Summer fun parks

From roller coasters to water parks, these amusements parks have all the thrills and spills

Andrea Holland, Special to Metromix

Packing your bags and jet-setting off to a remote island for a week-long summer vacation may be a little tough to manage during this recession-filled year.

Enter the solution: $36 and 24 hours.

That’s the most you’ll need to get in the door at a handful of area amusement parks. Plus, with a little planning (like ordering tickets online and calling ahead to find out if any big groups are visiting the park that day), you can even save a few bucks on a summer adventure that’s easy on your wallet and your schedule. Here’s a closer look: