By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Weekend Editor

You know all about Six Flags Over Georgia. It's approximately 45 minutes away from Fayette County, it has a number of great rides and there are costumed merchants and gigantic cartoon characters swarming the park.

What you might not know about Six Flags is that now is the best time to go. The children in the state of Georgia will be returning to school next week and Six Flags will be open daily until Aug. 22. That gives you a whole week of very short lines at the more exciting rides at the park.

The major difference between Six Flags and Disney World is that Six Flags focuses more on the thrill aspect. There are eight roller coasters at Six Flags and only two at Disney World. The most recent addition is the Georgia Scorcher, a stand-up roller coaster that is also one of the fastest coasters in the country with one of the highest drops. Add that to Batman, a suspension coaster only two years old, the Ninja, the Mindbender, the Georgia Cyclone and the Scream Machine and you've got yourself a day of heart-pounding, lunch-loosening fun.

Of course there are plenty of slower rides for the tamer among us. The Monster Plantation is a cool, refreshing slow-paced ride that gives you animatronic monsters on a picnic. Make sure you stay out of the marsh, though. There are also bumper cars, the carousel, the parachutes, the airplanes, and the log flume. If you want to get wet you should also check out Thunder River and Splashwater Falls. Keep in mind, you will be soaked after riding either of the two rides. There are also water slides to tickle your fancy and wet your whistle, right inside the main gate.

Six Flags also has a plethora of games and shows. As you walk through the park, you will doubtless see children of all ages dribbling basketballs with their favorite college or pro teams on them. There are animal stunt shows, a Batman themed stunt show, country music showcases, a film about cars, and much, much more.

Six Flags will be open daily through Aug. 22 and then it will be open every weekend through Oct. 31. In the coming months, there will be special themed weekends, including the annual favorite: Fright Fest. Admission is $32.99 or $16.50 for children 48 inches and under, but there are coupons at McDonald's, Kroger, or on the backs of cans of Coke.

Head out to Six Flags for genuine thrills... you will never forget it and you won't regret it.

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