Some of the best childhood memories I have growing up as a kid were at Astroworld and Waterworld in Houston. It saddens me to look to the right of 610 as I pass the Astrodome and see a space of empty land. It was my introduction to many awesome rides such as the Bamboo shoots, XLR-8, 'The Ultra Twister,' Texas Cyclone, and of course we can't forget about cooling off at Waterworld.

Most trips started out by catching a game at the 'eighth wonder of the world,' The Astrodome!  You would then close out the day across IH-610. AstroWorld opened on June 1, 1968, across the highway from the Astrodome creating a multi-facility entertainment complex. Six Flags purchased AstroWorld in 1975 which started to bring in the awesome lineup of rides and rollercoasters that became iconic.

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The final date of park operation was October 30, 2005, and it was soon demolished afterward.  The site still sits vacant and is used as overflow parking for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Share what your favorite ride at Astroworld was in the Facebook comments of this post.

Check out some of the iconic rollercoasters that Astrowold brought us:

THE TEXAS CYCLONE:
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Who remembers Texas Cyclone? It was an iconic wooden roller coaster that became a symbol of Houston Texas.

X-L-R-8

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X-L-R-8 was the first thrill ride I ever went on. The suspended steel coaster definitely brought up the adrenaline.

TAZ'S TEXAS TORNADO:

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This roller coaster didn't open until March 14, 1998, and was renamed Taz Texas Tornado. I still remember Taz in the commercials.

VIPER:

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During its run at Six Flags AstroWorld, it featured a tunnel surrounding the first drop. The exterior had a dragon mural although most people mistook it for a Viper. I mean that is the name of the ride.

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