Latest news with #thrillseekers
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
I visited the UK's biggest underground ‘theme park' in caves – it's twice the size of St Paul's
MY KIDS weren't impressed when I told them they would be starting their summer holidays in a damp, gloomy cave in the Welsh mountains. But imagine their faces when they discovered that this former slate mine has been transformed into a haven for thrill-seekers, filled with nets, slides, music and neon lights. 5 5 Zip World Llechwedd in North Wales is a bit different from your average theme park - and not just because of its location. This vast cavern is twice the size of St Paul's Cathedral and although there are no rollercoasters, it's still crammed with exciting activities from an 18-hole underground crazy golf course and an adventure course that relies on wires, rope bridges and tightropes to a mega zipline above the quarry. There's even a deep mining tour that uncovers an underground lake at 500ft below which relies on a cable railway to get back to the surface. My boys were most excited for Bounce Below, though - a sprawling and cavernous trampoline park which features nets set at different levels for adventurers young and old to explore. You need to arrive about half an hour before your time slot to get checked in, but that gives you plenty of time to discover the site on the surface before you venture inside the mountain. We found a lovely little playground to limber up little legs after our long drive. And it's good to see the old mining buildings in use alongside new structures that have turned this slice of industrial heritage into a tourist attraction. Before you can get anywhere near the nets underground, you need to don a helmet so you're not bashing your bonce on low ceilings and jagged rocks on your way through the tunnels into the mine. There are lockers to leave your valuables in, so your car keys aren't at risk of dropping out of your pocket and ending up at the bottom of the abyss while you bounce. The boys had an absolute blast underground, exploring all the different levels of nets and the twisty slides that connect them. Obviously the caves are a bit cold and damp, so you need to wear warm clothes and sensible shoes, preferably not your Sunday best. My top tip would be to let everyone else get on the nets first and wait until the entrance way is clear so you can find your feet if your balance isn't great. Inside the 'world-first' Wallce & Gromit theme park ride 5 5 My littlest lad and I were full of enthusiasm and first down the gangway, only to be bounced over by the adults getting on behind us. As he jumped up and away, I needed a bit of time sitting down before I found my sea legs. It was fun watching the boys play a game of British bulldog across one of the massive nets stretched across the cavern. The lights and music all added to the atmosphere and before we knew it, our hour was up and we were heading back along the tunnels to the mine entrance. As the temperature inside the cavern remains somewhere between six and eight degrees, it was slightly bizarre to step out into warm drizzle - not something you expect to experience in Wales. If you prefer to stay above ground, other Zip World sites in Wales, Cumbria, Manchester and London offer attractions like a toboggan ride downhill through the forest, high ropes courses and even a turn on the world's longest and tallest tunnel slide overlooking the 2012 Olympic Park. If you love adrenaline and adventure, you can't go far wrong with heading to Bounce Below to make a memorable mine visit with your family. It's the perfect first step towards some of the more extreme attractions that Zip World has to offer. 5
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Check out these amusement parks – big and small – within a day's drive from Akron
There's just something magical about amusement parks. They are places where memories are made. And fears are confronted. Northern Ohio is still fortunate to have a fair number of such parks within a day's drive. Most of these parks are steeped in history and are popular destinations for amusement park enthusiasts from near and far to ride not only classic rides but the latest scream machines. There are also some smaller parks that offer fun – albeit on a smaller scale. Cedar Point The granddaddy of American amusement parks is situated right in our proverbial backyard on the shores of Lake Erie. Cedar Point in Sandusky has been a summer destination for generations of families for some 150 years. The park is home to 67 rides including 19 roller coasters that are the star attraction for thrill seekers. Some of these coasters that reach high into the sky offer breathtaking views of Lake Erie and the park's mile-long beach and historic Hotel Breakers before plunging riders at a breakneck speed. The park with its historic charm continues to evolve with new rides and experiences added each season. And this year is no different. The park has added Siren's Curse, billed as North America's tallest, fastest and longest tilt roller coaster. The coaster, themed after a mythical Lake Erie siren, is already a fan and spectator favorite with long lines this summer. The coaster's signature feature is the tilt that dangles riders 90 degrees over the midway before connecting to the track below and speeding some 58 miles per hour along a twisting track. This summer is also the first chance for many visitors to ride the Top Thrill 2 roller coaster that closed shortly after its debut last season. For more, visit Kennywood A trip to Kennywood located in West Mifflin, just outside of Pittsburgh, is like taking a stroll through the past. This Pennsylvania amusement park holds the distinction of being considered a National Historic Landmark for its collection of historic buildings and 40 some rides. The park that dates back to 1898, is home to the Old Mill boat ride that takes guests past a series of humorous old western scenes and the classic Noah's Ark walkthrough funhouse that sways back and forth as guests navigate narrow passageways and encounter animals and other surprises along the way. Kennywood also has an impressive collection of roller coasters including some that are pretty old like the Racer and the Jack Rabbit. The 3,365-foot-long Phantom's Revenge takes full advantage of the park's hilly terrain and was recently ranked No. 1 by USA TODAY. Kennywood's Steel Curtain roller coaster reopened this summer after work throughout last season to reinforce its supports. Themed after the Pittsburgh Steelers, the coaster reaches 220 feet making it Pennsylvania's tallest roller coaster and with nine inversions, it is the most of any coaster in the country and has the highest inversion. And no visit to Kennywood would be complete without trying its famed Potato Patch fries with gooey cheese and fresh bacon. They love these fries so much at Kennywood they even have dodgem cars themed after the tasty dish called the Potato Smash. Kings Island Cedar Point may get a lot of the attention, but its sister Six Flags Park just outside Cincinnati is also a popular destination for thrill seekers. Kings Island in Mason is home to a signature replica of the Eiffel Tower and some 16 roller coasters from the tame – like the Great Pumpkin – to the extreme Orion with a breathtaking 300-foot first drop. One of the oldest coasters in the park is arguably its best. The Beast made its debut in 1979 and still holds the record as the longest wooden roller coaster in the world. Over the span of 4 minutes, riders whisk along 7,361 feet of track at 65 miles per hour over some 35 wooded acres. For those looking for a little tamer experience, the park's Boo Blasters on Boo Hill offers a fun and cool indoor experience where guests have to hunt down and capture ghosts. For more, check out Smaller regional parks A summer escape to an amusement park does not have to be an all-day or break the bank kind of thing. There are smaller regional parks that offer thrills on a smaller scale. Memphis Kiddie Park situated in the Cleveland suburb of Brooklyn not far from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is geared toward young riders. Unlike the big parks where you have to purchase a daily admission, Memphis Kiddie Park offers tickets for just one or all of the 11 amusement park rides geared to children under 50 inches tall. The park's rides are from the early 1950s and look like the day they arrived at the quaint park that has a nice miniature golf course. Ride tickets are $3.25 each or 10 for $29. For more, visit Nestled in the hills of New Philadelphia, Tuscora Park is another short escape for young families. The city-owned park has a collection of rides geared toward young kids including a train ride and a carousel. Like Memphis Kiddie Park, there is no daily admission and ride tickets are $1.50 each or a book of 12 for $10. For more, visit Sluggers & Putters in Canal Fulton is home to 10 rides from the Space Jets to the Tea Cups to the classic Scrambler. The small Stark County amusement park is also home to a pretty cool themed miniature golf course and go-cart tracks for both young and adventurous riders. Ticket prices vary by attraction. For more, visit Funtimes Fun Park in Alliance is also home to a nice collection of small rides and attractions. The park also features miniature golf, Go-Karts and even bumper boats. Among the collection of amusement park rides is the original Tilt-A-Whirl from the former Geauga Lake Amusement Park. Ticket prices vary by attraction. For more, visit Waldameer in Erie, Pennsylvania, also does not charge a daily admission to its large amusement park. To visit the water park that has a number of slides and attractions, you have to purchase a day pass. You are free to stroll through the amusement park, but to ride any of the 33 attractions you can either purchase a day pass or put credits on a ride card. Waldameer has a fun walk-through Pirate-theme funhouse and the classic Wacky Shack dark ride. The park is also home to five roller coasters including the super-fast Ravene Flyer II. For more, visit This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Check out these amusement parks a quick drive away from Akron Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Fears grow as Utah city set to transform into trail tourism hotspot
Locals in a charming Utah city fear it is set to transform into the next hot spot for trail tourism after becoming the latest magnet for thrill seekers. While many are hailing a possible economic boom for the town of Richfield, residents are also concerned that it could go the way of Moab, a trail tourism city which now welcomes five million visitors each year. Richfield is located in Sevier County, which has boomed since it was declared 'Utah's Trail Country' five years ago in an effort to draw in tourists. Their decades-old off-road and newer mountain bike trails have brought in swamps of visitors to their hotels almost every summer weekend. But with a population of just 8,000 people, locals are worried that the influx of visitors will change their small town for the worse. 'Selfishly, I don't want to happen here what's been happening in Moab because it's just become crazy,' Richfield native Tyler Jorgensen told The Salt Lake Tribune. 'It's really an amazing territory out here, so the unselfish part [of me] wants to share this with the world,' he continued. 'Let's keep it intimate. Keep it small. Let's not get crazy.' Moab endured a surge of tourists seeking its famous Slickrock Bike Trail and plenty of offerings for adventure enthusiasts, as well as views of its canyons and red rock formations. The boom has sent house prices soaring to make Moab one of the most expensive places to buy a home in the state. The median listing price for a home in the city was $584,500 in June, per the Utah Association of Realtors. One family man, who grew up in Moab, said that the overcrowding and a lack of affordability eventually drew him to Richfield. 'I was in Moab for a long time, and I always thought, "Man, when I retire, it's gonna be Moab,"' 37-year-old Tyson Curtis told the outlet. 'Now there's just no way I could ever afford to live there. And it's not even the same city as it was when I went to school there and graduated and moved back there for a couple years.' Curtis said, however, that when you leave Moab, it feels like travelling back in time. 'You come to a spot like this, you're like, "This is Moab again." With the Paiute Trail, with 2,000 miles, there will always be a spot that you'll still have this solitude and this privacy in nature.' But for Richfield, its proximity to biking trails threatens locals with a future similar to Moab's overcrowded and expensive lifestyle. House prices rose by almost 40 percent in the year to June 2024 to a median listing price of $400,000, per Redfin. Carson DeMille and his friends first constructed a mountain biking trail network as a way to bring business into the town, but primarily to entertain themselves. 'We just built what we liked, what we wanted,' DeMille said. 'It was a selfish endeavor. I guess it just worked out.' Utah is already renowned for the fastest-growing youth mountain bike league in the country, the Tribune reported. Richfield has already had a taste of what it could be like if the city was overrun by tourists. DeMille and a group of volunteers built the course 20 miles east of Richfield, dubbed the Glenwood Hills course, which held its first National Interscholastic Cycling Association race in 2018. The event was a 'pretty eye-opening experience' for DeMille, the city and the county after more than a thousand school-age racers arrived and families took over local restaurants and hotels. 'We kind of had to start out with volunteer efforts to showcase what the possibilities were,' DeMille continued. 'And then from there, the city and the county were great partners. We didn't have to try very hard to convince them to put some investment into it.' By 2021, state and local backing poured $800,000 into a 38-mile cross-country network of trails. One was even named as one of the five best mountain biking trails in Utah, known as the Spinal Tap, which consists of three parts and spans 18 miles long. Its reputation has continued to attract more riders, reaching around 150 per day — three times the amount it used to attract per week. Every year, the course hosts one or two NICA races as well as others, such as the Intermountain Cup cross-country circuit, which brings around 500 to 700 bikers and their families, the circuit's business developer Chris Spragg told the Tribune. The trail's popularity has been reflected within the small town's growing hotel revenue, which increased by 31.5% from 2019 to 2023. 'I do really think that, as they develop this,' biker Dave Gilbert told the outlet. 'It's going to drive more of the economy here.' Yet, this is exactly the fear of those who have witnessed the boom in Moab. 'That's probably one of the most vocal concerns of people's, is we're opening Pandora's box to crazy growth and issues like Moab has,' DeMille said. 'I'd be naïve to say there probably aren't going to be some growing pains. There have been some growing pains with more people.' However, DeMille points out some natural character differences between Richfield and Moab that may save their small town from changing too much. 'Moab has two national parks, the Colorado River. They have mountains of slick rock. They have Jeeping. They have thousands of miles of mountain biking trails,' he said. 'And maybe, you know, we could try our darndest and never become Moab if we wanted to.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Gorgeous rural town where locals FEAR becoming the next Moab
Locals in a charming, Utah city fear it is set to transform into the next hot spot for trail tourism after becoming the latest magnet for thrill seekers. While many are hailing a possible economic boom for the town of Richfield, residents are also concerned that it could go the way of Moab, a trail tourism city which now welcomes five million visitors each year. Richfield is located in Sevier County which has boomed since it was declared 'Utah's Trail Country' five years ago in an effort to draw in tourists. Their decades old off-road and newer mountain bike trails has brought in swamps of visitors in their hotels almost every summer weekend. But with a population of just 8,000 people, locals are worried that the influx of visitors will change their small town for the worse. 'Selfishly, I don't want to happen here what's been happening in Moab because it's just become crazy,' Richfield native Tyler Jorgensen told The Salt Lake Tribune. 'It's really an amazing territory out here, so the unselfish part [of me] wants to share this with the world,' he continued. 'Let's keep it intimate. Keep it small. Let's not get crazy.' Moab endured a surge of tourists seeking its famous Slickrock Bike Trail and plenty of offerings for adventure enthusiasts, as well as views of its canyons and red rock formations. The boom has sent house prices soaring to make Moab one of the most expensive places to buy a home in the state. The median listing price for a home in the city was $584,500 in June, per the Utah Association of Realtors. One family man, who grew up in Moab, said that the overcrowding and a lack of affordability eventually drew him to Richfield. 'I was in Moab for a long time, and I always thought, "Man, when I retire, it's gonna be Moab,"' 37-year-old Tyson Curtis told the outlet. 'Now there's just no way I could ever afford to live there. And it's not even the same city as it was when I went to school there and graduated and moved back there for a couple years.' Curtis said, however, that when you leave Moab, it feels like travelling back in time. 'You come to a spot like this, you're like, "This is Moab again." With the Paiute Trail, with 2,000 miles, there will always be a spot that you'll still have this solitude and this privacy in nature.' But for Richfield, its proximity to biking trails threaten locals with a future similar to Moab's overcrowded and expensive lifestyle. House prices rose by almost 40 percent in the year to June 2024 to a median listing price of $400,000, per Redfin. Carson DeMille and his friends first constructed a mountain biking trail network as a way to bring business into the town, but primarily to entertain themselves. 'We just built what we liked, what we wanted,' DeMille said. 'It was a selfish endeavor. I guess it just worked out.' Utah is already renowned for the fastest-growing youth mountain bike league in the country, the Tribune reported. Richfield has already had a taste of what it could be like if the city was overrun by tourists. DeMille and a group of volunteers built the course 20 miles east of Richfield, dubbed the Glenwood Hills course, which held its first National Interscholastic Cycling Association race in 2018. The event was a 'pretty eye-opening experience' for DeMille, the city and the county after more than a thousand school-age racers arrived and families took over local restaurants and hotels. 'We kind of had to start out with volunteer efforts to showcase what the possibilities were,' DeMille continued. 'And then from there, the city and the county were great partners. We didn't have to try very hard to convince them to put some investment into it.' By 2021, state and local backing poured $800,000 into a 38-mile cross-country network of trails. One was even named as one of the five best mountain biking trails in Utah, known as the Spinal Tap which consists of three parts and span 18 miles long. Its reputation has continued to attract more riders, reaching around 150 per day - three times the amount it used to attract per week. Every year, the course hosts one or two NICA races as well as others, such as the Intermountain Cup cross-country circuit which brings around 500 to 700 bikers and their families, the circuits business developer Chris Spragg told the Tribune. The trails popularity has been reflected within the small town's growing hotel revenue, which increased by 31.5% from 2019 to 2023. 'I do really think that, as they develop this,' biker Dave Gilbert told the outlet. 'It's going to drive more of the economy here.' Yet, this is exactly the fears of those who have witnessed the boom in Moab. 'That's probably one of the most vocal concerns of people's, is we're opening Pandora's box to crazy growth and issues like Moab has,' DeMille said. 'I'd be naïve to say there probably aren't going to be some growing pains. There have been some growing pains with more people.' However, DeMille points out some natural character differences between Richfield and Moab that may save their small town from changing too much. 'Moab has two national parks, the Colorado River. They have mountains of slick rock. They have Jeeping. They have thousands of miles of mountain biking trails,' he said. 'And maybe, you know, we could try our darndest and never become Moab if we wanted to .'
Forbes
5 days ago
- Forbes
2 Ways ‘Dark Personalities' Justify Cheating, By A Psychologist
People who cheat may not think they've done anything wrong, especially if they have dark personality ... More traits that make them less empathetic and less likely to take responsibility. Cheating, whether sexual or emotional, can cause deep hurt and emotional distress to the person being cheated on. But what goes through the mind of someone who cheats? Do they feel any guilt, shame or remorse or do they just try to cover their tracks? More importantly, what drives them to cheat? One 2013 study published in Ethics & Behavior found that people who are thrill-seekers and behave impulsively without thinking about the consequences of their actions are likely to cheat in relationships. They may exhibit underlying traits associated with the Dark Triad, a group of socially aversive personality traits including: In fact, a 2024 study published in the Culture and Evolution found that dark personality traits — especially psychopathy — can shape people's dating behavior and incidences of infidelity. Researchers found that higher scores of psychopathy were associated with the willingness to be unfaithful to one's partner. Such partners, especially men with this trait, were also more suspicious of their own partners being unfaithful to them. While not all partners who cheat have dark personality traits, those who do often share certain justifications for their behavior. Here are two insights into why people with dark personality traits cheat. 1. They Stay In Long-Term Relationships But Continue To Seek Excitement It may seem contradictory, but individuals high in Dark Triad traits often pursue long-term relationships to appear socially acceptable, while still chasing short-term thrills. Menelaos Apostolou, author of the 2024 study, suggests that from an evolutionary perspective, this is likely also because long-term relationships offer emotional and financial support and are best suited for raising children. However, evolution may have favored a 'mixed strategy,' where someone has a long-term partner but also occasionally seeks out casual relationships on the side. Dark personality traits might actually help pull this off, since such people are more willing to take risks or manipulate others, all while avoiding guilt, which can support this mixed-mating strategy. However, this behavior comes at a cost. The more partners a person tries to juggle, the more likely they are to get caught. According to Apostolou's study, individuals high in psychopathy were significantly more likely to be caught cheating. To make matters worse, people with Dark Triad traits often dominate the relationship, leaving their partner struggling to cope with the betrayal. 'Sexual infidelity is much more problematic when the relationship is unequal, and the partner with the most power is unfaithful, particularly if the inequality means that the other partner would have great difficulty exiting the relationship,' explains Natasha McKeever, PhD, in her 2020 study on the moral justification and severity of sexual infidelity. 2. They Distrust Their Partner Because They Assume Everyone Cheats Cheating isn't wrong simply because it hurts one partner, but rather, because the hurt is reasonable. For instance, a man exhibiting jealousy simply because his partner is talking to another man reflects unfair expectations. This dynamic can escalate in extreme ways, as seen in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial involving Grammy-winning rapper Scott Mescudi, also known as Kid Cudi. Kid Cudi testified in the trial, alleging that Combs broke into his home and threatened him due to Cudi's past relationship with Combs' ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Ventura also alleged that Combs told her he would blow up Cudi's car, and shortly after, his car did explode in his driveway. Though Combs denied the allegation, the incident illustrates how some individuals may attempt to exert control over their current or former partners, even through intimidation or violence, to prevent them from forming new relationships. This is often the case with cheaters exhibiting Dark Triad traits. People who cheat more often are also more likely to suspect their partners of cheating because they tend to distrust others and assume that others act the same way they do. In Apostolou's study, men with high psychopathy scores were especially suspicious of their partner's fidelity, even when no signs of infidelity were present. This is because such partners cheat more frequently themselves. And if they don't trust themselves to remain faithful, they likely wouldn't trust you either. By committing sexual infidelity while pretending to be monogamous, the manipulative partner gains exclusive emotional and sexual access to the other person, who is under the impression that the relationship is still exclusive. But when the partner at fault gets caught, the illusion quickly falls apart. This can leave the betrayed partner feeling overwhelmed with feelings of anger, anxiety or even the painful belief that something is wrong with them. If you've been cheated on, it might help to understand where such behavior stems from and recognize it before it causes you any further harm. If you're the one who has cheated, it helps to reflect on what has driven your behavior and the far-reaching consequences it can have for those around you. Are you curious if you are inclined to cheating on your partner? Take the evidence-based Propensity Towards Infidelity Scale to gain clarity.
