Looking for a fun thrill that's outside of the normal travel routine? While there are plenty of amazingly built up and fun amusement parks and quirky towns with bustling shopping districts to tour, travelers looking for a little additional adventure should check out these abandoned haunts the next time they find themselves needing a little vacation. Some of these places are off limits to guests, so explore at your own risk!
Abandoned Amusement Parks
There is something definitively scary and mystic about a run-down, dilapidated amusement park. Maybe it is the connection to childhood joy and the paradoxical, overwhelming sense of sadness and deterioration you can get when walking around one, but abandoned entertainment parks are still pretty good at providing what they were originally intended to do: thrill!
Six Flags, Louisiana
Take the Six Flags located in New Orleans as one perfect example of a creepy abandoned park that now provides chills and thrills for those that are brave enough to tour it. After opening under the name Jazzland in 2000, this park went down when the devastating Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. The leftover result is a truly eerie entertainment scene that looks to be straight out of a horror film. Urban explorers from all around the world take a detour from the Mardi Gras fanfare typically associated with New Orleans to check out this truly creepy place.
Spreepark, Germany
Another great international option for an abandoned amusement park ready for spontaneous exploration is Spreepark in Berlin, Germany. Spreepark shut down in 2002 due to financial troubles of the owner, and has had over ten years to grow into one of the creepiest setting on earth. Undoubtedly, a visit to Spreepark will give you the goosebumps and shivers down your spine, as the park features the classic rusted rides, graffiti-covered swan boats, and cryptic plastic monuments of animals such as dinosaurs and tigers surrounding the entire area. Spreepark is an international thrill for the brave that is now one of the most dilapidated and creepy amusement parks in the world.
Abandoned Towns
After you check out those must-see abandoned parks, keep on the chase for thrills by visiting entire towns that have been deserted.
Centralia, Pennsylvania
After a coal mine imploded, this town was quickly abandoned and is now one of the weirdest, most exotic places you can visit. Classified as a near ghost town, Centralia had a population of ten -- yes, ten -- in 2010. Centralia has become so sparsely populated that their zip code was even revoked by the United States Postal Service. Most homes have been demolished, which leads to an almost post-apocalyptic vibe that surrounds this deserted town. The town was even a large inspiration for the popular game franchise, Silent Hill.
North Brother Island, New York
Unlike Centralia, North Brother Island in New York is fully uninhabited and has even been officially designated as a bird and wildlife sanctuary in New York. Technically, off-limits to the public, visiting North Brother Island is for the hardcore urban entertainment explorers that want to see a legitimate thrill that combines scariness with beauty surprisingly well. Many exotic birds have made this their home and the Island has a true exotic feel thanks to the various wildlife and overgrowth of trees.
Kennecott, Alaska
Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986, Kennecott is more cool than creepy as the famous Kennecott mines are now monitored by the National Park Service. The abandoned town is a popular spot for tourists to see the historic, ancient mills, go glacier climbing, and even go ice climbing, in true Alaska fashion.
These five creepy abandoned places should provide more than enough thrills for any urban explorers seeking a little change in entertainment in their next vacation. Make sure to tour at least one of these sites if you plan on visiting the area!
Image Credits
Spreepark: Kassenhäuschen by Rochus Wolff
Six Flags New Orleans by Kathryn Parson
Spree Park 27 by Luca Di Ciaccio
Centralia Mine Fire by Sometimes-Interesting
Kennecot Mill by Jeffrey Cohen
