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Canobie Lake Park
Canobie Lake Park is located in Salem New Hampshire. The amusement park has been family-owned and has operated for more than 100 years. The drive from Boston is only about one hour in length. The park continues to add rides periodically, and has outlived almost all other amusement parks in New England that did not remain competitive over the years.
The newer and most thrilling rides at the park are the Canobie Corkscrew (corkscrew roller coaster), Starblaster (drop tower), and Xtreme Frisbee (swirling flying disc). For the old-fashioned amusement lover, the park also has the Yankee Cannonball (1933 wooden roller coaster), Dodgems (1930s), and the Antique Carousel (1902). Some of the rides are classics, with generations revisiting the park to see the Sky Ride, maze of glass, antique autos, and Canobie Express mini-train. There are also several water rides, and a Kiddie-Land children's ride area.
Canobie Lake Park was originally a trolley park for the Northeast Street Railway Corporation. Trolley parks allowed visitors from distant places to enjoy a summer outing in a rural setting. Many trolley parks were located near lakes, where boats or canoes could be rented for an hour. Bandstands and later dance halls were popular attractions for trolley parks. Canobie Lake’s Dancehall Theater was a popular entertainment destination, with Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra performing there at one time. The fountain near the lake dates back to the trolley park era, and was known as the Electric Fountain because of its fanciful lighting at that time.
The park also has lots of other amusements, including competitive games such as Balloon Race or Water Gun, and skill games such as Top Aim or Whack the Cats. There are several arcades to play pinball, air hockey, video games, or ticket-dispensing games like classic skee ball. Canobie also has a variety of food vendors, and beverage purchasing stands. The aroma of fried dough, cotton candy, pretzels, and pizza fill the air at some locations in the park, which make such treats all the more appealing. Fireworks and live entertainment are frequently featured; just check the schedule on the official website. Finally, a large pavilion is available for private bookings, and many local corporations utilize this service for annual corporate events.
Canobie Lake is a very popular day trip from Boston, and a family-friendly attraction. The entry price at Canobie is less than the main competitor in New England, which is partially offset by food being a bit pricey but not unusual for such venues. Visitors may be able to take advantage of Canobie Lake Park coupons that have been offered at McDonalds for the past several years.
Related Information
Contact Information & Address:
Canobie Lake Amusement Park
85 North Policy Street, Salem, NH 03079
603.893.3506
canobie.com
