Once thriving with joyful crowds, many once-celebrated attractions and resorts now stand eerily abandoned, frozen in time. From war-ravaged hotels and rusting fairgrounds, to overgrown pleasure gardens and marooned piers – each is a forgotten gem reclaimed by nature.

Click through this gallery to discover the star attractions that have been left to rot and decay... 

The concrete ruins of the grand Sutro Baths sit at the north end of San Francisco's Ocean Beach, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Built in 1894, the sprawling swimming pavilion was the brainchild of self-made millionaire Adolph Sutro. Originally conceived as an ocean pool, the complex grew into a vast public bathhouse with a capacity for 10,000 people. In its heyday, visitors not only swam but also enjoyed concerts, talent shows and restaurants. However, the baths were never financially successful, and after redevelopment efforts failed, a fire destroyed the site in 1966.

The haunting ruins of the Big Bell Hotel are one of the few remaining structures in the abandoned mining town of Big Bell, Western Australia. Once a bustling centre established in 1936, the town was home to the impressive Art Deco hotel, famous for having the longest bar in Australia. When the Big Bell Gold Mine shut down in 1955, the town was abandoned, leaving only a handful of buildings standing. Today, the remnants of the hotel serve as a poignant reminder of its past. 

Herne Bay Pier in Kent, once the second longest in England, opened in 1899 with a tram system and a grand pavilion. During the Second World War, sections were blown up to prevent enemy landings, weakening the structure. Declared unsafe, it closed in 1968, then a 1978 storm caused its central portion to collapse. Today, the pier head remains stranded offshore, while the restored shore end now hosts amusements and cafes. The gap between them adds to the pier's eerie, nostalgic atmosphere. 

The Woodpecker Nightclub originally opened in 1952 in Milano Marittima, an Italian seaside resort famed for its glamorous nightlife. Due to noise complaints, it was relocated between 1962 and 1964 to the marshlands near Cervia. This new site allowed for a more modern venue featuring a distinctive fibreglass dome designed by architect Filippo Monti. The club operated until a fire in 1975 led to its closure, and today, only the striking cupola remains, serving as a haunting relic and a canvas for street art and occasional events. 

This bold inverted Brutalist structure joined Tunis’ skyline in the 1970s, constructed after Tunisia’s independence. Designed by Italian architect Raffaele Contigiani, the hotel opened in 1973 with high hopes of catering to the country's burgeoning tourism industry. For a time it was one of Tunis' top places to stay, but fell into disrepair after closing in 2000. Plans to demolish the hotel have met with stiff opposition from the public keen to preserve the building as part of the city's architectural heritage.

The Macassar Dunes Reserve spreads over more than 2,000 acres, and is home to ever-shifting sand mountains and a bounty of wildlife. It's also host to the derelict remains of an abandoned water park. First opened in the 1990s overlooking False Bay, Macassar Beach Pavilion park was a popular family destination before financial troubles led to its closure. Today its empty slides, pavilions and walkways are an eerie sight as they’re slowly swallowed by the sands.

The remains of the original Los Angeles Zoo form a fascinating portion of Griffith Park. The once-beloved zoo – home to exotic animals including lions, bears and monkeys – was founded in 1912 and existed right up until the 1960s, when the zoo relocated to its current location. Today the rocky walls, empty cages and graffitied grottos are part of a popular trail and picnic area.

Six Flags New Orleans, once a vibrant amusement park, has been abandoned since it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Originally opened in 2000 as Jazzland, the park was submerged under more than 20 feet (6m) of water during the storm. It took over a month for the remaining seven feet (2m) of floodwaters to recede. Since then, the park has remained closed, its rides and attractions left in a state of decay. Despite its derelict condition, the site has found a new life as a popular film location due to its eerie, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.

Ho Thuy Tien, located around five miles (8km) to the south of Hue in central Vietnam, was an ambitious water park project that opened in 2004, though it was never fully completed. It featured plans for amusement rides, aquariums and live entertainment, but struggled financially and closed shortly afterward. Over time, the abandoned site has become a hotspot for urban explorers, drawn to its overgrown slides, empty pools and eerie atmosphere. While there have been talks of redevelopment, the park remains in a state of decay and the dragon-shaped aquarium remains one of its most iconic features.

Perched on Mount Maya above Kobe, the abandoned Maya Kanko Hotel has fascinated urban explorers for decades. Built in 1929, the hotel was once a luxury destination but closed during the Second World War when the cable car was suspended. Though it reopened, the hotel faced further setbacks from a typhoon and the 1995 Kobe earthquake, leading to its eventual abandonment. Recent preservation efforts, including crowdfunding and plans for guided tours, aim to protect the site, which is being registered as a Tangible Cultural Property. While interior access remains restricted, the hotel's eerie allure continues to draw visitors​. 

The Puente del Inca Hotel, located near the Puente del Inca rock formation and hot springs in western Mendoza, was built in 1925 as a luxury retreat. Each room had its own thermal bath, taking advantage of the area's natural hot springs. However, frequent landslides, which disrupted the trans-Andean train service, ultimately led to the hotel's abandonment in 1965. A particularly devastating avalanche that year destroyed much of the structure, leaving only the ruins of a small colonial chapel. Today, the site remains abandoned, and the ruins are a popular stop for visitors who come to see the unique rock formation and hot springs. 

Once a sought-after seaside hotel, the Haludovo Palace Hotel is now a crumbling shell on the northwest coast of the island of Krk. It was built in the early 1970s in then Yugoslavia and became renowned for its extravagance after Penthouse magazine owner Bob Guccione invested in the resort. A casino was added to the high-end hotel to attract wealthy overseas guests. When the civil war started in the 1990s foreign tourists steered clear of the Adriatic island and the once lively resort fell empty. 

Chacaltaya Ski Resort in Bolivia, once the highest ski resort in the world at 17,634 feet (5,375m) above sea level, was a popular destination for skiers from the 1930s. It boasted the world’s highest ski lift and restaurant, attracting thrill-seekers to its snowy slopes. However, due to climate change, the glacier that sustained the resort shrank rapidly, and by 2009 had completely melted away. The resort, which had already seen its last ski competition in 2001 and officially closed in 2006, now lies abandoned. Decaying buildings such as the ski lift cabin and lodge remain as stark reminders of its past glory.

Located just above the seashore, with views of Dubrovnik and the island of Lokrum, this sprawling resort has an enviable position on Croatia's coastline. However, it lies empty and vandalised after closing and being damaged by Serbian forces in 1991 during the Croatian War of Independence. The site was used during the filming of season four of Game of Thrones – featuring in the battle scene between The Mountain and Oberyn – and while there have been discussions about redeveloping the site, no firm plans for demolition have been confirmed. 

A mammoth statue of King Neptune watches over the site of an abandoned water park just north of Perth. The park was built up in 1981 as part of an ambitious plan to draw more tourists to the area, and designed to resemble a Roman amphitheatre. But its pools and captive dolphin shows failed to make a splash and in 1990, Atlantis closed and was abandoned completely. Today all that remains is a series of crumbling sculptures, graffitied buildings and the giant limestone sculpture, which was restored in 2015.

The Ducor Palace Hotel, perched on Monrovia’s highest point, opened in 1960 and was operated by Intercontinental Hotels as one of Africa’s first 5-star hotels, offering luxury and stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and Saint Paul River. However, the onset of Liberia’s civil war in 1989 forced its closure, and it has remained abandoned ever since, suffering damage from looting and being occupied by displaced residents. Although a 2011 renovation deal with the Libyan African Investment Co. was initiated, it was abandoned when diplomatic ties were severed during the Libyan civil war. Today, the hotel stands as a decaying reminder of Liberia’s troubled past, though hopes for its restoration persist​.

Yongma Land, a small theme park in Seoul, opened in 1980 and operated until 2011 when it closed due to financial struggles and stiff competition from larger attractions like Lotte World. Since its closure, it has gained a new life as an abandoned amusement park that attracts urban explorers, photographers and even filmmakers. Visitors can still explore the decaying rides and retro attractions for a small fee, which helps maintain the park in its current state of 'arrested decay'.

Bombay Beach, located on the shores of California's Salton Sea, was envisioned as a thriving resort in the 1950s. However, rising salinity, pollution and disasters like Hurricane Kathleen in 1976 led to its decline, leaving behind a desolate landscape of abandoned motels, diners and boat ramps. Despite its post-apocalyptic appearance, the town has recently experienced an artistic revival. The Bombay Beach Biennale, an annual event started in 2015, has transformed the area into an open-air gallery, attracting artists, urban explorers and visitors. Today, the once-abandoned town is home to creative installations and performances, blending its eerie atmosphere with new cultural significance​.

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Brighton’s West Pier opened to great fanfare in 1866 during the Victorian beach holiday boom, with a concert hall, funfair and tearoom added over the years. It was extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries before it fell into financial decline in the 1960s and closed in 1975. Heavy seas and strong winds caused major damage in 2002 as did a suspected act of arson the following year. More of the derelict Grade I-listed structure crumbled into the sea in 2013. However the evocative ruins remain a striking landmark on the seafront.

Once a bustling spa town, Villa Epecuen was famous for its mineral-rich lake that attracted thousands of tourists seeking its healing properties. Disaster struck in 1985 when heavy rainfall caused the lake to breach a dam, submerging the entire town under 33 feet (10m) of water. Although no lives were lost, the community evacuated, and the town remained submerged for nearly 25 years. In 2009, the waters began to recede, revealing an eerie landscape of salt-encrusted ruins, preserved by the very water that destroyed it. Now, the ghostly remnants of Villa Epecuen have transformed the town into a unique tourist destination, while the town's sole returning resident, Pablo Novak, lives among the ruins. 

Built on a nerve-wrangling hair-pin bend on the stunning Furka mountain pass, the high-altitude Belvedere Hotel dates back to the 1880s when tourists came to take in the fresh Alpine air and gaze at the Rhone Glacier. Sadly, the ice retreated, guests deserted and the building was boarded up in 2016. However, the forsaken hotel still attracts tourists for its dramatic and scenic position – its appearance in a James Bond car chase scene in Goldfinger also helped.

This elegant building started life as a hunting lodge, but was made into what it is today by an Italian marquis in the mid-19th century. The resulting castle showcased beautiful Arabesque design and boasted 365 rooms – one for each day of the year. Set amid the glorious Tuscan countryside, the castle was redeveloped into a luxury hotel in the post-war era but was abandoned in 1990. Its elegant tiling and colourful murals are still a joy to behold, but the building is in dire need of attention. A local committee is attempting to save the castle – and has in the past held events there – but for now the building remains dilapidated and closed to the public.

Lake Shawnee Amusement Park certainly wouldn't look out of place in a horror movie, with its rusting Ferris wheel, abandoned ticket booths and creaking swing rides. And its real story is pretty harrowing too. Way back in the 18th century, Indigenous peoples and white settlers fought over the land here, leading to gruesome killings. Then, when the park opened in the 1920s, it was the site of several terrible accidents. It was finally deserted in the 1960s, and now the Dark Carnival event (typically held annually) milks the spooky atmosphere. 

Opened in the early 1990s to lure tourists to the then under-visited islands of the Azores, Hotel Monte Palace operated for just a few years before it was shuttered and abandoned. Since then, the massive mountaintop resort has become a popular destination for urban explorers keen to photograph its crumbling shell, dilapidated rooms and stunning vistas of the Sete Cidades lake. Broken and defaced, you would never know to look at the hotel today that it once offered the pinnacle of luxury. The ghostly five-storey building was bought by a real estate group in 2018 who planned to redevelop the hotel into a new resort by 2021. So far not much has happened, and the hotel remains in ruins.

A lush hiking route (the aptly named Old Club Med Trail) leads to this atmospheric huddle of ruins. Though they're completely indistinguishable today, these lone walls and arches once formed part of the Old Club Med, a lavish resort that peaked in the 1960s and 1970s. It was abandoned as its golden age dimmed and now its remnants are smothered by greenery. 

Boblo Island Amusement Park, located on Bois Blanc Island near the US/Canada border, was a popular spot for Ontario and Michigan residents from 1898. Ferries from Detroit, Gibraltar, and Amherstburg brought guests to enjoy attractions like a Ferris wheel, zoo, dancehall, and roller coasters. Despite its success, the park closed in 1993, and its rides were relocated. Now, only a few crumbling rides and decaying structures remain, giving the once-vibrant park an eerie atmosphere.

Dominating Berlin’s Steglitz neighbourhood is this wildly futuristic structure, whose name translates as ‘beer brush’ and was supposedly inspired by its boozy opening back in 1976. Yet it has been abandoned since 2006 after a string of unsuccessful stints as a restaurant and nightclub. An attempt was made to revive it in 2010 as an art gallery-turned-cafe, but this unfortunately flopped as well. The structure was granted protected status in 2017, and while its new owners have plans for future renovations, the building remains vacant, waiting for a new chapter. 

In its heyday, during the Seventies and Eighties, this waterpark was state-of-the-art, with twirling water slides and giant pools. But ultimately visitation stopped and the park was closed. It had a new lease of life as a Route-66-themed attraction in the Nineties, but a tragic accident on one of the slides closed its gates once more. The desert crushed the abandoned park in its grip, fading its signs, scorching its ruins and leaving everything covered in dust.

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