I had the opportunity to visit Indiana Beach a couple times in the 90s and thoroughly enjoyed it! I found it to be charming, quirky, and nostalgic, lovingly maintained, with a great selection of coasters and other rides.
Another park in a similar class I just visited a week ago is Lakeside Park in Denver. I have a strong sense of urgency for the preservation of this marvelous park! One of the few trolley parks left in existence, it showcases outstanding Art Deco architecture and signage that promotes an atmosphere of days gone by. A wonderful collection of vintage rides dot the park proper at the edge of a picturesque lake. However, it seems to have been hit hard by the decay of time and trials of the pandemic. Many of the rides are disassembled or dormant, likely due to lack of staffing or parts. The park’s headliner coaster “Cyclone” is currently grounded, because of an unfortunate and suspicious recent lawsuit. Many of the structures, including the iconic jewel tower beg for a fresh coat of paint and replacement lighting. I fear that, without a super hero to step in, the developers who are clamoring to build condos on the land will eventually get their way and this once glorious park will be lost to the ages.
Chad, thanks for your thoughtful comment. It appears that Indiana Beach is in great hands once again.
As for Lakeside, I've never visited, but am enamored by its Art Deco aesthetic. It looks positively stunning (although, to your point, in desperate need of some TLC). It'd be great if it, too, had a white knight come in to rescue it.
Although streetcars did stop there at one time, Lakeside is technically not a trolley park because the park pre-dated the trolley line. Historians consider parks that were purposely built by streetcar lines to boost weekend business to be true trolley parks. I made the same mistake and included Lakeside among my list of existing trolley parks when I wrote about them earlier: https://www.aboutthemeparks.fun/p/what-the-heck-is-a-trolley-park
I had the opportunity to visit Indiana Beach a couple times in the 90s and thoroughly enjoyed it! I found it to be charming, quirky, and nostalgic, lovingly maintained, with a great selection of coasters and other rides.
Another park in a similar class I just visited a week ago is Lakeside Park in Denver. I have a strong sense of urgency for the preservation of this marvelous park! One of the few trolley parks left in existence, it showcases outstanding Art Deco architecture and signage that promotes an atmosphere of days gone by. A wonderful collection of vintage rides dot the park proper at the edge of a picturesque lake. However, it seems to have been hit hard by the decay of time and trials of the pandemic. Many of the rides are disassembled or dormant, likely due to lack of staffing or parts. The park’s headliner coaster “Cyclone” is currently grounded, because of an unfortunate and suspicious recent lawsuit. Many of the structures, including the iconic jewel tower beg for a fresh coat of paint and replacement lighting. I fear that, without a super hero to step in, the developers who are clamoring to build condos on the land will eventually get their way and this once glorious park will be lost to the ages.
Chad, thanks for your thoughtful comment. It appears that Indiana Beach is in great hands once again.
As for Lakeside, I've never visited, but am enamored by its Art Deco aesthetic. It looks positively stunning (although, to your point, in desperate need of some TLC). It'd be great if it, too, had a white knight come in to rescue it.
Although streetcars did stop there at one time, Lakeside is technically not a trolley park because the park pre-dated the trolley line. Historians consider parks that were purposely built by streetcar lines to boost weekend business to be true trolley parks. I made the same mistake and included Lakeside among my list of existing trolley parks when I wrote about them earlier: https://www.aboutthemeparks.fun/p/what-the-heck-is-a-trolley-park