Visiting Canada's Wonderland

One of my best memories of high school was the annual physics field trip to Canada's Wonderland, to study the dynamics of roller coasters. Ok, nobody really expected us to do any school work, but it was an awesome trip.

Canada may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of amusement parks, but Wonderland has all the thrills and spills you could possibly want. And it's all within a local bus ride from the city of Toronto.

Attractions
Well, there are too many rides and attractions to really list them all fairly. But here are a few of the ones you really ought to know about:

• Behemoth - New for 2008, with speeds of up to 125 km/hr, this is the biggest and fastest roller coaster in Canada. The total length of the track is more than 5,000 feet. Not to be missed.
• Dragon Fire - A coaster for loop-lovers. There are corkscrew twists and full 360-degree loops.
• Flight Deck - An inverted coaster where you hang beneath the rails with your feet just dangling out there in space.

There are another dozen major thrill rides and roller coasters at Wonderland. For those who prefer a less heart-stopping ride, there are bumper cards, a white water canyon ride and the giant swinging pirate ship, the Rage. There are daily live shows, for both adults and the kids. In total, there are more than 200 attractions and 65 rides at Canada's Wonderland. Oh, and don't forget the Splash Works, a 20-acre water park.

How Much
An adult day pass is around $46 (or $41 if bought online 3 days in advance). A 2-day pass is just under $60. Passes for children are based more on size, than age. So you can get a junior pass for anyone under 4 feet tall, for $30 a day. Or if you're a ride-a-holic, you can get a season pass for just $88.

How to Get There
You can actually take a city bus, to avoid driving. Less stressful, but it takes longer. There are routes to Wonderland from they Yorkdale and York Mills subways stations. You can get full maps and schedules at the TTC website. Check the pages for York region and GO transit.

If you are driving, you just need to head north from Toronto on highway 400, for around 10 minutes past the 401. Take the Rutherford Road exit and follow the signs.

That's the basics of the Wonderland amusement park, and you can get more details (including operating times/dates, and a map of the park) at their official website.