Before Fast Passes, dining plans, and digital ticketing systems with limited slots for certain experiences, amusement parks were different, and also charming. Their popularity peaked during the 1940s through the 1960s.
During the 1990s, I worked at a Six Flags park. While I loved the hustle and bustle of this 275-acre playground, it left visitors exhausted from stimulation, and nursing sore feet the next morning.
Thankfully, you don’t have to yearn for these vintage amusement parks because many are still open. The rides are even similar to some of what you’ll find at larger theme parks, such as carousels, ferris wheels and waterslides. The best part is that admission prices generally haven’t spiked from their midcentury costs, and some are even free.
From coast to coast, here are 10 vintage amusement parks to visit this summer. (And don’t think they are just for kiddos: adults love these, too.)
In this article
Lake Compounce Amusement & Water Park
Near Hartford, Connecticut, in Bristol, the 332-acre Lake Compounce Amusement & Water Park is unique because in addition to experiencing vintage roller coasters, you can shrill and shriek on water rides at Crocodile Cove, like the Venus Vortex and Storm Surge. Built in 1846, this the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the entire country.
The park’s campground welcomes overnight guests in RVs, cabins, and tents, so you don’t have to squeeze all of your fun into one day.
Knoebels Amusement Resort
Located three hours northwest of Philadelphia, Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg is noteworthy for two reasons: first, it’s completely free to enter (additional costs apply for ride tickets); and second, it has been open for an entire century.
With 60 rides, it remains one of the U.S.’s largest vintage amusement parks. Among some of the park’s oldest rides are the bumper cars (installed in 1946), the Giant Wheel (a ferris wheel that joined the park in 1948), and the Grand Carousel (in rotation since 1942).
Olcott Beach Carousel Park
Open since 2003, this kid-oriented park in Olcott, New York, is anchored by a 1928 Herschell-Spillman carousel powered by vintage band organs. There’s also a midcentury ferris wheel, a Herschell mahogany boat ride; a carnival-style faux-duck pond with prizes tucked into some ducks; and miniature 1940s-era fire trucks, rockets, and jets that go round and round on rotation. Every ride costs 25 cents.
The park sits along the shores of Lake Ontario, perfect to break for a picnic lunch in nearby Niagara County Krull Park. Another reason this park is a standout: it’s run by volunteers and managed by a nonprofit.
Bay Beach Amusement Park
Since 1892, this park has been a summertime tradition in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Its vintage rides include Scrambler and Tilt-A-Whirl, as well as a few that are ideal for parents and children to experience together: a helicopter ride that debuted in 1964 and boats with steering wheels that navigate a canal.
At the same time, there are also thrill rides that are typical to what you’d find at a carnival or theme park, such as Zippin Pippin, the park’s newest addition (added in 2011), a roller coaster soaring hills of up to 70 feet in height.
Kennywood Amusement Park
Three roller coasters (Jack Rabbit, Racer, and Thunderbolt) at this park founded in 1898 date back to the 1920s, and two buildings (where a carousel pavilion and cafe now are) can be traced back to the park’s late-19th century beginnings. Kennywood, located near Pittsburgh in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
One reason roller-coaster fans flock here is to ride Old Mill, the world’s oldest continuously operating dark water ride. It dates back to 1901 and is also the park’s longest-surviving attraction.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park
Many coastal towns in California boast a boardwalk but none offer an array of roller coasters like Santa Cruz’s boardwalk. Open since 1907, this is California’s oldest surviving amusement park.
As a bonus, it’s located on a sandy shoreline, so you can visit the beach and an amusement park all at once. In addition to the park being named a National Historic Landmark, two rides are on the National Register of Historic Places: the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster; and the Looff Carousel, with the original pipe organ still intact.
Arnolds Park Amusement Park
Don’t be fooled by the fact that there are only 20 rides at this 20-acre Iowa amusement park because one of its rides is highly sought after by roller-coaster enthusiasts. The Legend Roller Coaster, which debuted in 1930, ranks as the country’s seventh-oldest wooden roller coaster and the 13th oldest worldwide. The park recently spent $1 million to restore it. While on the ride you are also treated to a view of Lake Okoboji.
Other attractions are Go-Kart rides and sailings on board Queen II, a large steamer navigating Lake Okoboji from within the park.
Belmont Park
Belmont Park, right in San Diego’s Mission Beach area, is over 100 years old and has a classic California vibe.
Among the historic rides the park is known for are the Liberty Carousel, decked out with 12 historic paintings preserved by the San Diego Historical Society, and the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster dating back to 1925. That roller coaster even survived a proposed demolition as part of the park’s temporary closure in 1976, only to be thrust back into popularity after the “Save the Coaster Committee” campaigned for the park’s reopening and won. After a $2 million investment, the Giant Dipper was literally back on track and remains the park’s most popular ride.
Playland Park
In 1928, Playland Park in Rye, New York, welcomed its first guests. Spanning 280 acres, the plan was for this to be a major spot in Westchester County for recreation. Flaunting Art Deco design not found at other amusement parks, architecture fans will want to check out. Because of this design feature, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Visitors can also build in a beach day as the park’s perched along the Long Island Sound’s waterfront.
Seven rides have been entertaining passengers since before the 1930s, including the Whip (1928), where cars travel along a laminated wooden track before whipping around a corner. Only a few are still in operation within the United States.
Lagoon Amusement Park
Although this park in Farmington, Utah, dates back to 1886, it’s constantly reinventing itself. Case in point: in 2015, the park launched Cannibal, its biggest coaster yet, to the tune of $22 million.
Since 1989, guests have been able to splash at the Lagoon-a-Beach water park. An 1893 carousel installed in 1906 is still running today and is a true highlight for park guests, featuring 45 hand-carved horses.
The Shortcut
Save money on your summer vacation when you choose a vintage amusement park: some rides are priced as low as 25 cents and many parks don’t charge a fee to enter, with additional costs for ride tickets.
Antiques lovers will swoon for the vintage appeal, including hand-carved animals on carousels and, on children’s rides, 1940s-era rockets, boats, airplanes and other vessels.
Instead of chasing the fastest and record-breaking roller coasters, guests flock to these parks to experience the country’s oldest rides.
