If you grew up in Ohio in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s, there is a decent chance that you went to SeaWorld at least once.
My love of the ocean started when I was six years old, even though I wouldn’t step foot in one until nearly a decade later. Through the years, I developed a deep sense of belonging with the ocean, and a love of all things living in it.
And even though I wanted nothing more than to see animals in the wild, open ocean, having a marine park in the middle of the Midwest was the next best thing. No matter how I feel about ocean animals in captivity as an adult, I can’t deny that childhood Chelsea was just excited to have a little bit of the ocean here in Ohio.
SeaWorld Ohio opened in the spring of 1970 and quickly became a popular family destination. After a three-decade run, the park closed in the early 2000s. It may be gone, but the memories of summer trips to Geauga Lake are still all too real for many Ohioans.
If you’re wondering what the old park looks like now, you’re not alone and you may be surprised. But before we get to today, we need to go back in time.
Abandoned For Nearly 20 Years
Former SeaWorld employee Nico Maragos had the opportunity to go inside the old SeaWorld to take photos of the park about a few years back, before demolition was fully underway. The results definitely inspired huge waves of childhood nostalgia and an uncontrollable longing for warmer weather and simpler times.
Main Entrance
Sea Lion and Seal Pool & Intensity Water Ski Spectacular
Shamu’s Happy Harbor and Dolphin Cove
Shamu Stadium
For several years after those photos were taken, the park continued to slowly fade away into nature. In February of 2021, an urban explorer on Youtube was able to document the parks condition before demolition began.
The Transition into Geauga Lake District
Years after the rides shut down and the splash zones went quiet, the Geauga Lake property is finally buzzing with life again—just in a very different way. What was once Shamu’s turf and coaster country is now becoming a mix of shopping, living, and even a little nostalgia.
In 2020, a Solon, OH-based real estate developer, Industrial Commercial Properties, bought a massive chunk of the property with the intention to transform it into a 377 mixed-use development called the Geauga Lake District.
Meijer recently broke ground on a new store, taking over the spot where visitors once walked through the main gates or lined up for X-Flight. Meanwhile, Vision Development’s new apartment community, VC Park at Geauga Lake, is already welcoming its first residents, complete with murals and street names that nod to the park’s roller-coaster heyday.
The City of Aurora is also leaning hard into the throwback vibes with plans for a new public park.
Renderings show a beach, trails, and even the old wave pool (minus the waves). Several original SeaWorld structures, like the welcome plaza and triquarium, are slated to stick around, bringing a little déjà vu to anyone who visited back in the day.
Other housing and retail projects are in the works, including an active adult community for those 55 and up. It may not be whales and water skis anymore, but seeing the site transform from an abandoned landmark into a vibrant district feels like the kind of second act Geauga Lake deserves.
