Indiana Beach is a lakeside amusement park in Monticello, Indiana, sitting on the shores of Lake Shafer about two hours south of Chicago. It traces its roots to 1926, when Earl W. Spackman opened a small lakeside bathing beach called Ideal Beach, which grew over the following decades into a full amusement resort under continuous Spackman family ownership until 2008.
The park’s history has not been without drama. In February 2020, then-operator Apex Parks Group announced Indiana Beach would close permanently after 94 years, citing financial difficulties. White County stepped in with economic development incentives, and Chicago businessman Gene Staples purchased the park that April, reopening it just months later on June 27, 2020, under a new company that became IB Parks & Entertainment.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Monticello, Indiana (Lake Shafer)
- Operator: IB Parks & Entertainment
- Opened: 1926 (as Ideal Beach)
- Size: About 10 acres
- Rides: 43 attractions, including 7 roller coasters
- Signature Attraction: Cornball Express (wooden roller coaster, opened 2001)
- Annual Visitors: Not publicly disclosed
A Compact Park Built Around the Lake
Unlike sprawling regional parks, Indiana Beach packs its rides onto a compact footprint hugging the edge of Lake Shafer, giving the park a distinct boardwalk-meets-midway feel. Its coaster lineup includes the wooden Cornball Express, built by Custom Coasters International in 2001 and sharing structural supports with the older Hoosier Hurricane, alongside the steel Tig’rr coaster from Anton Schwarzkopf that has operated since the 1980s.
The park also runs a companion water park and marina, letting visitors mix thrill rides with boating and swimming on the lake, a combination that has defined Indiana Beach’s identity since its bathhouse origins in the 1920s.
Surviving Closure and Changing Hands
Indiana Beach’s ownership history mirrors the volatility many mid-sized American amusement parks have faced. After nearly eight decades under the Spackman family, it passed through Morgan RV LLC and then Apex Parks Group before Apex’s 2020 shutdown announcement threatened to end the park for good.
Gene Staples’ purchase later that year not only saved Indiana Beach but launched IB Parks & Entertainment, a company that has since grown to operate multiple parks across the Midwest and Northeast, with Indiana Beach remaining its flagship property.
Explore more: more theme parks worth visiting.
Roller Coasters at Indiana Beach
Every Indiana Beach coaster ThrillZing has covered — stats, ride experience and history for each:
Indiana Beach FAQs
When did Indiana Beach open?
Indiana Beach traces back to 1926, when it opened as a small lakeside beach and bathhouse called Ideal Beach before expanding into a full amusement park.
Did Indiana Beach really close down?
Yes. Apex Parks Group announced a permanent closure in February 2020 after 94 years of operation, but Chicago businessman Gene Staples purchased the park and reopened it on June 27, 2020.
What is Indiana Beach’s signature ride?
The Cornball Express, a wooden roller coaster built by Custom Coasters International that opened in 2001, is the park’s best-known attraction.
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Photo: Larry Pieniazek, User:Lar, (primary) / CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.