Ligonier · US

Idlewild & SoakZone

Idlewild & SoakZone is Pennsylvania's oldest amusement park and one of the oldest in the entire United States, founded in 1878 as a mountain picnic ground by industrialist Thomas Mellon. Today it is a 40-plus ride, family-focused theme park set in the lush Laurel Highlands near Ligonier, about 50 miles east of Pittsburgh — and the SoakZone water park is included with admission. What makes Idlewild special is its singular balance: a woodland setting where heritage rides from the 1930s sit alongside modern water attractions, all calibrated for children without leaving teens or parents bored. The park was named the world's best children's park by industry publication Amusement Today.