Six Flags New Orleans.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the Six Flags New Orleans amusement park closed and never again reopened. This video, shot in 2010, is an eerie and (oddly) almost beautiful depiction of what the park degenerated into. I use the word "beautiful" loosely because it's hard to see beauty in such an immense tragedy, but the shots of the park look like a perfectly constructed post-apocalyptic movie set. I actually stumbled upon this video ages ago, and rewatching it after Hurricane Sandy really affected me. When Katrina happened I knew it was awful, but I wasn't there to experience it and I don't think I really grasped just how bad it was. Sandy wasn't as devastating as Katrina, but like Six Flags, many Jersey Shore beach town amusement parks are gone forever too (I'm sure you've seen photos but in case not... click here). When Frank and I were on our road trip last fall, we saw the silhouettes of the Six Flags roller coasters peeking out from the horizon and you could barely tell it was abandoned if you didn't already know. This video shows otherwise. Obviously it seems silly to be sad about amusement parks when homes and businesses, lives and livelihoods were taken away from so many so quickly, during Katrina and Sandy. It's just so strange to see these giant structures rusted and in pieces, especially if you went to amusement parks and Disney and beach towns as a child. They were always these perfect places. It's truly sad to see them in such disarray. Fortunately, New Orleans has plans for the area, and I wish them the best of luck. Read more about Six Flags New Orleans at the Wikipedia page.