The Best Amusement Park in Indiana isn't Really an Amusement Park

Jun 09, 2023

Reader's Digest recently found the best amusement park in each state. The only problem is that Indiana's isn't actually an amusement park.

Indiana isn't one of those states that have several amusement parks to choose from. We all know about Indiana Beach Boardwalk Resort and Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. That's really about it in terms of amusement parks. That being said, we do have several waterparks scattered all throughout the state. So, when I saw that Reader's Digest released an article about the best amusement park in each state, I was curious what they would say about Indiana.

Reader's Digest says that the best amusement park in Indiana is none other than Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, located in the little town of Santa Claus. For those of us especially in southern Indiana, this will come as a no-brainer. It's by far Indiana's biggest amusement and water park. I mean you have the free unlimited soft drinks, award-winning rides in both parks, free sunscreen, and the list of exciting things to see and do there goes on. Holiday World is no stranger to getting a national spotlight. The theme park has won several awards in the past for its rides.

Here's what Reader's Digest said about Holiday World and Splashin' Safari:

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is located in Santa Claus, Indiana and, as you may have guessed, it's holiday-themed. It features:

It's open May through August (as well as a few spring weekends).

That's another huge honor for Holiday World and Splashin' Safari...there's just one problem. Holiday World isn't an amusement park.

For those who don't know, Holiday World prides itself as a theme park. You might be asking: "What's the difference between a theme park and an amusement park?"

To properly explain the difference, let's revert to Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It defines an amusement park as the following:

On the flip side, it has "theme park" defined as:

Since Holiday World's rides, games, and other attractions are all themed around various holidays, that certainly makes it a theme park. In fact, it is technically the oldest theme park in the country!

So, while Reader's Digest did give Holiday World some high praise, let's not forget that it is a theme park, not an amusement park.