A modern-day theme park that began as a roadside berry stand in Buena Park, California. In the 1920s Walter Knott sold berries, jams, and pies along Route 39. Shortly after, in the 1930s, the Knott’s family started selling fried chicken meals. These meals soon became the tourist destination. In 1940, Walter started building a replica ghost town, which was the start of the theme park as we know it today.
Known as California’s Original Theme Park, this 160-acre plot of land is filled with rides, shows, restaurants, and even a water park. With over four million visitors every year, this amusement park is one of the most visited attractions in North America.
We enjoy Knotts and typically go a couple times of year during Military Tribute Days. Knotts honors our active service men and women, as well as our Veterans, each year with $20 tickets. In prior years, it was free, but COVID messed up a lot, and this was one of those perks. Regardless, $20 tickets are still a great deal, and we really appreciate that this organization has not lost sight of its core values.
When we went on Monday, we enjoyed some of our favorite attractions. We’ve included our highlights below…
~ Jaguar! – A mild rollercoaster that takes you high above the park. You are guaranteed to have a blast riding through the Temple! Call us crazy, but we are convinced that as the day turns to night, the coaster gets faster!
~ Calico River Rapids – The ultimate white water rapids ride! Take a gamble plunging through the unknown outskirts of Calico and see if you’ll escape dry or get soaked. As you wait in line, you will walk through what looks like an old cabin…you just might believe you’re in the woods.
~ Butterfield Stagecoach – Real stagecoaches and real horses take you around a trail that goes around parts of the park that you cannot walk to. See what these authentic stagecoaches look like from the 1800s and feel like you are right out of the wild west.
~ Calico Mine Ride – Take ore train cars through the dark tunnels of a gold mine and see what caverns look like. You just might get tricked into believing they are real, but watch out for dynamite! Fun fact – This was the first major ride to open at Knotts in 1960.
~ California Mission Models – Walk around Fiesta Village and the Silver Bullet ride and see scaled models of all the state’s missions. Although, not theatrical, these creations are pretty incredible, and these artists are clearly very talented.
~ Pony Express – Go from zero to 38 mph in 3 seconds while riding a horse! It’s a fast, short ride, but it’s super fun. Although this is named after the Pony Express mail service, this will take you around the West a lot faster.
~ Timber Mountain Log Ride – Enjoy the ride that folks have been enjoying since 1969. See what a lumber camp looked like from 85-feet high and hold on because there are two drops! We got to see some of the Halloween decorations that were left behind on this ride…see the skull and the eyes below.
~ Ghost Town Blacksmith – Watch metal be forged and get your very own horseshoe to take home. It’s a cool spot for adults and children alike!
~ Sierra Sidewinder – Located around Camp Snoopy, this ride will definitely take you by surprise. There is nothing Camp Snoopy about it! Combining speed and spinning while dipping, diving, and turning, you are sure to let out a scream.
~ Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant – Right outside of the park, you must eat here on your way out. First opened in 1934, try the fried chicken that became the tourist attraction of the area. If you’re like me, get the Chicken and Dumplings, or if you’re like Troy, get the Chicken Sliders. Don’t forget to have Boysenberry punch or pie to finish off the Knott’s tradition.
While there is a plethora of other things to see and do, these remain our favorites. Don’t get us wrong, we do plenty more than what we listed, however the highlights above are our recommendations for newcomers.
In addition to a regular day trip adventure, coming during seasonal festivities can also be fun. Knotts Berry Farm transitions itself to Knotts Scary Farm for Halloween and Knotts Merry Farm for Christmas. In addition, they host their famous Boysenberry Festival each year. Be on the lookout for future posts showcasing these events.
Winner winner chicken dinner,
TnT