for the thrillseeker, and gentle, classic rides and shows for the older patrons, and a whole bunch of fun in between.

Here are the reviews of the parks 5 current coasters(in no particular order):

THUNDERBOLT(9.5/10)- Truly an amazing coaster, quite possibly the best wooden coaster around, it has many times been voted as THE best coaster in the world, most recently in 1999 by American Coaster Enthousiasts. This is one of the most unique coasters you will ever ride, it starts out by dropping out of the station into a ravine, you don't encounter the lift hill until about half way through the ride, and uncharacteristically the biggest drop in the ride is last drop! With those classic NAD cars it is a true classic. Originally built by John A. Miller in 1924 as the Pippin, it was partially re-built in 1967 as the Thunderbolt by the park's chief mechanic, Andy Vettel. It is an ACE Coaster Classic.

RACER(8.5/10)- This is another unique coaster, it's the only mobius tracked coaster(a racing coaster that is only one track) in America. This Racer was a complete re-design of an older Racer the park had from 1910-1926 this version opened in 1927 and was designed by John A. Miller. This is definetly the tamest "adult coaster" in the park, that doesn't prevent it from being a blast for everyone though. Nothing beats slapping hands with your opponents! Another ACE Coaster Classic.

JACK RABBIT(9.0/10)- The definition of a classic coaster, this 80+ year old coaster remains one of John A. Miller's best coasters, this is a very small ravine coaster located by the 101 year-old Old Mill. You are out of your seat for most of this ride, very rikkity-rackidy, it still runs like it did the day it opened(with the exception of the trains having fronts now). The double dip is something that I can't even begin to describe, it's just a great, great ride. Another ACE Coaster Classic.

Phantom's Revenge(10/10)- I will admit I was one of the many skeptics when I heard Kennywood was planning on tearing down the 10 year old Steel Phantom after the 2000 season, but that's changed though. It honestly is much better than the original. I loved the original but it was very rough, after riding it most riders(including me) would get head aches from the extreme G count(you reached a maximum of 5.5 Gs). This incarnation smoothens the ride to a maximum, there's barely any jerkiness in the ride, and it adds A LOT of airtime. Thankfully, Kennywood kept the best parts of the origional in the Revenge(the lift, the first swooping drop, and the deep drop into the ravine-intertwining with the Thunderbolt) and added a much better layout after it. You gotta love that color scheme too. It's just plain fun, you gotta experience the wrath of the Phantom's Revenge!

Exterminator(8/10)- When a ride this good can be called the worst coaster in the park, that's something special. This is a suprisingly good themed indoor roller coaster(for it being Kennywood's first venture into heavy theming), it is a wild mouse type track, but with a completely unique design found nowhere else, this ride starts out by going up a lift in an old power plant that is being overrun by over-sized rats(sounds corny, yes, but actually works very well). It's a disorienting feeling too, a decently fast coaster for it's type(indoor wild mouse) topped off with the free-spinning cars(at the half way point the cars spin freely when going around a turn)...it's a blast.

As long as you don't need 15 coasters to enjoy a park this is the best amusement park on the planet as far as I'm concerned.