1. Dogpatch USA – Marble Falls, Arkansas
Dogpatch USA was a quirky hillbilly-themed park based on the Li’l Abner comic strip, and if your family road-tripped through Arkansas in the ‘70s or ‘80s, you probably stopped here, according to Russell T. Johnson from Encyclopedia of Arkansas. It had trout fishing, log rides, and characters wandering around in raggedy overalls like they walked straight out of a newspaper comic. The setting was charming and a little odd—tucked into the Ozarks with a ramshackle, backwoods vibe that felt like a slice of cartoon Appalachia. It closed in 1993 after years of financial struggle and a failed attempt to turn it into a Christian-themed park called “Marble Falls.”
If you remember petting baby goats in a barn or climbing into a rusty mine cart ride, that might’ve been Dogpatch. The park sat abandoned for years, slowly decaying into a creepy, overgrown ghost town. It’s had some recent buzz with new owners talking about redevelopment, but it’s still a far cry from its heyday. The nostalgia’s strong, though—especially if your parents made you pose with a barefoot “hillbilly” holding a fake jug of moonshine.
2. The Land of Make Believe – Upper Jay, New York
Before there were Instagrammable fairytale parks, there was the Land of Make Believe in New York’s Adirondacks, according to Anne Mackinnon from Adirondack Life Magazine. This wasn’t the same as the still-operating park in New Jersey—it was a whimsical little spot filled with storybook houses, gnomes, and gentle rides for the under-10 crowd. Opened in 1954, it had a real homemade charm, with tiny castles and a talking cow that wowed toddlers in the ‘60s and ‘70s. A devastating flood in 1979 wiped out much of the park, and it never reopened.
If you remember climbing into a life-sized Humpty Dumpty or peeking into Cinderella’s cottage, that’s this place. It was family-run and felt like stepping into someone’s elaborate backyard dreamscape. There’s not much left of it today except faded memories and a few vintage postcards on eBay. But for those who visited, it was like stepping right into a bedtime story.
3. Heritage USA – Fort Mill, South Carolina
Heritage USA wasn’t just a theme park—it was a full-on Christian resort founded by televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, according to Tim Spears from Spectrum News. At its peak in the mid-‘80s, it was the third most visited theme park in the U.S., behind only Disney and Universal. It had a water park, a replica upper room, and even a shopping mall for believers on vacation. The downfall came fast and hard after financial scandals and the fall of the PTL Club empire.
Kids remember the giant waterslide and the prayer garden, but it always had that “Sunday School field trip” energy. Some of the buildings lingered for years, empty and eerie, like a ghost town version of a megachurch. Portions were eventually demolished, and parts of it have been redeveloped, but the park itself is long gone. If you ever rode the train through a biblical diorama, this was the place.
4. Americana Amusement Park – Middletown, Ohio
Americana Amusement Park was Ohio’s low-key answer to Cedar Point, known for its classic wooden roller coaster, the Screechin’ Eagle. Opened in 1929 as LeSourdsville Lake, it was rebranded in the ‘70s and had a nostalgic, carnival feel. Families came for the wave pool, the paddle boats, and the old-school midway games. It closed in 2002 after attendance dropped and a series of ownership changes took their toll.
If you visited, you probably remember sticky fingers from cotton candy and sunburns from hours in the wave pool. It wasn’t flashy, but it was dependable—summer memories wrapped in fried dough and the smell of chlorine. After the park shut down, parts of it were left to rot, and the Screechin’ Eagle was finally dismantled. Still, for many Midwest kids, this was the first real thrill ride of their lives.
5. Six Flags AstroWorld – Houston, Texas
Ask any Houston native over 30, and they’ll tell you: losing AstroWorld still stings. Opened in 1968, it was a crown jewel of the Six Flags family, featuring classic coasters like the Texas Cyclone and themed zones like the Alpine Valley and Western Junction. It sat right across from the Astrodome, and for generations of Texans, it was the spot for school trips, teen dates, and summer escapes, according to Adam Zuvanich from ABC13 Houston. The park closed in 2005, with Six Flags citing rising property values and declining profits.
For kids who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, AstroWorld was pure magic—a sweaty, sun-baked paradise of fun and funnel cake. The Texas Cyclone alone was a rite of passage for any thrill-seeker. When it was demolished, fans mourned, and the area where it once stood has remained mostly empty. That gaping space in Houston still feels like a reminder of a childhood lost.
6. Santa’s Village – East Dundee, Illinois
This Christmas-themed park brought holiday cheer all summer long, opening in 1959 and quickly becoming a Chicagoland favorite. It had reindeer rides, gingerbread houses, and elves handing out candy canes in July. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was the kind of place where a photo with Santa in a sweaty velvet suit was a badge of honor. The park closed in 2006 due to financial issues and dwindling crowds.
If you remember feeding llamas in the petting zoo or riding the Snowball ride, you’re not dreaming—it really happened. Parts of the park have since been revived as “Santa’s Village Azoosment Park,” but it’s not quite the same. The original had a kitschy charm that today’s sleek parks just can’t replicate. For suburban kids, it was the closest thing to the North Pole on Earth.
7. Geauga Lake – Aurora, Ohio
Geauga Lake started as a picnic ground in the 1880s and grew into one of Ohio’s most beloved theme parks. Over the years, it was run by various owners—Cedar Fair, then Six Flags—and even had a waterpark and a marine park, SeaWorld Ohio, next door. The park hit its stride in the late ‘90s but abruptly closed in 2007 after years of decline. Its closure left a massive hole in the region’s amusement scene.
The Big Dipper coaster and the double-loop were legendary among Ohio thrill-seekers. Families would come from hours away, coolers packed with snacks, ready to spend the whole day. Seeing the empty lot today feels surreal if you remember the energy and noise that once filled the air. It was a park that kept evolving, right up until it couldn’t.
8. Joyland Amusement Park – Wichita, Kansas
Joyland was a true community gem in Wichita, running from the 1940s until 2006. Known for its iconic wooden roller coaster and creepy Wurlitzer band organ, it had a mix of charm and slight eeriness that kids found thrilling. The Whacky Shack haunted house and the rickety Ferris wheel were local legends. After safety concerns and vandalism, the park was permanently shuttered.
If you ever got a sunburn waiting in line for the Tilt-A-Whirl or held your breath passing the clown-faced organ, you were part of the Joyland era. Its decay was widely documented in haunting urban exploration photos after it closed. Some rides were relocated or sold, but most of the park was eventually demolished. It lives on in memory as both magical and a little bit haunted.
9. The Enchanted Forest – Ellicott City, Maryland
The Enchanted Forest opened in 1955, bringing fairy tales to life with hand-crafted dioramas and charming walk-through attractions. It was Maryland’s answer to Disneyland—just without the animatronics or mouse ears. Families loved the old-fashioned innocence of the place, with scenes from Jack and the Beanstalk, Alice in Wonderland, and The Three Little Pigs. It closed in 1995 after attendance dropped in the face of modern competition.
If you posed for a photo in front of a giant pumpkin or climbed Rapunzel’s tower, that memory still holds up. Parts of the park were saved and relocated to a nearby farm, where they’ve been preserved as a sort of nostalgia museum. But the original location is gone, swallowed by suburban development. Still, it remains one of the East Coast’s most fondly remembered lost parks.
10. Miracle Strip Amusement Park – Panama City Beach, Florida
Located just steps from the beach, Miracle Strip was the place to go after a day in the Gulf. Opened in 1963, it had that perfect mix of beachy boardwalk charm and vintage rides, including the iconic Starliner wooden coaster. Families would grab funnel cakes, ride the Tilt-A-Whirl, and watch the sun go down over the ocean. It closed in 2004, much to the heartbreak of locals and tourists alike.
If you ever wore a salt-crusted bathing suit while eating a snow cone in line for the Ferris wheel, you’ve got Miracle Strip in your DNA. A smaller version reopened in 2010 but eventually shut down again, unable to capture the magic of the original. Nothing matched the vibe of hearing the waves crash while your coaster car creaked skyward. It was Florida fun at its most authentic.
11. Frontier Town – Ocean City, Maryland
Frontier Town combined Wild West kitsch with beachside fun, offering live cowboy shootouts, stagecoach rides, and a fort for kids to explore. Opened in 1959, it was a little slice of the Old West tucked near the Atlantic Ocean. While the campground still operates, the theme park portion closed in the late 1990s. It was charming, dusty, and just weird enough to be unforgettable.
If you ever got a tin badge and pretended to be a sheriff in cowboy boots too big for your feet, this is where it happened. The stunt shows were a major draw, especially the dramatic train robbery reenactments. Families made it an annual tradition before the glossier attractions started taking over. Today, it’s more memory than monument, but for a while, it was gold-panning greatness.
12. Magic Mountain – Golden, Colorado
Magic Mountain had the ambition to be a Disneyland of the Rockies when it opened in 1959. Unfortunately, financial troubles shut it down within a year, though the site later became home to Heritage Square, a quirky shopping and entertainment area. The original Magic Mountain featured futuristic rides and fairy tale attractions designed by some Disney alumni. It was an ambitious dream that never quite took off.
If your parents were Colorado locals in the early ‘60s, they might have snapped Polaroids of you riding a rocket-themed coaster or walking through a fantasy land. Though short-lived, the spirit of Magic Mountain lingered in Heritage Square for decades. Heritage Square itself closed in 2015, marking the final chapter of the area’s whimsical history. It’s a forgotten frontier of theme park innovation that almost made it big.
13. Opryland USA – Nashville, Tennessee
Opryland USA was a music-themed park built around the Grand Ole Opry legacy, opening in 1972. It blended rides with live country performances and was a favorite for families traveling through Tennessee. The Wabash Cannonball roller coaster and Grizzly River Rampage were standouts, and there were shows practically every hour. It was unexpectedly closed in 1997 and replaced by the Opry Mills shopping mall.
If you ever wore a cowboy hat while eating kettle corn and watching a live banjo show, Opryland was probably your jam. Its closure still sparks debate in Nashville, with many feeling the city lost a true cultural gem. The park had character and heart, even if it wasn’t the flashiest. For country music fans and coaster kids alike, it was something special.
