This past week I went to the Atlanta Fair. I took my teenage little brother and some of my own friends since we had nothing else to do on a Monday night, and the weather is finally breaking in Atlanta after a week of heavy rain. We went around 6 p.m., which was a pretty decent time regarding safety and crowds. The fair was very secure, with Police officers manning the parking lot, entrances and exits. Plus, you had to go through a metal detector before entering. So, I knew that I was in safe hands here.
I came to the fair with a plan. With this article, I wanted to figure out the best attraction at the fair, so I rated every ride I got on based on how fun it was, how fast it went, the ride’s intensity and how well it was built.
Bumper Cars:
The first ride we got on was, of course, bumper cars. Despite feeling like a huge jerk for dominating the bumper cars amongst a bunch of children, I had a lot of fun. The carnie was so nice that he let us on for some extra minutes because there wasn’t a line. The cars were sturdy and worked well, and although it wasn’t the fastest or most intense ride there, it was definitely the most fun I had at the fair.
Ticket price: 3 tickets
Fun: 10/10
Speed: 5/10
Intensity: 4/10
Build: 9/10
Expedition:
Next, we went on the Expedition. The Expedition is a high-speed, one-track ride that goes around and around at super speed, typically to a fast-paced playlist. I got on this ride twice. It was so much fun the first time — just enough speed to get the adrenaline pumping but not too much that it became uncomfortable. The best part of this ride is once you think it’s stopped and it’s time to get off, it goes backward!
Now, the second time around on this ride was a bit less enjoyable. The carnie made the ride go way too fast, so it definitely teetered the line between fun and uncomfy. My best advice for this ride: if you ride with a child or a smaller person, have them sit on the inside of the car — that way, you avoid sandwiching them between the cart and yourself, given how fast this ride goes.
Ticket price: 4 tickets
Fun: 8/10
Speed: 9/10
Intensity: 10/10
Build: 7/10
After the Expedition, I needed a bit of a breather, so I wanted to try out some of the carnival games. The games were generally $10 each, which was a bit disappointing. I thought my unlimited ride pass would give me access to the games, but it doesn’t, so you still have to pay extra for the games. The prizes ranged from fidget toys, giant plushies, sports jerseys and other toys. If you’re going to play a game, you better have a real good aim, or else you may not get a lot of bang for your buck.
Sizzler:
After walking around for a while, we decided to get on the Sizzler. Although you can fit up to two people in each cart, I 100% recommend riding individually. Given the speed of the ride, similar to the Expedition, the person sitting on the outside of the ride will get a little crushed, which will make for a not-so-enjoyable experience.
Ticket Price: 3 tickets
Fun: 6/10
Speed: 7/10
Intensity: 6/10
Build: 9/10
Nemesis 360:
Now, I’m not a huge rollercoaster fan at all. But I was somehow convinced to get on the Nemesis 360. If you do not like rollercoasters and do not like being upside down, do not get on this. However, for my thrill seekers out there, this has a nice amount of thrill for a ride at the fair. It was definitely one of the more smooth rides we got on at the fair despite the seatbelt not feeling as tight on my body as I had hoped. However, I never felt unsafe or improperly secured. As someone who goes to Six Flags and prefers the baby rides, this ride made me want to puke my guts out, but it was kind of worth it!
Ticket Price: 4 tickets
Fun: 9/10
Speed: 7/10
Intensity: 9/10
Build: 10/10
Ferris Wheel
After all of the thrills, I had to get on the Ferris wheel. It felt amazing to take in the crisp Atlanta springtime air and gaze at the beautiful city and fair rides against the purple and pink sunset. The Ferris wheel was relaxing and perfect to ride before getting your funnel cake and going home.
Ticket Price: 4 tickets
Fun: 9/10
Speed: 7/10
Intensity: 9/10
Build: 10/10
The fair is only here until April 9th, so take advantage of this beautiful weather, take your allergy medicine and head down to the Atlanta Fair this weekend!
