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Lakeside Amusement Park
Rating Details »
Category: Amusement Parks [Edit]
Neighborhood: Northwest4601 Sheridan Blvd
Denver, CO 80212
(303) 477-1621
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
18 reviews for Lakeside Amusement Park
Lakeside just plain old rocks. How many great American recreational opportunities are we going to let disappear to corporate chain-ism. For $11.75 during the week and $17.75 on weekends, adults can ride all of the rides as much as they would like. Are these the fastest, highest, scariest rides in America? No way. But are these the kind of rides that make you remembers how much fun you have when twirling around and listening to others scream? Oh yeah. The only problem is the lines. THERE ARE NONE! Many times, you can just stay on the ride as long as you want. For your money, your all-you-can-ride really is all-you-care-to-ride. Go crazy. Make sure that you are there at night to enjoy the lights.
For kids, the kiddyland for $8 all-you-can-ride is also a steal. We had my son's 5th birthday party there a few weeks ago, and I went in early to get the tickets to distribute to the other parents. They also gave me free passes for the adults to get in. For the money, this may very well have been my son's most fun birthday party to date. Beats the price of a bounce house place and the party lasted into the wee hours of the night (9:30 p.m. is late for the kiddies).
Make sure that you have cash on you when you go. It costs $2.50 per person to go in and you pay that as you enter the parking lot. You then get back $0.50 per person in ride coupons that you can also apply to the cost of the all-you-can-ride bracelet.
Don't let this great gem go the way of the Cinderella City Drive-In. Get out there, bring some friends, and ride the night away in grand style.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2009
Unlimited kids rides for $7? Hell yeah. As the father of a fun four year old, I love to watch him… Read more »
This was my fifth year of going to Lakeside with my niece for one night of nostalgia and people watching. It was disappointing, at best. Of course, the large roller coaster is down for the season (the Cyclone). But in addition, three other large rides were closed (without signs, just giant garbage cans in the way).
While the big rides are supposed to open at 6p, many were not open until 7:30, making a very boring early evening.
The lack of care in this place is disappointing - while Old Skool is cool, burned out light bulbs and stale frying oil is not. I think there are officially more burned out bulbs than lit ones on the tower this year, and some of the neon on the signage within the park is burned out as well - making it look really sad instead of nostalgic.
I think this was my last hurrah at Lakeside, unless I hear that there have been some improvements.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/5/2009
Old Skool.
I've lived on this side of town for 5 years and for the first 3 years, I lived in fear… Read more »
Even though Lakeside is ancient it still is a lot of fun. The prices are good and you can whip through all the rides in a afternoon and still go back for seconds or thirds. There is almost never any lengthy lines like there is at Elitches where you have to wait several cycles of the attraction to give people rides before your turn. Don't expect with Lakeside anything very super high tech though, but it still is fun to go to the 'classic' style amusement park.
Is that duct tape on the roller coaster? Sweet. Oh, wait it's wads of gum, congealed, holding it together? Um, ok.
It HAS gone down hill, but the owner is like, 150 years old and holding onto it for sentimental reasons. The Good: It's a staple! Everyone that has grown up in Denver, has gone to Lakeside on MANY occasions and it was the coolest flippin' thing ever! Birthdays, visiting relatives, company BBQ's. How about those of us that did "Book It" during the Summer?! Remember? You'd go to the Book Mobile, read as many books as you can, log them, turn it in to the librarian and get free passes! SWEET!
Oooh, thats another nostalgiac moment, for the Denver Nostalgia thread!
We were driving on I70 coming back from the airport one time and noticed a roller coaster to our left! The only place that I knew of around Denver was Elitches and this was not it. So, us being the adventurers got off the high way and looked for that roller coaster!! What we found was our new best source of entertainment!!
My daughter and I moved out here from Florida a few years ago. We had year passes to Busch Gardens and probably only went 2 or 3 times a year. It was about a 45 minute drive from where we lived and parking was like $8.
Yes, Lakeside is old and run down. Yes, some of the rides don't always work. YES, its cheap and FUN AND its never busy!! You can ride the roller coaster over and over and over again within an hour vs riding one roller coaster in an hour at Elitches!
Its very cheap to get in, less than $13 for unlimited rides. While I'm not too crazy about the food they offer, it is an amusement park. The bathrooms are pretty disgusting, but overall its a great way to spend a Saturday with your kid(s) and my daughter and I go several times in the summer time!
Lakeside is sort of like the "ghetto Elitches"...and I wouldn't have it any other way.
It's a little run down, it's a little old and it's a little sketchy at times, but Lakeside is not without its appeal. It's rarely crowded and you can typically ride all the major attractions, play some skeeball (yes!), buy some 1 dollar popcorn, stroll around the park and have a pleasant evening.
The best rides are probably the Cyclone Roller Coaster, the Wild Chipmunk, and the new "tower drop". You should also take some time to ride the train, a Lakeside tradition. Of course, you can't go wrong with the Carousel, Bumper Cars and Ferris Wheel. The Crystal Palace house of mirrors is one of the park's smaller attractions, but it's always a hit (I remember ditching annoying friends in there, as a kid). The Kiddie Land typically opens a few hours before the rest of the park. The rides there aren't too creative (they all go around in circles, it seems), but there's a pretty good assortment for the rugrats. Overall, I would say that the rides at Lakeside are better and more accessible than Elitches.
A fun part of Lakeside is the decor of the place. Straight out of the 1930's, it lights up well at night. No shame in taking a picture of the iconic tower, or even the Cyclone's facade at night.
A curious aspect of Lakeside is all the old relics still sitting around. Two massive tower rides have probably been closed down since the 1950's, but their skeletons still remain promiment features of Lakeside (makes me wonder if one of those rides' cars went flying off in the lake and they were forced to close 'em down!). If you look closely, you can even see the old putt-putt golf course beneath the Cyclone and the boat dock where they used to give Speedboat Rides. There's even an old "PIZZA" sign in the middle of the park...but good luck finding any pizza vendors near it.
I wouldn't take your out-of-town friends or relatives, but if you're a local and can stand some cheesiness, then have a cheap, fun night out at Lakeside!
---As an aside, do any other longtime Denverites remember the old Fun House at Lakeside? With multiple levels, shaking floors, wooden slides, neon rooms and other wacky crap. I got more than a few charley horses and brusies in that joint. Pretty sure it was demolished due to insurance concerns!
To preface this review. I will let you know I am a huge fan of vintage amusement parks. This is one of the last and best remaining vintage amusement parks. Many of the rides and buildings date back to the teens, twenties, thirties and forties. I will admit that the park is a little run down. But the chance to ride a classic wooden roller coaster supersedes the run down feeling. I recommend a visit at night to see all the lights lit in their glory and the coaster is just a little bit more interesting at night. This is one place I take all my summertime visitors to and without fail they have enjoyed the trip. When I showed my pictures of Lakeside to my friends in Los Angeles, they all have wanted to come visit.
I highly recommend Lakeside as a nice summer evening event. To get in the mood, listen to some jazz from the Firehouse Five plus 2 or Louis Armstrong and imagine yourself at the park in the 1930s!
Oh god this place is awesome. I have only been once so far, towards the end of last season (the last week they were open, I believe), but I cannot wait to go back once springtime hits.
Forget the ticket-per-ride bidness and spring for the unlimited band. $14 for adults (plus $2 for "park entrance" or some kind of crap), Monday through Friday night; goes up to $20 for the band Saturday and Sunday (but you can stay all day!).
The rides are old and pretty terrifying because of that fact, but if you're feeling gutsy I highly recommend the Chipmunk ride on the north side of the park. Feels like you're going to fly right off the tracks (into the lake oh sweet jesus!!!) but alas you get a nice dose of whiplash and then it's off to the roller coaster that runs a close second in fear-for-your-life-fun!
This place is totally kitschy--same lighting scheme since probably the 1950's but in my opinion it adds to the experience. The concessions stands appeared to be pretty reasonably priced as well (cheaper than a movie theatre), but alas myself and my date only took part in the football-sized funnel cake. That we ate less than half of. And still felt sick from grease (but it was still good, just A LOT).
Of course, feed-your-face-with-funnel-cake-time took part after the rides (as that could have gotten ugly), but we didn't need dinner after that. I suggest avoiding the train that goes all around the lake, at least after dark (when we rode it), as the most exciting thing I saw was a racoon, and overall was pretty lame and took away from the "cooler" rides... like the bumper boats--they're super fun and less threatening than the roller coaster ;)
Yes, the guilded lady has seen better days. If you ever get the chance, check out the main office. They still have one of those old switchboards (working) that you have to pull a plug out and then put a plug back in - No sh%t!
Yes! - If you have toddlers and are on a budget. They have crazy discounts (Admission and unlimited rides: $8.95). I love the coal burnin' train (watch for cinders!). You can hear that 'toot 'toot miles away too.
On the downside, the owner imports workers from poor Euro countries (remember all those broke down trailers on the corner of 44th & Sheridan) and pays them pennies on the dollar.
The owner is richer than sin (she owns the mall too). I wish she would get off the crapper and sell or invest some serious money because Lakeside used to be gorgeous back in the day.
I can't wait until the 100th Anniversary of Lakeside. I bet they have one heck of a party! I love Lakeside for the free and cheap nights it hosts for elementary students- my first time at an amusement park was at one of these- and for its character. There is some personality to a rickety, older roller coaster that the sleek, twisted steel creations downtown just don't have.
That said, I stay off those roller coasters. While I'm sure that an army of lawyers waiting for the chance to sue is plenty of motivation to maintain them well, they just plain look scary! Of course, I don't like roller coasters much in the first place. My occasional visits to Lakeside are more for the atmosphere and the cotton candy than the rides. Great place to take kiddos or out of town friends who can appreciate the character of an older park, but it's not the spot for thrill hunters who will think the rides are out of date- and they are, but what do I care?
I've got to admit, I like the idea of Lakeside Amusement Park more than the actual park itself. This is not a slag on Lakeside. In fact, considering the lameness of Elitch Garden's (2 of the 4 rides I went on broke down and had to be fixed while I was waiting in line) it may be the best amusement park in Denver. But, well, it's kind of old and dirty.
That said, what it lacks in fancy rides it makes up for with character, affordable prices and shorter lines. You don't even need to go inside. Just drive past the old, old, old-school facade and feel the chill of nostalgia. It's like something out of a Ray Bradbury book--an old-time carnival out of place in the environment. It's also got one of the oldest operating roller coasters in the world, the Cyclone.
Bottom line, this 99-year-old park has got a character that Elitch's will never have.
Being into vintage, I have to say I really wish I could have experienced this place in its hay day. I've been twice now, and while at night it looks pretty awesome from the highway, you have to be really committed not to just pass it by. Sure it's relatively cheap amusement for the kiddos, but are you really willing to subject them to picking up tetnis from one of the rides? The bathroom was nasty; this place has been absorbed into the ghetto. I got lots of bug bites while on the bumper boats. THE ONLY redeeming quality for me was the wooden roller coaster that has been around long enough my grandma could have rode it when she was a little one. Not worth the trip, you'll be dusty from the parking. Why you ask did I go back? Wishful thinking.
Lakeside Amusement is a ghetto-ed out version of Elitches to be blunt. But that that is not to say it is not ghetto fabulous [because it is!].
Featuring all the same attractions you would expect to find at an amusement park, though they may be more traveling carnival style than big budget amusement. Let's just say, there is no lack of amusement here. The last time I was here it was raining--puddles everywhere. I was with about 20 friends and I think we owned the place. I remember rain puddles, cotton candy, more rain, an empty carousal or two. Ooh, and some romance. So, clearly Lakeside is what you make of it. To be honest a shabby amusement park has more character than any "Six Flags,"--the same appeal as a traveling circus.
so i went to lakeside last week and it had been a good 20 years since my previous visit. and the place has always been known to be the ugly, don't-bring-to-family gatherings-step-sibling of Elitches, but there is still fun to be had here (even when you're a kid at heart now)!
it's like $11.75 for an unlimited ride pass, so go with a group of friends like i did and take a whirl on all of the wonky rides as many times as you want. luckily i have been blessed with an iron stomach, so i never felt like up-chucking after the spinn-y ones. but if you're a little weak in the gut, you are now being warned.
i loved the tilt-o-whirl and the roller coaster the best; however, i'm letting you know now, riding in the back or front of the coaster will surely give you a major case of whiplash. you'll be hurting during and after the ride for serious. and you only get what's equivalent to a belt buckle to strap you in and there's no guardrail during some parts of the ride--i'm sure that ups the chances of you being the largest case of road kill ever. you'll know what i'm talking about when you go on it.
my review probably scares you more than it does convince you to visit the park, but i swear it's a good time and you won't spend a bajillion dollars here like you would at elitches.
Great place for a fun inexpensive date - at night - rollercoaster - ferris wheel - train around the lake - lights on the lake - retro good time!
The closest thing in Colorado to the amusement parks you see in movies like Big. But because it does recall the old days, it is kind of ghetto. Which might actually add to the fear factor-- eg. "is this ride so old that some part of it is rotten?"
It has some classic rides that you'll be hard pressed to find, like the Wild Chipmunk. Be careful if you're not feeling as young as you used to, I know an older person who did suffer a cracked rib or two from being bumped around a little (you know who you are).
Probably best to visit on the weekdays seeing that the price drops by around seven bucks. They also don't have any official closing time (they close when people stop coming in), so it's better to try and get there in the later afternoon to ensure that you get on all the rides. They also have some of the cheapest amusement park food that you can find, although given the state of everything else it is a bit questionable.
Go enjoy yourself while it's still there.
Been here a couple of times although im not a big fan of the rides i still had a good time, cant be the prices as it seems its a downgrade of Elitch's. The people i went with they seemed to enjoy it plus it wasn't too packed.
If you've ever been curious about "Rebirthing", then look no further. All of the rides are equal parts fearing for your life (not in the usual safe way like Elitches) and wishing you were dead (from having the crap beat out of you by the ride itself). That being said, this place is always empty and I still manage to come here almost every year at least once.