OK, it isn’t Disney and it isn’t Six Flags, but picturesque Lake Compounce Amusement Park, nestled on a hillside in Bristol, Connecticut is one of my family’s favorite parks.
Toddler Time
When my kids were toddlers, Lake Compounce was a very family-friendly place to take them. My wife liked the park because it was very clean and the crowds weren’t large. It was small enough to get around on foot, or with a stroller, and the rides geared for toddlers were all in one section. This mini-park is filled with rides including a mini-roller coaster and mini-bumper cars. When they had enough of the rides, we would usually take a well-deserved break by taking an extended ride around the park on the quaint miniature railroad, called the Lake Railroad. My son was a huge Thomas the Tank Engine fan back then and this train ride was one of his favorites.
Water, Water
The water features at Lake Compounce have always been the main attraction for our kids. The water play areas are safe and my wife and I could watch and stay dry without being very far from our children. As they grew, they ventured onto some of the more daring water rides, which my wife and I also enjoy. Mammoth Falls is one of our favorites.
More Rides
Toddlers can have fun, but so can the rest of the family. There’s a wonderful array of rides and activities for every age group. There are old standards such as an antique carousel, bumper cars and a giant Ferris wheel. As my kids grew older their tastes in rides grew more adventurous. Lake Compounce features many thrill rides such as The Saw Mill Plunge, a great log flume ride with a climax that will deliver a good soaking. The nauseatingly fun Pirate Ship ride and the equally nauseating Sky Coaster and Revolution rides. Other rides that make our perennial top 10 list are the Wave Swinger, The Twister (where you control the amount of revolutions), and last but not least Thunder Rapids which is a wet and wild ride through a man-made white water river canyon in a six-person gondola. We also enjoy the relaxing trolley car ride that will transport you from the main part of the park to Thunder Rapids. While you’re in that area you may want to take the scenic half-hour chair lift ride up the side of the Lake Compounce mountainside.
Roller Coasters
Of course no American amusement park is complete without a selection of roller coasters and Lake Compounce does not disappoint. There is the modern Zoomerang, a steel coaster that has all the inversions and backward loops to satisfy any adrenaline junkie. There is also The Wildcat, which is a respectable classic coaster that’s been in operation since the 1920s. Our all-time favorite has to be Boulder Dash, which has been voted the number one thrilling wooden roller coaster in the U.S.! To quote my kids, “it’s just awesome!” The ride consists of high-speed plunges, which are followed by a safe but nonetheless harrowing ride along the cliff side of Lake Compounce Mountain. Boulder Dash is not for the faint of heart or the weak of neck, but if you are a coaster aficionado, do not miss this ride!
And More
In addition to the thrills and spills of the park, Lake Compounce has an actual lake on premises where families can take out rowboats or paddleboats if they want a little break from the other attractions. Compounce also features a midway area where you can try your hand at games of skill. There are also several musical and magic shows that run continuously throughout the day and night.
The great thing about Lake Compounce is that your price of admission buys all this fun and entertainment, with the exception of the midway, which is only a few dollars per game. The park also offers unlimited free soda at several locations in the park, all day, every day. Something you can tell your children – or maybe not.
Bob Berry is a freelance writer and illustrator.
When You Go…
Lake Compounce
186 Enterprise Drive
Bristol, Conn.
860-583-3300
Admission
$38.99; $28.99 for those under 52 inches tall. Free for children ages 3 and under.
A full season pass is available for $79.99.
Hours
Open May 11 through September 8. Daily from June 12 to August 25. Times vary with the earliest opening at 9 a.m. and the latest closing at 10 p.m. See website for details.
