Visiting Linnanmäki: Helsinki’s Amusement Park

I guess we’re becoming amusement park people? There are a few amusement parks in Finland, but the most famous is Helsinki’s Linnanmäki.

Going even feels a bit virtuous because it’s actually a non-profit organization that raises money for children’s welfare in the country (with €130 million donated to this cause since the park was opened in 1950).

Unlike Prater in Vienna, there are wristbands!! We hemmed and hawed about the different options, but settled on the €49 unlimited option and it ended up being the right decision. We each rode several dozen rides, so these wristbands paid for themselves in no time.

Linnanmäki has been open since the 1950s.

It’s a small and compact but packs a punch. The main roller coaster, Taiga, was ranked the 8th best roller coaster in the world by the Captain Coaster website!!!!

John, Indy and I all did the fun house. It was… fun! (Though smaller than the options at Prater.)

Indy opted to sit the first few roller coasters out, and we snapped this selfie of the three of us heading into the belly of the beast (aka: Taiga). It was a TERRIFYING ride, but also incredibly smooth. You reach speeds of 106 km/h.

Epic!

After that adrenaline rush, we took a break for a scenic train ride around the perimeter of the park. (It doesn’t take long.)

Loved this dandelion fountain.

This is the best picture I could get of one portion of the Taiga roller coaster. Belle must have gone on it a dozen times by the end of the day.

A selfie of the two of us while we waited in line for the front row!

We rode the wooden coaster (Vuoristorata) a few times as well. It’s unusual because it has a brake master (a human who stands at the back of the coaster and controls the braking manually), and is one of only six remaining coasters in the world with brake masters. As wooden coasters go, it was fairly smooth.

Indy took life easy while he and Belle waited for the adults to go on the drop zone.

When we were going up, I had decided in advance I wouldn’t scream. I literally said to myself: I’m not going to scream, I’m not going to scream. And at that exact moment the bottom plummeted out below us and I let out a blood curdling scream. Ha! So much for that intention.

The park is built on the site of two former water towers and one of them has been repurposed into an indoor coaster (Linnunrata). Indy LOVED this thing. He must have ridden it a dozen times. It was short and thrilling and just the right amount of adrenaline.

I usually sat with him, but on the last ride of the night, he opted to take the front row for himself.

I find fun mirrors hilarious! While Belle and John were off doing Taiga together, Indy and I spent a good long time doing silly poses.

This might win for the best tree pose so far on the trip.

This mirror was our favourite!!! The distortion was hilarious.

Back to the dandelion fountain.

And another tree pose; note his improved form.

We went up in the Ferris Wheel.

And here’s a sibling selfie to prove it.

Belle and I were the only ones to do this crazy coaster (Ukko) where at one point you end up going down a 90-degree angle at 105 km/h. I screamed the WHOLE time. I couldn’t help myself. It was guttural and involuntary.

Indy really enjoyed a karting ride, the wooden coaster, the indoor coaster, and a few other rides. By the end of the day, he was feeling ready to tackle Taiga.

Full disclosure: I thought he was going to hate it. It’s an intense ride, albeit smooth. There are g-forces (5) and seat ejections and all sorts of crazy things. But he did great. He was up beside John, and Belle and I were a few rows behind. Of course I couldn’t tell how he was doing during the ride, but when we stopped and he turned around and grinned, I was SO RELIEVED. He ended up riding it twice.

Our very tired (all that adrenaline is exhausting and we criss-crossed the park on foot a lot and ended up walking almost 9 km!) family was also very, very happy. What a great day and a highlight from our trip for sure.

Your turn.

• Roller coasters: yes or no?
• If yes: do you prefer the front, middle, or back?