Arnolds Park Amusement Park is a 21-acre classical amusement masterpiece envisioned in the 1920s by Wesley Arnold. The construction of the water toboggan slide in 1927 engraved an indelible landmark on West Lake Okoboji and served as the catalyst that gave birth to the Arnolds Park Amusement Park that Iowa has today.

The idea sprouted with the booming steamship industry during the late 1800s. Riverboats traversed passengers to captivating ballroom sites and other recreational areas along the Iowa Great Lakes. From the day the water toboggan slide was built in 1927 until the next hundred years, the park evolved into a prominent tourist attraction and destination for vacationers. When the park adapted the Coney Island recreational style, the population of visitors, mostly from the Midwest, astoundingly increased. The scenic lake view from the Ferris wheel and the enthralling experience with the original roller coaster were then noted as the most visited attractions of the park. The go-karts, bumper cars, Tilt-a-Whirl, Tipsy House, and Mirror Maze are among the classic favorites of the site. Dining experience, shopping opportunities, live concerts, Queen II cruise boat rides, water rentals, and a visit at the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum are the added thrills the amusement park offers.

Throughout the years, numerous attractions and various owners came and left. There was even a threat that exposed the property to the proposal of turning it into a condominium, retail, and hotel complex. Still, the park withstood such risk with the aid of a non-profit organization named ?Save the Park.? The group was able to procure the property with the $7.25 million it raised.

Today, Arnolds Park Amusement Park is one of the world?s longest fully operational amusement sites with the Legend roller coaster considered as the 13th oldest U.S. wooden roller coaster.