Indiana's Once-Thriving Amusement Park And Zoo Combo Is Now Completely Abandoned

There's no question that amusement parks are popular in the United States. According to a 2022 study by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM, the two most-visited theme parks in the world are in the U.S.: Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Park in California. Plenty of Americans are just as enthusiastic — and nostalgic — about vintage amusement parks that are no longer operational. Take Fun Spot Amusement Park & Zoo in northern Indiana, a once-thriving entertainment complex that's completely abandoned, yet remains an object of public fascination.

Fun Spot opened in Angola in 1956 and welcomed visitors for more than five decades. In addition to a handful of roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, and a "Kiddieland" with child-friendly attractions like Pony Carts and the Space Train, it was home to a zoo with animals on display in cages. Though some details are lost to time, records show that, at its height, Fun Spot had 31 rides, including classic spinning rides like the Scrambler and the Tilt-a-Whirl. On one Facebook thread dedicated to the subject, past visitors mention the zoo area had a petting zoo and, somewhat surprisingly, a resident black panther.

More is known about rides and attractions that were installed relatively recently, like the Afterburner, a roller coaster that opened at Fun Spot in 1991. For years, it was the only coaster with an inversion, or, in other words, that took riders upside down. But if past parkgoers' online comments are any indication, Fun Spot's long history is worth remembering. "[I] pass this place every once in awhile and it brings back memories. 25 cents to get in and play all day," wrote one local on Facebook. "We practically lived there in the 80s," remembered another. "I was sad when it closed," said a different Facebook user. "I loved going there!"

Sadly for many, Fun Spot shuttered in 2008, and the owners started selling off the rides. It was one of many independently managed amusement parks to fold amid the rise of larger, corporate-run theme parks like Six Flags. (And the cycle continues: Six Flags announced the closure of two of its parks in 2025.) Years later, you can still see Indiana's once-thriving amusement park and zoo from the road, though locals confirm that many of the original rides are gone.

A few photographers with special permission have toured the landmark site, posting pictures online that show what's left of Fun Spot. According to photographer Ronny Salerno's experience, which you can read more about on his website, you can stroll past the whimsical former ticket booth, a "graveyard" of old food carts and roller coaster cars, the Ferris wheel, the Tilt-A-Whirl, and the eerily empty arcade. Some of the roller coaster tracks are still up, and you can even step inside the operator booths to see how they were once controlled. Another photographer, Nicholas Klein, shared drone-captured images of his walk past bumper cars, water slides, zoo animal enclosures, and more.

Fun Spot isn't the only abandoned amusement park in Indiana: If you're exploring the state, consider a visit to Rose Island, a derelict century-old park where defunct roller coasters are gradually being consumed by an overgrown forest. For more spooky sites, check out our list of the creepiest abandoned amusement parks in the world.