The Tallest Roller Coasters In The World To Add To Your Bucket List

If you're a bona fide thrill-seeker who thrives on lightning speed and steep drops, hold onto your butts because the world's tallest roller coasters are calling your name. But where should you start if you're a globetrotter with a head for heights? From the scariest roller coasters in America over the Great Lakes to those boasting stunning vistas against the backdrop of Japan's iconic Mount Fuji, these steel titans will leave you screaming for life while trying to soak in the views all at once.

Some are quick trips to the sky, others are the longest roller coasters in the world, but all of them are giants. In fact, due to their heights, they have their own classifications: The hyper-coasters soar above 200 feet, the giga-coasters have drops of at least 300 feet, and the strata-coasters reach dizzying heights of 400 feet.

Keep in mind this list only includes rides in operation, so coasters in production like Top Thrill 2 don't make the cut. Also, classification is tricky. For instance, take the Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland. It is 223 feet tall from its base but has an even longer 245-foot drop. This discrepancy comes from factors such as whether the coaster descends into a valley, climbs a towering hill, or is elevated by the terrain of a mountainous landscape.

Asia boasts another monster to conquer — the Legendary Twin Dragon at Chongqing Sunac Land amusement park in Chongqing, China. At 230 feet tall, The Legendary Twin Dragon is the world's tallest (and fastest) impulse coaster — a coaster with a linear synchronous motor (LSM) that picks up speed with accelerated increases. You'll rocket back and forth four times, soaring 74 mph into the sky, weaving around as if riding a serpent's back before spiraling down in reverse up the dragon's "tail."

At Ohio's Kings Island, the Diamondback roller coaster has a height of 230 feet, an exhilarating 215-foot drop at a 74-degree angle, and a top speed of 80 mph. Like a diamondback rattlesnake's serpentine path, the coaster's tracks wind over six humps, hitting a splashdown to mists riders. Each big drop gives airtime (i.e., a sense of weightlessness), and the coaster's forest backdrop is a refreshing change in contrast to the concrete parking lots most roller coasters are built.

Intimidator, located in Charlotte, North Carolina's Carowinds amusement park, pays tribute to NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, a native of the state. His racecar-themed hyper-coaster starts its thrilling adventure with a familiar NASCAR command: "Gentlemen, start your engines!" One of the ten tallest steel roller coasters in the United States, it stands at 232 feet and has a 74-degree drop. With a maximum speed of 80 mph, the Intimidator treats riders to an exhilarating experience with seven hills, providing ample moments of weightlessness.

Silver Star at Europa-Park, located in Rust, Germany, has an impressive height of 240 feet. Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, the ride's queue includes a showroom displaying luxurious cars. However, the real excitement begins with a 2020-foot drop, hurtling passengers at speeds of 79 mph. The coaster thrills with two additional 161 feet and 135 feet drops. As you ascend, you'll enjoy a sweeping view of peaceful villages and farmland. There is even a sound barrier to block screams from annoying the neighbors too much.

Titan, situated at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas, is, well, a titan with a commanding height of 245 feet. While it doesn't break the top 10 for height from its base, it does have a fantastic 255-foot freefall, including a daring descent into a 120-foot tunnel. Titan comes with overbanked turns (turns where the track is tilted more than usual), delivering that thrilling sensation of weightlessness as riders navigate two 540-degree spirals and a top speed of 85 mph.

Eejanaika in Japan's Fuji-Q Highland, is 249 feet tall. It's also one of the world's rare 4D roller coasters, meaning its cars spin independently around the track. Its name is from the Japanese phrase "ee ja nai ka," which translates to "Isn't it great?" and is joyously echoed by operators as passengers launch. Riders ascend backward up the lift hill, reclining and gazing at the scenery, though not with Mount Fuji directly in view (that's saved for another coaster). Then, Eejanaika dives 78 mph into an 89-degree drop. Riders get 14 complete rotations while looping and twisting around the course. Notably, passengers aren't allowed to wear shoes for safety precautions.

At Japan's Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyama is iconic. The "king of coasters," Fujiyama debuted in 1996 and held the title of the world's tallest. Despite being Fuji Q's oldest coaster, it packs a punch with a top speed of 81 mph and an old-school 230-foot drop. As riders ascend to its lofty 259-foot summit, you're treated to sweeping sceneries, including the majestic Mount Fuji. In fact, you have more than a minute to simply admire the magnificent mountain before the real thrills kick in.

Orion is the latest roller coaster at Kings Island in Ohio, and at 287 feet high, it dominates over the park and surrounding forest. However, because it sits on a ravine, it has an even more impressive 300-foot drop — the first giga-coaster on our list. Despite 5,000 feet of track, the space-themed Orion blazes through it at 91 mph over seven hills following the drop. These elements include wave turns that leave passengers hanging sideways and an electrifying speed hill that lifts riders out of their seats.

Like those annoying contestants bidding a dollar over someone else on "The Price Is Right," Leviathan at Ontario's Canada's Wonderland barely edges out Intimidator 305 by one foot at 306 feet and is Canada's tallest (and fastest) roller coaster. Once it reaches the top of its climb, it drops to a super-fast 92 mph, lifting riders out of their seat for plenty of air time. It dives through a short tunnel and overbanked turns, over floaty camelback hills, and a classic hammerhead turn (i.e., a 180-degree turn that goes straight up and right back down).

In Mie, Japan, Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land rises 318 feet above Ise Bay. It's Japan's tallest roller coaster and the fifth-tallest coaster in the world. To add to its accolades, it's also the longest roller coaster, boasting an incredible length of 8,133 feet — over 1.5 miles of track. As it speeds at 95 mph, prepare for the intense g-forces during overbanked turns. Midway through, it dashes through a double helix — clockwise and counterclockwise — adding to the extreme tug.

Red Force at Spain's PortAventura World in Ferrari Land (itself within PortAventura World) is famous amongst coaster buffs for going from zero to 112 miles per hour in five seconds. At 367 feet, it's the tallest roller coaster in Europe and third-tallest in the world. After its lightning-fast launch, it ascends a top hat, a coaster term for a steep 90-degree ascent, immediately followed by a 90-degree descent, slowing down just long enough to crest over the top. While we suggest trying to glimpse Catalonia's Costa Daurada (Golden Coast), your attention will probably be on the ground below you.

Kingda Ka, at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, is a colossal height of 456 feet, the world's tallest operating roller coaster. A strata-coaster, it slings riders over 20,000 horsepower from a standstill to a staggering 128 mph. You'll shoot up a top hat and roll into a dizzying 90-degree angle. It's so tall you can spot New York City skyscrapers across the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Then, it hurls you into a mind-bending 418-foot drop — also the longest in the world — and a 270-degree, clockwise spiral at breakneck speed.