Maryland

Summer 2025: Cool amusement parks in Delaware, Maryland & New Jersey

Published

5 months ago

June 10, 2025

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Summer 2025: Cool amusement parks in Delaware, Maryland & New Jersey

Locations include Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey.
Several amusement parks and water parks offer a variety of attractions for families and thrill-seekers.
Ticket prices and hours vary depending on the park and time of year.

This fast-moving year has brought its share of highs and lows. And you know what that means, right?

Maybe it’s a sign you’re overdue for a roller coaster ride?

If you think it’s the latter, here’s a look at seven can’t-miss amusements parks in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey you and your kids might want to hit up this summer. These parks offer go-karting, crazy roller coasters and water slides, and so much more.

Great Wolf Lodge: Perryville, Maryland

Your pack can soak up the fun at Great Wolf Lodge’s 126,000-square-feet indoor water park where the temperature stays a perfect 84 degrees all year long. Guests can enjoy slides like the monster Twister Slide, which stretches 275 feet and features 360 loops, plus families/groups can go rafting.

Additionally, folks can kick back and float in the Lazy River. The “Otter Springs” offers a play pool for younger children that has several kid-friendly slides with tiny dips.

Great Wolf Lodge has a lot of non-water attractions such as an arcade, mini golf, bowling and a mining-themed mirror maze where you must find the exit. There’s an obstacle course that looks like something inspired by “America Ninja Warrior,” but on a smaller scale, and other cool attractions. Bear in mind, each attraction listed above are paid add-ons.

Amenities: There are several restaurants and food shops like Hungry As A Wolf, Dunkin’, Campfire Kitchen (breakfast food like waffles), Wood’s End Creamery, Barnwood and Timbers. Folks can buy grab-and-go sandwiches and drinks at the Freshwoods Market. The Pretzelmaker dishes up fresh pretzels. Adults will find alcoholic drinks at The Watering Hole.

Hours: Times vary, but the water park is normally open daily during the summer.

Admission/Tickets: The price for full-day and half-day passes vary throughout June to September (before Labor Day), ranging from around $48 to $100 per person. Half-day passes are cheaper and are typically available for weekdays, allowing guests to hang out from 4 p.m. to close. Kids aged 2 or younger get in free.

Lodging: Folks who want to stay the night can do so in one of the lodge suites. When you lodge at Great Wolf Lodge, your water park passes are included for each registered guest, according to the website.

The standard family suite includes two queen beds, full bath a TV and mini fridge. While the prices vary, the amount for a one-night stay for two adult guests and two kids (each over age 2) might start at around $369. There also are options for themed family suites that accommodate up to six to seven people, plus a premium option that accommodates up to 13 people. Address: Great Wolf Lodge (1240 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, Maryland).

Visit greatwolf.com/maryland or call (888) 983-9653.

Six Flags Great Adventure: Jackson, New Jersey

For decades, Six Flags has been a summer staple for adrenaline junkies; and the party hasn’t stopped. The amusement park boasts dozens of rides, games and activities, including your favorite hero and villain rides like The Flash: Vertical Velocity, The Joker, Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth, The Dark Knight Coaster and Super Man: Ultimate Flight.

Other notable experiences include the Wild Safari where guests cruise around in an open-air vehicle and discover epic animals, while learning about conservation efforts. Amenities: There’s over a dozen restaurants, bars and food spots for patrons include the Ale House, Best of the West, Primo’s Pizzeria on Main Street, Boardwalk Steak and Fries, Totally Kickin’ Chicken Sports Bar, Sugar Shack and Rita’s Italian Ice.

Hours: The park is usually open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Sept. 1, though hours vary.

Tickets: $39, one-day pass starts as low as that price. $75, season pass starts as low as that price.

Address: Six Flags Great Adventures (Six Flags Blvd., Jackson, New Jersey).

Visit sixflags.com/greatadventure or call (732) 928-2000.

Funland, Rehoboth Beach

This is an emotional year for some longtime Funland fans because owner Allen “Al” Fasnacht passed away in March. Yet, his legacy lives on in every smile and fun memory at Funland.

The iconic amusement park in Rehoboth Beach offers 20 rides and 11 games. Funland has entertained multiple generations of families since 1962.

Amenities: Snack bar and gift shop.

Hours: Open daily in the summer:

From June 7 to Aug. 23: Games open at 10 a.m., and Rides open at 1 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 10:15 p.m.

Aug. 24 to 28: Games and rides open at 1p.m. Ticket booth Closes at 9:15 p.m.

Aug. 29: Games and rides open at 1p.m. Ticket booth closes at 10:15 p.m.

Aug. 30 to 31: Games open at 10 a.m. Rides open at 1 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 10:15 p.m.

Sept. 1: Games open at 10 a.m. Rides open at 1 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 8:15 p.m.

Sept. 2 to 4: Park closed.

Sept. 5: Games and rides open at 6 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 9:15 p.m.

Sept. 6: Games and rides open at 1 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 10:15 p.m.

Sept. 7, last day of 2025 season: Games and rides open at 1 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 8:15 p.m.

Tickets: Single ticket is $0.75; 25 ticket book is $18.75; $50 ticket book is $33 and $100 ticket book is $55. The Unlimited Ride Wristband (1-4:30 p.m.) is $26.00. Unless you have the Unlimited Ride Wristband, the price of rides vary. Some are 1 ticket, others reach up to 6 tickets per ride. Address: Funland (6 Delaware Ave., Rehoboth Beach).

Visit funlandrehoboth.com or call (302) 227-1921

Jungle Jim’s, Rehoboth Beach

Delaware’s largest water park is where kids and parents will find a bunch of activities including giant water slides, a wave pool, kiddie pool, lazy river, activity pool, kid’s spray ground, and more.

But there’s more than just water here. There’s also a state-of-the-art batting cage system and two mini-golf courses with 18 holes each.

Amenities: River Safari Café and gift shop

Hours: Water park opens daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with twilight from 3 to 6 p.m.

Tickets: $50, all-day water park pass for people over 3½ feet; $35, all-day water park pass for people under 3½ feet; $250, water park season pass for people over 3½ feet; $175, water park season pass for people under 3½ feet.

Address: Jungle Jim’s (36944 Country Club Road, Rehoboth Beach)

Visit funatjunglejims.com or call (302) 227-8444.

Killens Pond State Park, Felton

For decades, kids have loved getting their feet wet at Killens Pond Water Park, a place that offers fun for all ages. The park features two speed slides and two spiral slides, a tot lot for little ones, and more.

Hours: The park is open through Labor Day, weekends only through mid-June, and weekends only mid-August through Labor Day. The park is open two sessions per day: 9 a.m. To 1:30 p.m., and 2 to 6 p.m.

Tickets: $8, people under 4 feet; $10 for people 4 feet and over. Weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and holiday rates are $10 for those under 4 feet tall; and $12 for people 4 feet or taller.

Address: Killens Pond (5025 Killens Pond Road, Felton).

Visit destateparks.com/waterpark or call (302) 284-4526.

Midway Speedway Park, Rehoboth Beach

Midway Speedway Park is a Rehoboth gem that offers four tracks across eight styles of go-kart racing. There’s also the White Water Mountain Water Park and Fire Mountain miniature golf. Not to mention, cool attractions on tap include Zip Zone Bumper Boats, or you can go on the water and play Splashing Bumper Boat Action.

Hours: Open daily, Go-karts and mini golf from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Water park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tickets: $59.99, includes one all-day water park and one round of mini golf, and four choice tickets to be used on any attraction; $200 for a water park season pass. A Single Ride ticket is $12. 1 game of mini golf is $15. For more prices, see website below.

Address: Midway Speed Waterpark (8645 Coastal Highway. Rehoboth Beach).

Visit midwayspeedwaypark.com or call (302) 644-2042.

Six Flags America: Bowie, Maryland

Folks have to make the most of their time at Six Flags America in Bowie this year, since the park is set to close permanently in November. The park boasts dozens of rides and games.

This year marks the return of SteamTown, the new steampunk-themed section of the park that launched in 2024, offering cool attractions like the QuantumCanyon Rapids, Professor Screamore’s SkyWinder roller coaster, Fillament’s SteamPub and more fun. There’s also the Hurricane Harbor waterpark, which is an additional fee.

Other notable rides and experiences include Harley Quinn Spinsanity roller coaster, the Halfpipe and Batwing Coaster.

Amenities: Over two dozen amenities are on tap like the Gotham City Funnel Cakes, Macho Nacho, Hurricane Hotdog, Heritage House Food Court, Calypso’s Bar and much more.

Hours: Daily hours are usually 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., though hours vary.

Tickets: One-day ticket starts at $29. Silver Pass is $59; Gold Pass is $69.

Address: Six Flags America (13710 Central Ave, Bowie, Maryland).

Visit sixflags.com/america or call (301) 249-1500.

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.

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Maryland

Indiana football just keeps dominating: ‘Make sure there’s no doubt left, at all’

Published

17 hours ago

November 2, 2025

Press Room

Indiana football just keeps dominating: ‘Make sure there’s no doubt left, at all’

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Word got around here, late in the week, that Maryland finally sold out its homecoming game.

It came as a minor surprise. Good tickets remained available as recently as Monday. Mike Locksley’s Terrapins were in the midst of another midseason slump, an unfortunately common feature of his tenure, and yet, by Saturday morning, all seats were accounted for.

The alumni base recently declared America’s largest — with healthy representation in major metropolitan areas up and down the Atlantic seaboard — arrived in force. From D.C., New York and Philadelphia, Indiana football fans made their presence felt in yet another road environment.

The several thousand fans wearing Indiana crimson that stayed through all four quarters of a 55-10 blowout win Saturday roared, as Curt Cignetti led his Hoosiers (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) off the field. They cheered for a team they’ve come to love, one so deeply motivated by its ambitions and so completely bought into Cignetti’s relentless fight for focus that seemingly nothing can break its stride.

“Every single week,” Mikail Kamara said, “we’ve got to make sure there’s no doubt left, at all.”

There could be none remaining, as Indiana strode off into the cool Maryland night having bulldozed its way through another blowout win.

The nation’s leader in margin of victory heading into this weekend will only have improved on that number. This time the methods were different, because the opponent was different and so the challenge was different.

But the result was the same.

Indiana’s defense dominates Maryland

Indiana could have been forgiven a lull. Surely this brand of winning gets boring, or repetitive, or numbing. Kamara’s words, like his team’s performances, suggest otherwise.

Fernando Mendoza (14-of-21 passing, 225 total yards, two touchdowns) started slowly, and so did his offense. Mendoza’s lone interception ended IU’s first drive, and a sack doomed the Hoosiers’ second.

So Bryant Haines’ defense went to work on Malik Washington, the promising but inexperienced freshman Maryland (4-4, 1-4) lines up behind center. Washington has played beyond his years at times this season, helped by offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s ability to simplify and smooth for his young quarterback.

Hamilton could do nothing for his freshman QB this day, other than a reassuring arm around the shoulder afterward, and the promise most days aren’t this hard.

Because most defenses aren’t this good. Indiana finished allowing just 293 yards, a healthy chunk of those gained long after the result was beyond doubt.

The Hoosiers flipped their own script — finishing with no sacks and just three tackles for loss, they instead turned Maryland over five times.

That’s as many turnovers as Locksley’s team had committed all season before Saturday.

“The defense has, all year long, risen to the occasion when their backs are against the wall,” Cignetti said. “It wasn’t perfect tonight defensively, trust me. … But there’s a lot of good things there on tape.”

OK, so maybe it wouldn’t be Washington’s arm, or Mendoza’s slow start, or the turnover differential that untracked the freight train this team has become.

Injuries don’t slow down Indiana football

Maybe injuries would do the trick.

Aiden Fisher watched from the sideline.

Drew Evans was a surprise absence, with Cignetti suggesting his starting left guard could miss several weeks.

In the game itself, IU lost Elijah Sarratt (hamstring) and Kaiden Turner (calf), and helped Kahlil Benson (ankle/foot) play his way through pain until his efforts were no longer required.

Surely, between a starting lineman, a linebacker captain and the Hoosiers’ leading receiver, the sheer weight of injuries would affect this team’s performance. Not a chance.

“It’s just the trust we have in each other,” Mendoza said. “We know we have each other’s backs, and it’s one group going toward one goal.”

Maryland, Mendoza said, responded to Sarratt’s departure (and Indiana’s high-flying pass game) by committing to coverage and refusing to lose the game in the air. Indiana just made the Terrapins lose it on the ground.

IU’s 367 yards rushing were the most in a game since the fan-favorite Bacon And Legs win over Maryland in 2016. Three different backs ran for at least 80 yards, and four different Hoosiers (including Mendoza) rushed for a touchdown.

Backup (and little brother) Alberto Mendoza’s 53-yard run in the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers’ longest of the day, tacked one final flourish onto a signature afternoon. Everyone contributed to another remarkable performance, and so everyone shared at least a little bit of the credit.

“From my standpoint,” Cignetti said, “the thing I’m most proud of is the way they listen to the message about playing one play at a time, regardless of the circumstances.”

Cignetti will sweat some of those injuries. Indiana — like most teams in the transfer portal era — doesn’t have the depth to keep replacing starters.

There’s every chance, though, IU sees some of those important absent faces back on the field in a week in State College. And there’s just as much chance it won’t matter either way.

Cignetti spends his days, weeks, months and years preaching this unflinching focus, and the cold, ruthless dominance that follows. Never in his (admittedly brief) Indiana tenure has his team delivered performances that so clearly mastered his command.

“No matter if we’re up 10 at halftime, or we’re up 30 in the fourth quarter, we’re going to keep on swinging,” Mendoza said, “keep giving our best shot, because that’s what the present moment deserves, and that’s what we deserve as a football team.”

The relentlessness with which his team wins football games is what puts all the sport’s biggest prizes in front of this team now. At some point, we might find an opponent or an obstacle that can break this Indiana team’s unrelenting forward progress, but it’s going to take something remarkable to do it.

Zach Osterman covers the Hoosiers for IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network. Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter.

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Maryland lawmaker wants to end emissions testing

Published

3 days ago

October 31, 2025

Press Room

Maryland lawmaker wants to end emissions testing

A Maryland lawmaker plans to introduce legislation to get rid of the state’s biannual emissions test.

The price of the test in Maryland more than doubled this year from $14 to $30.

State Del. Christopher Eric Bouchat, R-Carroll and Frederick counties, says that test basically is useless these days. Newer cars have much more updated emissions standards, he said, and, essentially, cars today are coming off the lot clean.

“The system in place now is obsolete and no longer needed,” Bouchat said.

According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, more than 90% of cars pass the emissions test.

Bouchat says the fees just to likely pass the test add up.

“Even though it’s a small amount — say, $30 per person — but for your family, you have a couple of teenage kids, you got them all on cars, that adds up,” he said. “It winds up just being a money net for the state government as an excuse to pull in revenue.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the number of registered vehicles in Maryland was about 4.9 million as of this year. If each gets tested every two years, that adds up to about $150 million in revenue for the state every two years.

Bouchat argues not having to operate the state’s emissions testing centers themselves offsets that loss of revenue.

Most cars that were made in 1995 or earlier are exempt from the emissions test in Maryland, as are motorcycles.

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Maryland Supreme Court: Attorney disbarment; self-representation

Published

4 days ago

October 30, 2025

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Criminal; self-representation

BOTTOM LINE: Where a man did not express a desire that the trial court could reasonably conclude was a request for self-representation or to discharge counsel, it did not have an obligation to question him further to determine whether the he wanted to invoke the right to self-representation.

CASE: Goodrich v. State, No. 8, Sept. Term, 2025 (filed Oct. 24, 2025) (Justices Fader, WATTS, Booth, Biran, Gould, Eaves, Killough).

FACTS: After a trial by jury at which he was represented by counsel, Mr. Goodrich was found guilty of attempted second-degree murder, armed robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or crime of violence and sentenced to imprisonment. The Appellate Court of Maryland affirmed the conviction.

Mr. Goodrich contends that he made a request to represent himself and the judge denied the request in violation of his constitutional rights and Maryland Rule 4-215. According to Mr. Goodrich, his responses to the administrative judge’s inquiry required the judge to ask additional questions of him to ascertain whether he truly wanted to represent himself, and to make a ruling under Maryland Rule 4-215(e) as to whether a request to discharge counsel was meritorious.

LAW: Under the circumstances of this case, the circuit court complied with the requirements set forth in case law concerning the constitutional right to self- representation and Maryland Rule 4-215(e).

Where a trial court has been advised by defense counsel that a defendant wants to represent himself at trial, the court is required under case law concerning the constitutional right to self-representation to conduct an inquiry to determine whether the defendant clearly and unequivocally invoked the right to self-representation and under Maryland Rule 4-215(e) to permit the defendant to explain the reasons for the request to discharge counsel.

Here, in response to a court’s reasonable inquiry, a defendant does not express a desire that the court could reasonably conclude is a request for self-representation or to discharge counsel, the court does not have an obligation under case law or Maryland Rule 4-215(e) to question the defendant further to determine whether the defendant wants to invoke the right to self-representation.

In this case, where, in response to the court’s inquiry, Mr. Goodrich advised the court that he wanted an attorney and did not reasonably apprise the court of a desire for self-representation or to discharge counsel. Neither the Supreme Court’s holding in Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806 (1975), nor this court’s holding in Snead v. State, 286 Md. 122 (1979) or the provisions of Maryland Rule 4-215(e) required the court to question him further. Under the circumstances of the case, the court’s inquiry was reasonable and complied with case law governing assertion of the right to self-representation and Maryland Rule 4-215(e).

Judgement of the Appellate Court of Maryland affirmed.

BOTTOM LINE: Where an attorney violated multiple Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct arising out of his representation of 14 clients in the bankruptcy court, as well as conduct in connection with his own bankruptcy filings and tax matters, he was disbarred.

CASE: Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland v. Mintz, AG No. 21, Sept. Term, 2025 (filed Oct. 24, 2025) (Justices Fader, Watts, BOOTH, Biran, Gould, Eaves, Killough).

FACTS: The Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland, acting through bar counsel, filed a petition for disciplinary or remedial action against David B. Mintz, arising out of his representation of 14 clients in the bankruptcy court, as well as conduct in connection with his own bankruptcy filings and tax matters.

The hearing judge assigned to this matter found by clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Mintz committed all but one of the violations alleged by the Commission. The hearing judge also determined the presence of eight aggravating factors and one mitigating factor. Neither party filed exceptions. Bar counsel recommended the sanction of disbarment, which this court imposed by per curiam order on Sept. 4, 2025, following oral argument, which Mr. Mintz did not attend. The court now explains the reasons for its order.

LAW: The hearing judge concluded that there was clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Mintz had committed all but one of the violations charged by the Commission. Neither Mr. Mintz nor the Commission filed any exceptions.

Based on this court’s independent review of the record and the hearing judge’s conclusions, it agrees with the hearing judge and concludes that clear and convincing evidence demonstrates that Mr. Mintz violated Rules 1.1 (competence), 1.3 (diligence), 1.4 (a) and (b) (communication), 1.5(a) (fees), 1.16(a) (declining or terminating representation), 3.2 (expediting litigation), 3.4(c) (fairness to opposing party and attorney), 8.1(b) (bar admission and disciplinary matters) and 8.4(a), (c) and (d) (misconduct).

In accordance with Maryland Rule 19-727(e)(3), the hearing judge made findings as to aggravating and mitigating circumstances. The hearing judge found one mitigating factor present, which was that Mr. Mintz had no prior disciplinary history. The court concludes that the record supports the hearing judge’s finding of the single mitigating factor by a preponderance of the evidence.

With respect to aggravating factors, the hearing judge found by clear and convincing evidence the following: a pattern of misconduct; multiple offenses; bad faith obstruction of the disciplinary proceeding by intentionally failing to comply with rules or orders of the disciplinary agency; substantial experience in the practice of law; refusal to acknowledge the wrongful nature of the misconduct; victim’s vulnerability; indifference to making restitution or rectifying the misconduct’s consequences; and likelihood of repetition. The court agrees with the hearing judge that these aggravating factors are present.

The Commission recommended disbarment as the appropriate sanction given Mr. Mintz’s numerous violations of the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct, asserting that Mr. Mintz “completely and utterly abandoned fourteen separate clients, causing them considerable financial and emotional distress.” The Commission pointed to Mr. Mintz’s repeated failure to obey orders from the bankruptcy court, his failure to appear for hearings and complete required filings and his litigation tactics, which the Commission described as “‘gaming’ the bankruptcy system for his personal gain.”

The court agrees with the Commission that the totality of Mr. Mintz’s misconduct “demonstrates a complete indifference” to the duty owed to his clients, to the court and to the legal profession. Mr. Mintz’s neglect of clients’ cases, and his failure to communicate with his clients—all of whom were in the vulnerable and stressful process of filing for bankruptcy—and his continued failure to fully respond and participate in bar counsel’s investigation seriously undermine the integrity of the legal profession.

Mr. Mintz’s wholesale abandonment of his clients and his flagrant disregard for court orders is troubling, to say the least. Mr. Mintz’s misconduct not only harmed his clients, but also erodes basic public confidence in the legal system and the rule of law.

So ordered.

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