17 Most Fascinating Abandoned Amusement Parks You Can Still Visit

Ever wondered what happens when roller coasters stop rolling and carousel music fades away? Abandoned amusement parks stand as eerie time capsules of past joy, now reclaimed by nature and decay.

These forgotten playgrounds offer a unique glimpse into history while creating hauntingly beautiful landscapes that attract urban explorers and photographers worldwide. I’ve discovered some remarkable abandoned parks that you can still legally visit—each with its own fascinating story of rise, fall, and ghostly afterlife.

1. Spreepark, Berlin, Germany

Once the buzzing heart of East Berlin’s entertainment scene, Spreepark now sits silent among overgrown weeds. The giant ferris wheel occasionally creaks in the wind, creating an eerie soundtrack to your exploration.

The dinosaur statues scattered throughout have become iconic symbols of this abandoned wonderland. After closing in 2001 due to bankruptcy and the owner’s cocaine smuggling scandal, the park now offers guided tours that let you safely experience its haunting charm.

2. Nara Dreamland, Japan

Built as Japan’s answer to Disneyland, Nara Dreamland stood abandoned for over a decade before its demolition in 2017. During those years, brave explorers would sneak in to witness its decaying Main Street and rusting roller coasters.

While completely demolished now, photos from urban explorers preserve its ghostly legacy. The wooden Aska coaster and castle entrance became legendary in urban exploration circles. I find it fascinating how this once-vibrant knockoff of the happiest place on earth transformed into one of the creepiest.

3. Six Flags New Orleans, Louisiana

Hurricane Katrina’s devastating floodwaters claimed this once-thriving park in 2005, transforming it into a post-apocalyptic landscape that’s remained frozen in time. Alligators now swim where children once played, and the twisted metal of roller coasters has become an artistic testament to nature’s power.

Though officially closed to the public, film crews frequently use this hauntingly beautiful location. Movies like ‘Jurassic World’ and ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ have featured its decaying structures. The contrast between faded carnival colors and encroaching wildlife creates an atmosphere unlike any other abandoned park.

4. Wonderland Amusement Park, China

Just outside Beijing stands the skeletal remains of what was planned to be Asia’s largest amusement park. Construction halted abruptly in 1998 due to financial disputes, leaving behind a half-built medieval castle and the frames of would-be attractions.

Local farmers now cultivate crops between the concrete foundations, creating a surreal blend of fantasy and rural life. The massive castle structure looms over cornfields like something from a fever dream. You’ll find the contrast between failed ambition and practical repurposing absolutely mesmerizing as you wander through this never-completed wonderland.

5. Okpo Land, South Korea

Few abandoned parks have such a dark history as Okpo Land on Geoje Island. After multiple fatal accidents, including two children dying on the same duck-themed ride, the owner disappeared overnight in 1999, leaving everything behind.

For years, the duck cars remained suspended in mid-air, creating a chilling memorial to the tragedies. Though demolished in 2011, the site still draws curious visitors. The park’s tragic past and sudden abandonment make it one of the most infamous entries on this list, representing the dangerous side of amusement park history.

6. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, West Virginia

If you’re fascinated by the paranormal, this small abandoned park in Princeton, West Virginia might give you the chills you’re seeking. Built on an ancient Native American burial ground in the 1920s, Lake Shawnee’s dark history includes the deaths of six patrons before its closure in 1966.

The rusting ferris wheel and swing sets remain, creating an eerie playground for ghost hunters. The owners now offer Halloween tours and paranormal investigations. Many visitors report strange experiences, from unexplained noises to ghostly apparitions, making this one of America’s most haunted abandoned attractions.

7. Dadipark, Belgium

Originally opened as a playground for children by a local pastor in 1950, Dadipark evolved into a low-tech amusement park that delighted generations of Belgian children. After a serious accident in 2000, the park struggled until its final closure in 2002.

For years afterward, the decaying playground equipment created a strangely melancholic atmosphere that attracted photographers from across Europe. Though mostly demolished now, parts of the site can still be viewed from public areas. The park’s humble origins and subsequent decay tell a poignant story about changing times and safety standards in children’s entertainment.

8. Holy Land USA, Connecticut

A religious theme park built by a devoted Catholic attorney in the 1950s, Holy Land USA once attracted 40,000 visitors annually to its biblical recreations and 56-foot cross overlooking Waterbury. After closing in 1984, the park fell into disrepair, creating an unintentionally creepy atmosphere.

The miniature Jerusalem and Bethlehem displays became weathered and broken, giving religious imagery a distinctly post-apocalyptic feel. Recent restoration efforts have cleaned up the cross and some areas, allowing limited visits.

There’s something profoundly moving about seeing these once-cherished religious displays in various states of decay and renewal.

9. Joyland Amusement Park, Kansas

For 55 years, Joyland brought laughter and thrills to Wichita residents until financial troubles forced its closure in 2006. The wooden roller coaster, once the park’s crown jewel, stood as a decaying skeleton for years afterward.

Urban explorers frequently documented the abandoned park, with its vintage carousel and Whacky Shack dark ride slowly succumbing to the elements. Sadly, fires and vandalism have destroyed most structures, and many iconic pieces were stolen, including the famous Louie the Clown animatronic. Though little remains today, the park lives on in local memory and urban exploration photography.

10. Pripyat Amusement Park, Ukraine

Perhaps the most hauntingly famous abandoned park in the world, Pripyat’s small amusement park was set to open on May 1, 1986, but the Chernobyl disaster on April 26 changed everything. The ferris wheel, bumper cars, and swing ride never officially welcomed a single visitor before the city was evacuated.

Today, the park stands as a symbol of the nuclear catastrophe, with radiation levels still elevated in certain spots. Guided tours of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone include this iconic location. The yellow bumper cars and the rusting ferris wheel against the backdrop of abandoned Soviet apartment blocks create one of the most photographed scenes in urban exploration.

11. Yongma Land, South Korea

Unlike most abandoned parks, Yongma Land in Seoul has embraced its second life as a photogenic ruin. After closing in 2011, the small family park found new purpose when the owner began charging a small entrance fee to photographers and visitors who wanted to explore its decaying rides.

The vintage carousels and small rides remain frozen in time, creating perfect backdrops for fashion shoots and music videos. At night, the owner even turns on the lights for an additional fee, creating a surreal, colorful atmosphere. This creative repurposing shows how abandonment doesn’t always mean the end of a place’s story.

12. Lincoln Park, Massachusetts

Once the premier amusement destination for New England families, Lincoln Park operated for nearly 100 years before closing in 1987. The park’s wooden coaster, the Comet, was famous for its thrilling drops and became an eerie skeleton during the years of abandonment.

While most structures have been demolished for housing developments, you can still walk the former park grounds on public trails. Some concrete foundations and ride footprints remain visible. The contrast between old photos of laughing families and the empty landscape today creates a powerful reminder of how completely an entertainment empire can vanish.

13. Dunaujvarosi Vidampark, Hungary

This small communist-era amusement park in the planned industrial city of Dunaujvaros offers a fascinating glimpse into Soviet-bloc entertainment. After Hungary’s transition to capitalism, the park struggled and eventually closed, leaving behind rides that seem frozen in the 1980s.

The abandoned bumper cars, carousel, and small roller coaster create a time capsule of socialist leisure activities. Faded pastel colors and vintage ride designs differ noticeably from Western parks of the same era. You’ll find the park relatively intact compared to many others on this list, making it an excellent location for experiencing retro-communist aesthetics.

14. Boblo Island Amusement Park, Michigan/Ontario

For nearly 100 years, Boblo Island in the Detroit River between Michigan and Ontario hosted a beloved amusement park accessible only by boat. The steamships that carried visitors to the island were as much an attraction as the park itself before operations ceased in 1993.

Today, the island has been partially developed for housing, but explorers can still find remnants of the park hidden in the woods. The massive dance hall building remains standing, though deteriorating. The ferry boats that served the island have developed their own preservation following, with restoration efforts underway to save these historic vessels.

15. Taman Festival, Bali, Indonesia

Hidden behind lush tropical vegetation on the island paradise of Bali sits this failed theme park that operated for less than a year in the late 1990s. After being struck by lightning and suffering financial problems during the Asian economic crisis, Taman Festival was abandoned to the jungle.

The crocodile pit—empty of reptiles but full of murky water—creates a particularly eerie centerpiece. Local legends claim some crocodiles were abandoned and became cannibalistic, though no evidence supports this. Street artists have covered many surfaces with impressive murals, adding vibrant color to the decaying structures.

The contrast of bright graffiti against crumbling buildings wrapped in vines creates a uniquely beautiful abandoned landscape.

16. Consonno, Italy

Often called the “Italian Las Vegas,” Consonno was an ambitious project by entrepreneur Mario Bagno, who purchased and demolished a 10th-century village to build his entertainment paradise in the 1960s. The resort featured eclectic architecture including a minaret, medieval castle, and Chinese pagoda before a landslide cut off access in 1976.

Today, the crumbling structures create a surreal landscape in the otherwise traditional Italian countryside. The grand entrance gate still stands, welcoming visitors to a dream that never fully materialized. The mix of architectural styles in various states of decay creates a fascinating open-air museum of failed 1960s entertainment ambitions.

17. Fantasy World, Philippines

Rising from the Philippine countryside like a fairy tale frozen in time, Fantasy World was meant to be the “Disneyland of the Philippines.” Financial troubles halted construction in the early 2000s, leaving behind a nearly complete castle-themed park that never opened to the public.

Unlike many abandoned parks, Fantasy World is well-preserved and officially open to visitors for a small fee. The colorful castle towers and whimsical structures create perfect backdrops for photography. You can walk through the empty grounds, climb the castle towers, and imagine what might have been if this ambitious project had reached completion.