Anyone been to Indiana Beach lately?

[JimPanky]

Anyone been to Indiana Beach lately? I went a ton when I was younger but I haven't been in years. Not since the new ownership and Steel Hog.

[[jonrev]]

I was there in June but haven't dumped pics yet. It was a rather decent park that was a nice change from something overly-corporate like Six Flags; and wasn't really crowded, either. $15 gets you a decent selection of coasters and a nice walk along the lake. Can't compare previous management, though - first time there. Steel Hawg was fun and less painful than I imagined it would be.

Their Dog n' Suds sucks, though; nothing like the one in Grayslake.

[scottydoesknow]

I went pretty frequently over the summer. Still a great park although there are some management issues. Here's my thought on the rides.

Galaxi - Standard Zyklon that is surrounded by water slides with a nice view of the beach.

Tig'rr - Classic Schwarzkopf Jet Star that sits above a concession area and is surrounded by Cornball Express.

Hoosier Hurricane - CCI Out-And-Back that provides awesome visuals as it spans the majority of the boardwalk and dives down low near the lake and underneath the park's signature suspension bridge. Classic PTC single position lap bars make the ride better, but airtime is lacking. The ride has lots of potential, but falls short. This year, RMC re-tracked portions of the ride which are now running butter smooth, better than ever.

Steel Hawg - Always the surprise hit for me. You look at the trains, the layout, etc and you say to yourself "This is going to be terrifyingly painful and uncomfortable" but the ride is actually extremely smooth and provides awesome forces, both positive and negative. The layout is very compact and very interesting. Lots of hang time on this ride. Killer first drop.

Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain - One of a kind, very unique ride. It's like riding in a shopping cart getting pushed down a hill, a total surprise thrill! I recommend first time riders hop into the back car facing backwards. The ride (especially for first timers) is VERY out-of-control. The train setup add to this sensation. This ride is everyone's dirty little secret, a hidden gem. RMC worked on this ride during the offseason and replaced large sections of track. Ride is running better than it has in years.

Cornball Express - Best ride in the park and a very high ranking wooden roller coaster on my list. This ride was shoehorned between many attractions at Indiana Beach and crosses over, under, and travels right through other rides in the park and manages drops near the lake as well. This ride is full of airtime, lateral G's and one-of-a-kind visuals. The icing on the cake are the PTC trains with single position lap bars allowing airtime's fullest potential. With RMC's re-tracking this year, the rough spots on the first drop and in the middle of the ride are now tracking perfectly.

[Viper 88]

Last time I was there i was going into junior year of high school back in 2004.

[JimPanky]

Me and my family are looking to return to Indiana Beach this summer. We always used to go to my Grandfather's house on the lake. He passed away a few years ago. This time we'll have to get a hotel. Anyone know of any in the area that accept dogs?

[Viper 88]

They may accept dogs in the cabins, I don't know but I do know that if they do you will have to bring everything from home. Sheets pillows toilet paper towels soap shampoo and cleaning supplies as there is no maid service. Also if you end up planning it and have to leave poochie at home the main hotel only has one room with a fridge and microwave. It may not be a deal breaker but if you're trying to work in an aspect of frugality then it may be. The best place to eat it the Skyroom. It over looks the lake waterpark and chair lift station they had a decent breakfast buffet on Saturdays. Dinner was really great and oddly very romantic for being in an amusement park. The noodles and beef tips (or beef stroganahoff) was very good. The presentation on the Chateu Brieaund (I think I am spelling it wrong) for 2 was AWESOME we didn't get it but people had it and they flambee it table side. If possible Leave the dog at home (I know this may be hard to do) because parking is somewhat of a nightmare. Hope this helps.