These Are 6 Abandoned Theme Parks In Illinois That Nature Has Taken Back
Illinois has a secret hiding in plain sight—abandoned theme parks where rusted rides peek through thick vines and cracked pavement becomes a canvas for wildflowers.
I remember visiting one of these forgotten wonderlands as a teenager, feeling that eerie thrill of seeing nature slowly swallow what once echoed with laughter.
These places tell stories of boom times, family memories, and the unstoppable force of Mother Nature reclaiming her territory.
1. Riverview Park (Chicago)
Chicago’s legendary Riverview Park operated from 1904 to 1967, entertaining millions with its iconic roller coasters and carnival attractions. When I first learned about this place, I couldn’t believe something so massive just vanished from the city’s North Side.
The park once boasted over 100 rides, including the terrifying Bobs roller coaster that made grown adults scream. After closing, developers demolished most structures, but nature quickly claimed the remaining footprints.
Today, the former 74-acre wonderland sits beneath modern developments and baseball fields. Locals still share ghost stories about hearing phantom screams and carnival music on quiet nights. The park’s memory lives on through vintage postcards and grainy footage that capture its glory days before weeds and time erased it completely.
2. Adventureland (Addison)
Nestled in Addison, Adventureland operated during the 1960s and 70s as a family-friendly destination complete with miniature golf and kiddie rides. My aunt used to tell me about winning a stuffed giraffe there that she kept for decades.
The park featured castle-themed structures and whimsical decorations that delighted suburban families looking for affordable weekend entertainment. Economic pressures and competition from larger parks eventually forced its closure.
Nature wasted no time transforming the concrete paths into cracked mosaics decorated with dandelions and wild grasses. The faded paint on remaining structures creates an accidental art installation that urban explorers find hauntingly beautiful. Though largely forgotten, old photographs reveal a cheerful place where countless birthday parties and first dates happened.
3. Ebenezer Floppen Slopper’s Wonderful Water Slides (Oakbrook Terrace)
With possibly the goofiest name in theme park history, this water park opened in 1980 and quickly became a summertime hotspot. The name alone made everyone giggle, which was exactly the point of its quirky marketing strategy.
Featuring twisting water slides and splash pools, the park offered relief during brutal Midwestern summers. Financial troubles led to its closure in the late 1980s, leaving behind empty concrete channels.
Moss and algae now coat the slides like nature’s own water park redesign, while rainwater collects in abandoned pools creating accidental ponds. The faded retro signage stands as a time capsule of 80s design aesthetics. I’ve seen photos where trees actually grow through the slide structures, creating bizarre hybrid sculptures of human engineering and botanical persistence.
4. Dispensa’s Kiddie Kingdom & Castle Of Toys (Oakbrook Terrace)
Combining a toy store with an amusement park, Dispensa’s created a childhood paradise that operated for several decades in Oakbrook Terrace. The castle architecture made every visit feel like stepping into a medieval fantasy where toys came alive.
Kids could shop for toys then immediately test similar rides and attractions in the adjoining park. The unique business model worked well until big-box retailers changed the toy industry forever.
Empty ride platforms now sit surrounded by waist-high weeds, while the castle facade slowly crumbles under weather’s relentless assault. Faded toy displays visible through dusty windows create an eerie time capsule of childhood trends from past generations. I find it poignant that a place dedicated to preserving childhood wonder now stands as a monument to impermanence itself.
5. Donley’s Wild West Town (Union)
Yeehaw! Donley’s Wild West Town let visitors experience frontier life complete with staged gunfights, pony rides, and authentic-looking saloons. Operating from the 1970s through early 2000s, it was every cowboy-obsessed kid’s dream destination.
The park featured wooden frontier buildings, a working jail, and costumed characters who reenacted Old West scenes. Declining attendance and maintenance costs eventually forced the park to close its swinging saloon doors permanently.
Weathered wooden structures now lean at precarious angles while prairie grasses reclaim the dusty main street. Rusted jail cells stand open, their prisoners long escaped into memory. The ghost town aesthetic has become accidentally authentic—tumbleweeds roll past abandoned buildings just like in classic westerns, except these are mixed with very un-western dandelions and clover.
6. Dreamland Amusement Park (Decatur)
Decatur’s Dreamland Amusement Park operated during the mid-20th century, providing central Illinois families with carnival thrills and midway games. The name promised escape from ordinary life, and for many summer evenings, it delivered exactly that.
Featuring classic rides like a Ferris wheel and carousel, the park anchored community celebrations and school outings. Economic downturns and competition from modern entertainment options led to its eventual abandonment.
A deteriorating Ferris wheel frame stands like a skeletal monument to forgotten summers, while ivy creeps across faded carnival game booths. The overgrown midway looks like nature’s own obstacle course, with saplings pushing through cracked asphalt. I imagine the last person to ride that Ferris wheel had no idea they were closing a chapter of local history forever.