One of the best theme parks in the US is in Ohio. It's half the price of Disney World and has better rides.

• I was born and raised in Ohio and I've been visiting its Cedar Point theme park since I was a kid.
• The theme park is consistently ranked as one of the best in the entire world and I get why.

Growing up in Ohio, I assumed most people knew it contained one of the best amusement parks on the planet: Cedar Point.

But once I moved out of state, I realized Cedar Point — North America's second-oldest operating amusement park — didn't have the widespread reputation I thought it deserved.

Here are a few reasons I think it's one of the best amusement parks in the US.

Cedar Point is famous for its record-breaking, award-winning roller coasters

Coaster enthusiasts travel to Cedar Point from all over the globe to ride the park's iconic and groundbreaking rides. In fact, Cedar Point has 17 roller coasters — way more than most theme parks have.

A lot of the coasters are impressive, too. Magnum XL-200 and Millennium Force are some of the tallest roller coasters in the world.

Cedar Point's coasters also rank high globally in the Golden Ticket Awards, which is like the Oscars for theme parks.

In the most recent rankings, Cedar Point has five coasters in the top 50 steel coasters in the world, with three ranking in the top 10: Steel Vengence (no. 2), Millennium Force (no. 3), and Maverick (no. 10). The park's wooden coaster, the Blue Streak, also ranked in the top wooden coasters category, coming in at no. 39.

It's also home to one of my personal favorite roller coasters, the Iron Dragon. Built in 1987 by Arrow Dynamics, the coaster suspends from an overhead track so the cars are all connected to hinges that allow them to sway freely.

There are only a few of Arrow's suspended swinging coasters left on the entire planet, making this a unique ride that you'll struggle to find anywhere else.

Plus the park has way more rides than just coasters

In addition to a killer line up of coasters, Cedar Point has dozens of other rides it has built throughout the decades.

Iconic ones include Power Tower, a four-pillar drop tower where riders choose their experience; Windseeker, a swinging ride that goes up hundreds of feet; and MaXair, a giant pendulum that swings and spins riders 140 feet into the air.

There's also the SlingShot, which catapults riders up to 360 feet into the air. When you reach the top, you achieve complete weightlessness. It's a surreal feeling that I don't think I've felt on any other ride in my life.

Its Halloween celebrations are also super impressive

During the autumn months, Cedar Point goes all out for Halloween with its HalloWeekend celebrations. Pumpkins and giant monsters fill the park, and visitors can experience haunted houses, mazes, and even fortune telling.

The weather during HalloWeekends is also quite delightful. Ohio can get pretty warm during the summer, but the weather is quite mild and cool in September and October.

Plus the souvenirs and snacks are awesome

For coaster enthusiasts or anyone who likes a good souvenir, Cedar Point has some awesome gift shops that sell merchandise like mugs and shirts.

The park also has a retro collection that includes vintage-style merchandise for all of its major roller coasters.

The food is also impressive and features a range of classic boardwalk treats like caramel apples, cotton candy, saltwater taffy, and fudge.

Fudge is a huge deal in Michigan and northern Ohio, and many say the best fudge in the entire world comes from the region. You can find traditional chocolate, as well as flavors like maple, cookies and cream, mint chocolate, and birthday cake.

Lastly, Cedar Point is extremely affordable compared to its competitors

Cedar Point is also reasonably priced, with one-day tickets for adults coming in at about $50 or sometimes less with the many sales the park regularly runs.

Comparatively, a standard one-day pass for an adult costs $109 or more at Disney World and $89 or more at Dollywood.

Cedar Point's Fast Lane passes can also be pretty affordable — I've recently seen them go for $59 — and they let you skip the line at many of the park's popular rides, which can hit 90-minute waits on a busy day.

So for about $109 total (basically the same price as the most basic ticket to Disney) you can visit Cedar Point and avoid waiting in line for rides.