Indiana Beach Amusement & Water Park
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Indiana Beach Amusement & Water Park

Indiana Beach Amusement & Water Park
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Amusement & Theme ParksWater Parks
Temporarily closedClosed until further notice
About
Indiana Beach is home to 7 roller coasters. Of them, three are wooden coasters, including the world-famous Cornball Express. In addition, Indiana Beach is home to Indiana's 1st custom steel coaster, Steel Hawg (Voted #4 on Indiana’s 20-for-20 Thrill Rides in 2020!). Indiana Beach will never forget its place as a classic facility filled with classic attractions. Whether it is getting fannies riding on a coaster, relaxing in the summer sun, or dancing & dining with family & friends, generations have enjoyed all that Indiana Beach has to offer including over 100 accommodations. With plans for tomorrow blossoming every day, exciting changes every season, and a continued commitment to quality, there are no limits in sight for Indiana Beach’s future. From its humble beginnings as Ideal Beach to its undying popularity in the hearts of guests of all ages, Indiana Beach has come to represent that there truly is “more than corn in Indiana...” Please check our website for park hours.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • Jet21761176105
    1 contribution
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nothing has changed
    No I’m not giving a good review, last time I visited was 20 years ago. Fast forward 2024 it’s still filthy dirty and management still trying to get away with denying discount coupons of any kind for decades. You are better off at Holiday Park, Water World, Kings Island or Six Flags. They are much cleaner, more rides and honor discount coupons.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written June 17, 2024
  • David R
    Clarksville, Tennessee74 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Indiana Beach trip
    This was a unique amusement park to visit. It’s a boardwalk amusement park prices are very reasonable. Many rides were down this day, but we still had a good time with my seven year-old granddaughter and enjoyed the experience. Do you want to regret that I have was the last coaster of superstition Mountain was down this day. Besides that we had a good time and it’s worth a visit.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written June 27, 2024
  • K L
    2 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Needs a facelift
    Our family had a lot of fun. It's just not the same, though, as years past. Seems like a different vibe. They need to invest in powerwashing and painting to spruce things up. The bridge could use new boards as well as many of the rides. Some shops are nice. Others not as great as they used to be. What happened to the Sky Room Restaurant? That was always a nice place. They were closed. We probably will come back next year for the kiddos, but hopefully it will be nicer. I would give the park a C.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written July 22, 2024
  • Jessica B
    1 contribution
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hoping for a nice amusement filled day
    I wanted to love going back to Indiana beach but that wasn’t the case. The roller coasters are old and need updating. It was not not smooth coasters not to mention the newest coaster with the three loops had previously derailed at another location killing two men prior to its home at Indiana beach sketchy the ride was extremely rough and extremely outdated it’s almost like the new owners just threw a few rides here and there and reopened the park not a good look the water slides had huge rust spots that did not look at all safe some of the structural beams for the coaster were moving as the coaster coasted down the hill extremely unorganized the water slides was ridiculous you had to wait till someone gave up a tube to even go down the slide I’m not sure why the tubes are not returned after you ride the slide for the next person in line so the line can continue at a steady pace the food was over priced and just not that great if your planning a trip here be safe we did not stay on site due to the buildings being way to small and ran down looking it’s time they get a refresh get rid of the outdated coasters and slides spend money and you will make money
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written July 30, 2024
  • ARS
    88 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Boardwalk amusement park with smaller crowds
    A classic boardwalk amusement park, Indiana Beach has undoubtedly seen better days but the crowd sizes are smaller than at other amusement parks in the Midwest, so you can have more opportunities to experience a variety of rides or to ride your favorite multiple times. While the water park is not large, it can provide entertainment for the youngest to the oldest in your group with a large splash pad, a pool (of filtered lake water), a lazy river, and water slides. Furthermore, there are numerous food and drink options, so even if there is a large crowd on a particular day (such as one of the performance days by the Lake City Skiers), there is still not a significant wait for service. Indiana Beach also offers accommodations near the amusement park, which can be beneficial for families who want to make a weekend of their visit.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written August 24, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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3.0
3.0 of 5 bubbles741 reviews
Excellent
145
Very good
179
Average
131
Poor
125
Terrible
161

Sherry O
93 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
As a big fan of roller coasters and amusement parks I have been watching (online) the ups and downs of Indiana Beach for many years. Today we finally got to visit and we really had a blast. I am so very glad the park has managed to survive. It is a real piece of Americana. So quirky and fun and so different than the big chain parks, and the tight layout along the lake is really unique and quite beautiful, especially at night.

This has been a hard year for staffing and we were pleased to see almost all the rides were open for most of our stay on Saturday evening. Employees were working hard and most were more pleasant than average.

Waits were a little long with only one train running on Hoosier Hurricane and Cornball Express, and only two cars running on Steel Hawg, but it was a beautiful evening and crowds were heavy. One of the buzz bars got stuck in the open position on Hoosier Hurricane, but other than that, everything was running well.

The coaster line up is fun fun fun. All very different with enough thrills but nothing too extreme or too rough. We rode them all except for Lost Coaster - it was open when we arrived at about 6pm but was closed by 9pm.

The park has a nice mix of flat rides, but by the time we rode the coasters, had dinner, and took a sunset ride on the Shafer Queen paddle boat, we only had time to ride the chair lift. Kudos to the guy running the side nearest the drop ride - he was really working hard and doing a great job.

We had pizza from Earl's for dinner and it was good. The price was in line with we expected but service was actually faster and more pleasant than average given the crowd and labor shortages.

So many parks have not been open after dark this year, but we really enjoyed staying at Indiana Beach right until closing time at 11pm. All of the lights were so festive and Hoosier Hurricane was really fun in the dark.

Overall we both were surprised at how much we enjoyed Indiana Beach. Yes, it has a few rough edges, but it is a really unique experience, and you get a lot of amusement park bang for your buck here. There aren't a lot of places left like Indiana Beach. We are grateful to have visited and hope to return!
Written August 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SM
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
I grew up going every summer, but haven't been there in 20 years. Yesterday Our family set off. we got there at 11:30, had lunch in the parking lot. Our plan was to hit the water park until dinner time, then have dinner, then ride rides until closing time. We got to the gate with our beach gear to find a sign water slides are only open from 10-1, and 4-6, also there was a sign that named 3 rides that were down for repairs. Due to a lack of lifeguards they have either the lazy river, or the slides open, and the beach area is only open to the rope(12" deep). I have looked and no where does it mention any of this on their website. so we set out to ride some rides. I understand it was Saturday, but at every ride there was a 45min-1 hour line. we battled through until 4pm and hit the water park. It was there that we found out a locker cost $18. I did everything I could to stay positive, this was one of our few family outings for this year. Because we had our stuff, and my wallet and phone I had no choice but to pay it. so we hit the slides expecting to find my wife at the lazy river. it took about 15 min to get to the top, and down we went. thats when we learned the lazy was closed when the slides were open. Both my kids looked at the line for the slides and were like screw that were not waiting an hour in that line. we hung out at the beach for a minute, and went to change. we only used that $18 locker for an hour LOL. we hit a few more rides then got a snack and listened to some live music for a while. by sunset it seemed like the crowds started to clear, and we rode as many rides as we could until 10PM. in addition to the 3 closed rides listed at the gate, the cornball, and tiger roller coasters were closed down. For all the hassles it was an ok day. I hope they get their ducks in a row.
Written August 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Peg K
1 contribution
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
I love this place. I started going when I was a very young girl (over 50 years ago).

When I and the rest of my large family started having children, we all brought them up there. We would rent a bunch of cottages for the week, and we always had a great time.

When my children got older, my husband and I still went for a couple of days to spend time with the rest of the family who was up there, and we still always had a great time.

Many of us stopped going up there about 10 to 12 years ago, although a few family members have continued to go every year.

Last year, a bunch of us decided to go again, for old times' sake, and we all rented cottages for a partial week. We had a great time.

So, this year, we all rented cottages for a longer stay (4 nights). My grandchildren who are young, came up as did other people's grandchildren. We all had an amazing time, from seniors to adults to young adults to teenagers to the young ones.

We all are already booked for next year, and next year, we will probably rent a pontoon boat for a few days and do a booze cruise as we used to do.

Is it perfect? No. Are there some issues with rides being closed at times? Yes. Could the cottages and boardwalk use some updating? Yes, probably, but it is still a great place to go both for adults who want to just hang out and relax and for those with kids.
Written July 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daylene J
4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Family
First off, there were no signs to tell us how to get to the office. We had to call the office and ask for directions. Then, we pulled up to our cute little cabin and we’re so excited, walked in and it was fairly clean. However, once we started checking for supplies, we had trouble getting the kitchen cabinets open because they had no handles, the cabinets were so close to the stove that we had trouble getting them open. Once we got them open, we were very disappointed. They had a charcoal grill outside, but no implements to use on the grill. They had a couple plastic spatulas. Also, they had one coffee cup , there were no kitchen towels or kitchen washcloths. No potholders. Very small skillet, no colander, no can opener, No paring knives, no steak knives, and no toaster. We have stayed at a lot of cabins, VRBO’s, and Airbnb. They always provided the basics. I went to the front desk and asked if they could provide us with kitchen towels and washcloths, and they said they would notify the cleaning staff. That’s the last we heard from them. We went to the amusement park. Some of the rides were closed down,’ four of the waterslides were closed down, and some of the food stands were not totally up and operating. They said some of their equipment wasn’t working. Also, we waited 20+ minutes for a ride and then was told they were going to close it down for maintenance. Didn’t know when they would open it back up. A few of the kiddie rides were also closed down.
I went to the office and let them know I wasn’t happy paying the full price for a partial amusement park. Evan, the manager, basically said there was nothing he was going to do about it, he basically called me a liar, and he laughed at us. He said there was a sign at the very front when we drove in that stated ride availability wasn’t guaranteed. He was extremely rude and unprofessional. Not one time did he apologize, until we mentioned this fact and he laughed and said “I’m sorry”.

Needless to say, we will NEVER come back to Indiana Amusment Park!!! AND, I suggest that you don’t either.
Written June 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cass
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
My family and I went to the park on July 22nd. Only two of the roller coasters were in operation and one of the ones stalled. There was only one waterslide working. I had never been to Indiana beach, so I wanted to take my family to do a first. It turned out to be a good day because our family was together but not riding everything that we wanted and looked forward to based off of the website was a bummer. One of the roller coasters shown online said it would be up and running in 2022, well that one is still in pieces. I have called and requested to have management call me back over 7 times now with leaving voicemails, a worker emailing, and even emailing a couple comments with NO RESPONSE. If I knew how to get a hold of the owner I would at this point. This is HORRIBLE customer service, and, in my opinion they need to rearrange some roles there. I did talk to a lady named Becca that tried to help as much as she could. I would say drive south in Indiana to Holiday World or over a state to Kings Island because this park is a joke including their "upper management".
Written August 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bretmx
Troy, IL11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Family
We visited the park on a Thursday and had a great time! Since it was mid-week, the lines were all very short and we basically just walked up and rode anything we wanted with very little waiting. The old school boardwalk style amusement park was like taking a step back in time, and it was a cool dichotomy going back and forth between old school clickity clackity wooden coasters, then going upside down on the modern metal coasters. We only had snacks to eat, but if you’re looking for fair style food, this is your place. If you are looking for health food, eat before you get here. For an amusement park, I was pleasantly surprised by the affordable alcohol prices (comparable to what you would pay at Chili’s for instance). Our son can’t stop talking about the place, and if you factor in the travel expense, it makes this place an absolute bargain for an Indianapolis or Chicago resident compared to taking your kids out of state. Next year, we’ll come earlier in the year and get the season passes that are only $20 more than a one day ticket. The employees were all helpful and friendly. I was very happy with my experience and I’m confident that I will be back in the future. Next time I’ll bring my boat so we can spend one day at the park and the next day on the water.
Written August 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kristin W
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
Do not use the lockers!!! It immediately charged my credit card $18+ but the door never opened. A nice lady next to me told me she had to put the code in 3x to get the door to open, andI then another family choked in that they had to input their 4x to get it to work properly. The door never even opened at all no matter how many times we entered our code…now I get to waste a couple hours of my time fighting the locker and credit card company for a charge for services I never received.
Written June 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Missy A
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
I would never recommend this place to anyone. The website does not reflect what it truly is. We were disappointed in the fact that there really isn’t a beach. There were about 8 rides not running on the day we went. We decided to do rides in morning and water slides in afternoon. Unbeknownst to us the water slides closed at 2 due to lack of staff so my kids and I head over there around 215 to be told water slides are closed. Talk about some upset kiddos. The closure was not told to us or posted as we came in. When I went to guest relations they informed me it was updated on the app which I did not have. They were completely uncaring about the disappointment my kids experienced and said they would take note to post it better in the future. Needless to say that didn’t help us at the time. In addition, most of the workers were rude and not taking safety on the rides seriously. I told them I didn’t expect a refund but some compensation would be appreciated but they gave me nothing. I will NEVER go back and would caution other families to go somewhere else.
Written August 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Caryn E
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
I’ve been going to Indiana Beach since I was a kid. That was in the 80’s and for some perspective, my mother used to go when she was a kid too… and she’s almost 80.

If you’re expecting something like Six Flags or King’s Island this is not it. If you dig vintage pop culture, carnivals, and unique conglomerations of fun, food and sights, then it’s a must see.

The rides have been added over decades so some are very old and they show their wear. They are still fun and safe. Sometimes they need maintenance. It is what it is. The newer rides are woven into the landscape so you get a good mix.

There are lots of arcade games, carnival style games, kiddie rides, and food of all kinds.

The gluten free pizza at Earl’s is lovely, by the way.

The water park is a safe way to enjoy the water on a heavily boated lake. The “beach” is really more of a blocked off part of the lake. I can’t really handle the slides anymore but the lazy river is always a treat. My son is getting older but still has fun in the splash pad.

Is it different? Yes. Is it fun? Yes. Is it old? Uhm. Yes. But riding bumper cars in the same building my mom used to roller-skate in and eating a hot dog near where Sonny and Cher and The Beach Boys have played makes me recognize the historical significance and makes everything very enjoyable for me and my son.

If you want a sandy beach with waves, go to the Indiana dunes. If you want a more modern amusement park check out Holiday World or Six Flags Great America.

But if you truly want to experience a unique part of American history while having some family friendly fun? I highly recommend a day at IB.
Written July 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jennifer R
East Peoria, IL11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
Looking at reviews it was definitely mixed opinions. We took a chance and we loved this park! From old reviews it looks like the new owners are making great chamges! We will definitely return. We took our teenage kids and they had a blast. It's so nice that it's not super busy and waits are not long at all. The roller coasters are so fun!! The only downfall is the Waterpark hours they are very odd so make sure you check them before you plan on going. Also, if you're expecting a "beach" on the lake, it's only a 2 foot deep concrete slab with sand on it. The sandy area is nice to lay out but don't plan on swimming. I'd say it's nice for small kids and to cool off in. All of the staff we interacted with were all extremely nice! Many people mentioned it being dirty we didn't notice it being dirty. It's no different than any other amusement park.
Written August 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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INDIANA BEACH AMUSEMENT & WATER PARK - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2025)

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