Theme Park Guides | California’s Great America

Guide to California’s Great America

California’s Great America in Santa Clara, California, is Cedar Fair’s smallest amusement park at only 100 acres. The park opened on March 20, 1976, as Marriott’s Great America. A sister Marriott’s Great America park, now Six Flags Great America, was built in Chicago and opened on May 29, 1976.

Paramount owned California’s Great America from 1992–2006 until Cedar Fair acquired all the Paramount Parks.

South Bay Shores is Great America’s water park and is included in the price of admission.

🚨 On June 27, 2022, it was announced that California’s Great America will be closed in the next 11 years (source: NBC Bay Area). Rumors suggest that the park may close in 2024.

Travel Tips

The closest airport is San Jose International Airport (SJC), which is about 10 minutes from California’s Great America!
A few parks are about an hour from the park, including the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Gilroy Gardens, and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

Must-Do Attractions

Several attractions at California’s Great America can also be found at Six Flags Great America.

The Carousel Columbia is a double-decker carousel that’s one of the park's most iconic attractions. It was featured in the 1994 film Beverly Hills Cop III.
Gold Striker is ranked as one of the best wooden coasters in the world. It opened in 2013 and was manufactured by Great Coasters International.
RailBlazer, manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, is a single-rail steel coaster that opened in 2018. The Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas has the same layout.
Flight Deck, formerly known as Top Gun, is a Bolliger & Mabillard steel inverted coaster that opened in 1993.
Demon is an Arrow Dynamics multi-looping steel coaster with theming elements. It was an opening-day attraction at both Great America parks in 1976.
The Gondola ride (Delta Flyer/Eagle's Flight) provides great views of the park and Santa Clara. It was an opening-day attraction in 1976.