16 Unexpected American Theme Parks

Blueberries, heavy machinery, and other obscure obsessions turned into parks.

by roxannehoorn

16 Places

These aren’t your average theme parks. You can ride an Ice Mountain bobsled, try out construction equipment, or live like the Flintstones. Or you can skip the rides entirely, and instead wander around an abandoned park, pet a moss-covered dinosaur, or explore spots dedicated to blueberries.

Whatever you’re into, you’re sure to find it in one of the 16 theme parks below.

Waterbury, Connecticut

Holy Land USA

A religious-themed park filled with folk art to bring biblical stories to life that fell into disrepair and now being restored.

michelle

Added by michelle

Las Vegas, Nevada

Dig This

A construction-based theme park for adults off the Las Vegas Strip.

Near Lake Arrowhead, California

SkyPark at Santa's Village

Costumed elves and mountain bikers co-exist peacefully at this abandoned Christmas-themed adventure park.

kcmick

Added by kcmick

Los Angeles, California

Travel Town Museum

A miniature train theme park, free to the public, laying at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Alfred Lord Tennisanyone

Added by Alfred Lord Tennisanyone

Onsted, Michigan

Prehistoric Forest Amusement Park

The remains of an abandoned dinosaur theme park litter the woods just off the highway.

Mira

Columbia Falls, Maine

Wild Blueberry Land

This colorful theme park dedicated the official fruit of Maine serves sweet, tasty treats.

Lauren J Young

Added by Lauren J Young

Beech Mountain, North Carolina

Land of Oz Theme Park

A former Oz-themed attraction that has fallen into disrepair, but still holds some of the original magic.

Added by Katacha

Fairplay, Colorado

South Park City

This open-air reconstruction of an Old West town, a cross between a theme park and a museum, provides an immersive historical experience.

slgwv

Whitethorn, California

Enchanted Forest

A grove of "candelabra redwoods" deep in California's Lost Coast.

nickblossom

Added by nickblossom

Williams, Arizona

Flintstones Bedrock City

An homage to everyone's favorite prehistoric cartoon family.

violeteloiv

Added by violeteloiv

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Little Beaver Town

An abandoned amusement park based on the popular 1940s Red Ryder comic strip.

Eirik Gumeny

Added by Eirik Gumeny

Lakeside, Colorado

Lakeside Amusement Park

One of the oldest continuously operating amusement parks in the U.S. is an open-air museum of Art Deco and neon lights.

DavidK

Added by DavidK

Los Angeles, California

Two Bit Circus Micro-Amusement Park

A beloved carnival gets a modern makeover in Los Angeles.

Added by Rachel Gould

Bethesda, Maryland

Glen Echo Amusement Park

Once home to seven different roller coasters, Glen Echo has undergone many transformations since its founding in 1891.

LeahC

Lake George, New York

Magic Forest

This throwback amusement park is home to rides and unique storybook figures from the past.

EricGrundhauser

Added by EricGrundhauser

Rock, West Virginia

Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

This abandoned amusement park was built on a site with a dark history.

kelseythomas

Added by kelseythomas

Map