Knott's Berry Farm
In 1920, a guy named Walter Knott showed up in Buena Park, California, and began growing berries on a 10-acre parcel of land. At that time, good ole Walter had no idea that he was starting something big. His little roadside berry stand evolved first into a dinner restaurant and next into a quaint ghost town to entertain the guests. Such were the humble beginnings of Knott's Berry Farm, a world-class destination and one of Southern California's favorite theme parks.
Knott's Berry Farm is located on Beach Boulevard between the 91 freeway and West Lincoln Avenue. If you're driving there, remember to bring money for parking. You can always get three hours of parking free if you just want to shop in the marketplace area or have a meal at TGI Fridays or the famous Chicken Dinner Restaurant. While these are worthwhile endeavors, you're missing out on all the fun if you don't take the time to explore the park. You can buy tickets to Knott's Berry Farm direct from the knotts.com website here.
Experience the action with Knott's Berry Farm ride videos!
Inside the park, you'll find a rowdy Old West theme and some of the most extreme thrill rides around--the kind of coasters that are, frankly, too fast and furious for Disneyland. Knott's Berry Farm doesn't claim to be the happiest place on earth; instead, it calls itself "America's 1st Theme Park."
Like Disneyland Park, Knott's Berry Farm is organized into sections: The Boardwalk, Camp Snoopy, Fiesta Village, Ghost Town, Indian Trails and Wild Water Wilderness.
The Boardwalk. Hardcore coaster enthusiasts often head straight to the Boardwalk to get tossed around on Boomerang, Supreme Scream and Xcelerator. Boomerang zips around revolutions--forwards, sideways and backwards. Don't be surprised if you have trouble walking straight after you get out. Supreme Scream sends you straight up in the air to a dizzying height and then drops you at a mind-boggling speed. Xcelerator is equally simple and equally exhilarating: the tracks stretch up into the sky and, with a hairpin turn, drop back down at a seemingly impossible angle. The Boardwalk area also features the Perilous Plunge water ride and the bumper cars. Be warned: Perilous Plunge is a soaker. You can also stand on the bridge over the ride if you don't want to wait in line to get splashed.
Camp Snoopy. The little ones will want to spend the day at Camp Snoopy. With about 10 mild, kid-sized rides, plus a bounce house, the Peanuts Playhouse and shows at the Camp Snoopy Theatre, this section of Knott's will keep the kids entertained for most of the day. And by the time they're bored, they'll be too tired to complain. If they're a little older, you might be able to get them on Knott's newest ride, Sierra Sidewinder. With cars that spin/rotate independently of one another while the train moves along the track, Sidewinder adds a new twist to the traditional coaster ride.
Fiesta Village. Fiesta Village features the Jaguar! coaster and an old-time favorite, Montezooma's Revenge. Jaguar! is a great ride for almost everyone; it's fun and fast, but not too scary. Montezooma's Revenge, on the other hand, sends you through a giant revolution forwards first and then backwards. When you're done there, you can head over to La Victoria Cantina for some tacos.
Ghost Town. Ghost Town is the heart and soul of Knott's Berry Farm: outlaws and gunfights, stagecoaches and old-time train cars. You can also pan for gold, watch the blacksmith at work or be entertained by a saloon girl dance show. And the coaster fans will be sure to experience GhostRider, a surprisingly fast wooden-frame coaster, and Silver Bullet, a suspended coaster that makes several speedy revolutions. Timber Mountain Log Ride is also located in Ghost Town.
Indian Trails. Indian Trails is a shopping and dining area that pays homage to the Native American culture. Shops feature Native American crafts and souvenirs, while costumed characters act out musical and dance shows throughout the day.
Wild Water Wilderness. On a hot day, head to the Bigfoot Rapids in the Wild Water Wilderness to cool off. It's a mild water ride in comparison to Perilous Plunge, but a couple of lucky passengers in each car are usually drenched by the end.
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