When fall arrives, crowds thin at popular theme parks, making this mild season a fine time for your family to visit adventure parks such as these.

1. Wild Adventures Theme Park, Valdosta, Ga. Water slides, wave pools and the welcoming lazy river for tubers help make this 200-acre south Georgia park popular with locals and visiting families. Take turns on the eight eye-popping roller coasters. Then view exotic wildlife from around the world.

Contact: 229-219-7080; www.wildadventures.com

2. Legoland, Carlsbad, Calif. Get your creative juices flowing in this Southern California park designed to inspire the playful inner builder in each of us. With more than 60 rides, attractions and performances, kids of all ages will find something to smile about. On Dino Island, junior paleontologists can experience the size of massive prehistoric creatures by sitting inside a life-size dinosaur footprint or digging for fossils.

Contact: 760-918-5346; www.legoland.com

3. Busch Gardens, Tampa, Fla. This sun-filled park boasts the recently introduced SheiKra, a floorless roller coaster. Those brave enough to hop on board climb 200 feet, hover for four seconds, then plunge toward the ground at speeds of more than 70 mph. Looking for something a little less thrilling? You’ll find more than 3,000 animals in the safari-style zoo, shopping and dining, fun rides and live shows.

Contact: 1-888-800-5447; www.buschgardens.com

4. Nickelodeon Universe, Bloomington, Minn. The Mall of America near Minneapolis is world-class for shopping as well as being a center for indoor fun for youngsters. Activities include three coasters, crazy cars, a log chute and an assortment of Nickelodeon-themed rides and activities, including a chance to meet favorite Nick characters.

Contact: 952-883-8600; www.nickelodeonuniverse.com