With plenty of nostalgia, a sweeping renovation, and a tasty new menu, Idaho Falls’ classic little amusement park next to the Tautphaus Park Zoo is open once more. Channeling all the retro vibes and vintage charm from its heyday in the 1950s, Funland has been fully restored in the heart of the community where it’s always belonged.

“We’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort to make it feel like the same old Funland while updating everything to be completely safe and refurbished. It’s an investment in preserving the tender history of this place,” said David Pennock, executive director of the Idaho Falls Zoo.

What started as a lakeside retreat in the 1930s and became an amusement park in the 1940s through the turn of the century, Funland was privately owned until 2019, when it was purchased by the City of Idaho Falls. Now it’s managed by Idaho Falls’ “Best Little Zoo in the West,” and all proceeds directly support zoo operations.

“Every ticket you buy, every hamburger you eat goes to support our wonderful little zoo that’s been here since the 1930s. And there are few amenities for a family outing in Idaho falls where you can enjoy this kind of history and connection to our past,” David added.

Jolly carnival music and merry tunes ring out across the plaza between the five historic rides. Though each is nearing a century old, all of the rides were professionally rebuilt, repaired, and repainted by a licensed amusement ride company. A few had completely new foundations poured underneath them.

The classic carousel with hand-carved wooden horses was built in 1949 by the Herschel Carousel Company, and it’s one of only two of the company’s carousels still operating in its original locations. You can ride gently bobbing horses with painted manes and leather stirrups, accompanied by cheerful carnival songs.

If you’re looking for a wilder ride, try out the Octopus, whose colorful carriages at the end of eight spinning arms will let you fly, spin, and soar in a dizzying pattern. But keep track of your phone and hold onto your wallet—during restoration David learned that the carriages were purposely made to rattle loose change out of people’s pockets. “After the rides ended, they used to go through the seats for a little extra income,” he laughed.

Spin above the park with splendid views in what you might call a Ferris Wheel, but is actually an Eli Wheel. Built with scrap metal from WWII by the Eli Bridge Company (the largest competitor to the Ferris Company), the Eli Wheel is one of very few still operating in the United States today, and has been at Funland since 1949.

Two additional rides are perfect for the littles—the tiny tots train and the spinning airplanes made from the fuel drop tankers of WWII bombers. Both have a height limit of 48 inches and are sure to bring giggles from young children. Individual tickets are $1 each and rides take between 2-4 tickets each. Children two and under can ride for free, children 3-12 can purchase an all-day pass for just $15, and anyone older than that can join in the fun for a $20 all-day pass.

Once you’ve tried out the dizzying rides, stop inside Funland’s Cafe in the beautifully renovated log cabin. Built during the depression in the 1930s, the cabin served as a changing room to the lakeside retreat Charles Tautphaus built as a resort in the sagebrush. Later, the lake was drained and the cabin became a restaurant to accompany Funland.

Bill Gersonde, guest services manager, speaking of the recent renovation said, “As well as preserving all of the history of the cabin, we also wanted it to be a clean and friendly place for people to come in and eat. The flooring is all new, but we replicated the exact design of the original floors.”

Modern air conditioning makes the space cool and inviting, historic pictures of carnival riders hang on the walls, and if you look closely, you can see dozens of initials carved in the logs from long-ago sweethearts.

Purchase a few souvenirs and try out their tasty menu—the classic fare includes everything from hamburgers and fries to soft pretzels and pizza. Supplied by Reed’s Dairy, rich, soft serve ice cream is available in cones or sundaes.

“Our goal is for Funland to feel like it’s always felt—the same amusement park when you went with your grandparents. Except now it’s even better!” David beamed. Combining historic charm with safety and infrastructure improvements, Funland and the Zoo create an unforgettable family summer experience in Idaho Falls.