6 Nevada Abandoned Amusement Parks That Locals Call Ghost Towns

Nevada’s wide desert spaces hide more than old mines and ghost towns. Over the years, a few amusement parks opened with big hopes but later shut down, leaving behind empty rides and faded signs. While none match the size of the state’s casinos, these places once drew families before closing their gates. Locals now look at them as ghostly reminders of another kind of entertainment.

1. MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park, Las Vegas

Ask anyone who grew up in Las Vegas during the 1990s, and they’ll tell you about that one summer spent at MGM Grand Adventures. The park rolled out the red carpet in 1993 as part of a massive plan to give families something different amid the city’s bright lights. Movie-themed rides and live stunt shows meant every visit promised a new story and a fresh rush of excitement.

It never quite captured the numbers it hoped for, though. Despite ambitious attractions like deepwater rides and roller coasters, crowds stayed modest. By 2000, most of the big features had vanished, and the buzz around the park faded fast. The decision to close came soon after, with the gates finally locking for good in 2002.

Today, The Signature at MGM Grand stands where laughter once echoed through the air. All that remains of the old park are the memories shared by those who watched Las Vegas try its hand at theme park magic. For many locals, MGM Grand Adventures is a bittersweet chapter in Nevada’s entertainment history, one that still sparks stories when old friends gather and reminisce about their city’s ever-changing face.

2. Wet ‘n Wild Water Park, Las Vegas

Summer in Nevada can feel endless, and for nearly two decades, Wet ‘n Wild was the place to cool off. Open since 1985, the park became a summertime tradition for locals craving relief from the desert heat. Children raced down twisting water slides while parents floated in the wave pool, making memories with every splash.

The water park wasn’t just a collection of rides; it was a vital part of growing up in Las Vegas. Teenagers hung out with friends, families picnicked in the shade, and school trips ended with sun-soaked afternoons. The nostalgia runs deep, and longtime residents still talk about it with a smile, picturing the lines for the giant slides or the thrill of the park’s tallest drops.

After closing in 2004, the site quickly lost its sense of fun, turning quiet as new developments took over. Modern water parks have opened since, but for many, nothing quite measures up to the memories made at Wet ‘n Wild. It stands out as a landmark of Nevada’s playful past, a ghost town not of the Old West, but of sunburns and laughter carried away by the wind.

3. Scandia Family Fun Center, Las Vegas

On the list of places where Las Vegas locals spent their weekends, Scandia Family Fun Center wins a special spot. Unlike the larger and flashier parks, Scandia thrived on simplicity, mini-golf, batting cages, arcade games, and the memorable Scandia Screamer roller coaster. Its welcoming atmosphere offered families a break from the Strip’s crowds, and every corner felt like it belonged to the community.

Scandia’s roller coaster wasn’t the biggest, but for many kids, it marked their first real thrill ride. The sound of laughter mingled with the crash of baseballs hitting cages, and birthday parties filled the air with excitement. It was a place where the focus stayed on fun, not spectacle, and that down-to-earth spirit is what many remember most today.

The park closed its gates in 2018, and demolition crews moved in soon after. While the land no longer holds the echoes of cheers and shouts, people in Nevada often trade stories about late nights at Scandia. It’s those memories, the simple, joyful ones, that turn this shuttered fun center into a true ghost town of the Silver State’s amusement scene.

4. Liberace Museum & Tivoli Gardens, Las Vegas

If you ever drove down East Tropicana Avenue in the 1980s, you might have spotted a flash of showbiz flair, welcome to Tivoli Gardens and the Liberace Museum. Part amusement park, part musical tribute, Tivoli Gardens offered small rides and themed decor inspired by the legendary pianist. It became a quirky side trip for fans and families curious about something other than the Strip’s usual glare.

The attraction couldn’t match the draw of bigger destinations, so its days were always numbered. While the Liberace Museum cultivated loyal visitors, the attached gardens and rides couldn’t win over the masses for long. When the museum finally closed in 2010, locals felt the loss of a truly unique piece of Las Vegas’s personality, one that combined music, nostalgia, and a dash of whimsy.

Though redevelopment changed the landscape, stories about the Liberace Museum and Tivoli Gardens still float around Nevada. The place is remembered less for grand thrills and more for its charm, eccentricity, and musical legacy. For those who visited, it holds a special kind of ghostly nostalgia, linking Nevada’s showbiz history with the quieter side of family fun.

5. Adventure Canyon Log Flume, Buffalo Bill’s Resort, Primm

When Buffalo Bill’s opened in Primm in the mid-1990s, its desert-themed Adventure Canyon Log Flume gave travelers an excuse to stop on their way between Las Vegas and California. The ride wound through faux canyon walls, dipping into cool spray before sending riders down a final plunge that soaked the whole boat. A Wild West storyline tied it all together, complete with animatronic outlaws and a saloon showdown.

For families, it was the perfect break from slot machines and highway monotony. Kids begged for one more ride, while parents welcomed the chance to cool off in the desert sun. Through the 2000s, Adventure Canyon became a symbol of Buffalo Bill’s attempt to market itself as a mini-theme park resort.

But the crowds faded as the hotel struggled, and by the mid-2010s, the flume closed. Today, Primm visitors find shuttered tracks and memories of a time when the resort tried to rival Vegas’s biggest attractions. Locals recall it fondly as an odd but beloved roadside amusement that proved Nevada could deliver family thrills in unexpected places.

6. Frontier Village Amusement Park, Carson City

Frontier Village opened in Carson City in the 1960s as a Western-themed amusement park built to capture Nevada’s frontier spirit. It wasn’t huge by national standards, but for northern Nevada families it was a rare destination that offered a full day of rides without driving to California. Wooden roller coasters, stagecoach rides, and Wild West stunt shows set the tone, while a small train circled the park, giving kids a sense of real adventure.

The park thrived for a few years, especially during summer tourist season, but rising costs and competition from larger attractions in California made survival difficult. By the late 1970s, the gates closed for good. Much of the land was repurposed for housing and small businesses, leaving little trace of the old midway.

Still, longtime Carson City residents recall birthday parties, class trips, and the thrill of riding the coasters with desert mountains as a backdrop. Frontier Village may be gone, but for many locals, it represents a brief moment when northern Nevada tried to build its own answer to Disneyland, one that now lives on only in memories and faded photographs.