Take a tour through Knott’s Berry Farm
Knott’s Berry Farm is a theme park situated in Buena Park, California. It is owned and operated by Cedar Fair. It attracts approximately 4 million visitors every year and is the 12th most visited theme park in North America. Knott’s Berry offers thrill rides, delicious food, festivals, and a ghost town. Even though the rides at Knott’s Berry Farm are very enjoyable, there are certainly many other things to do. Let us dig deeper and give you a guide to visiting Knott’s Berry Farm.
Getting there
Knott’s Berry Farm is located just 20 minutes away from Downtown Los Angeles, California.
You can get there by using public transport. The Buena Park Metrolink is just minutes away from the park. You only need to transfer from the station to the Orange County Transportation Authority to be transported directly to the gates.
If you are arriving by air, you’ll have several airports to choose from. LAX, John Wayne Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Long Beach Airport, and Ontario International Airport are just a few options. From here it is just a short drive to Knott’s Berry Farm, and you can rent a car to get there.
Parking lots for Knott’s Berry Farm open just 1 hour before the park opens. Standard parking for cars and motorcycles is $30 and for buses and RV is $35.
Tickets and Hours
Knott’s Berry Farm offers daily admission tickets both online and also at the gate. Remember, that special events such as Knott’s Scary Farm require a separate ticket to be purchased. At the gate, regular admission tickets are $99.99 for children and adults. If you buy your tickets online, then regular admission tickets are $64.99 for adults and $59.99 for juniors.
The park hours are Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. However, the hours can change during special events like Knott’s Scary Farm. Therefore, make sure you check the hours beforehand in order to avoid any kind of disappointment.
Rides & Attractions of Knott's berry farm
- Calico Mine Ride – It was opened in 1960 and takes passengers aboard ore cars into a retro gold mine that is complete with miner animatronics, underground waterfalls, and more. Even though many theme parks have mine-trained theme roller coasters, this one is a thrill ride. It is one of Knott’s Berry Farm’s beloved attractions.
- Xcelerator – It doesn’t get any more exciting than the Xcelerator. The launched coaster screams out of the station, blasting riders from 0 to 82mph in about 2.3 seconds. It will then climb a 205-foot top hat tower at about 90 degrees and then drop straight down the other side. It is not for the faint-hearted.
- Timber Mountain Log Ride – This one can be dated back to 1969 and hence is one of the longstanding jewels of Knott’s Berry Farm. With its big splashdown finale, the classic attraction provides both thrills and nostalgia. The heavily themed and long ride is loaded with animated characters and scenes that depict an 1800s lumber mill. It was substantially refurbished in 2013.
- GhostRider – This is a superb wooden coaster that starts in Ghost Town and goes beyond the slope of the park in order to take passengers on a wild ride over Grand Avenue. It was first opened in 1998 and was an immediate hit among the fans of the park. However, through the years the ride has become rougher due to it being a wooden coaster. It had a makeover in 2016 that restored it back to its former glory. It will definitely take you on an extreme ride that will leave you slamming into your seat.
- HangTime – It is known as a dive coaster as it takes passengers to the top of a 150-foot-tall hill. It then stops there and dangles them for what seems like an eternity. Finally, it releases them into a 96-degree dive, it accelerates up to 57 mph. This surfing-themed ride is an imposing sight on Knott’s midway. This is especially true at night-time when there is an illumination of light displays.
- Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair – This was opened recently in 2021 and is an interactive dark ride that equips passengers with jelly blasters in order to uncover virtual boysenberry pies and collect points. The theme of the attraction is taken from a former ride that can be dated back to 1987 which captivated guests.
- Silver Bullet – The train hangs suspended beneath the track on this inverted coaster as it greets guests just inside the park’s front gates. There is a 105-foot-tall teardrop-shaped loop among its six inversions. You will find that it is quite a sight to see riders’ legs dangling on the ski lift-like seats as they get tossed upside down.
- Supreme Scream – Supreme Scream will take passengers up to 252 feet in the air and then drop down at 50 mph and do all this in just about 3 seconds. It is easily one of the most extreme drop tower rides at Knott’s Berry Farm in the United States and even rivals Xcelerator.
- Calico River Rapids – As you might know, many parks have river rapid rides during which passengers can navigate choppy water in circular rafts and get soaked on their way. Knott’s Berry Fram decided to revamp its rapids, they also decided to include animatronics and show elements to give the ride a narrative overlay. These retro show themes have a similar vibe to them as Knott’s Log Flume and mine rides.
- Calico Railroad – This is an actual working steam train as it encircles a large swath of Knott’s Berry Farm. It has been in operation at the theme park ever since 1952. It will get held up by bandits every time it departs the station but worry not as the sheriff will be there to save the day.
- Butterfield Stagecoach – Even though not much happens in the way of a themed story or thrills, it is still quite enjoyable to ride on a classic horse-drawn stagecoach. This is especially true when the driver decides to pick up some speed.
Food
Knott’s Berry Farm has lots of delicious food options to choose from. Make sure that you arrive hungry in order to fulfill your cravings. Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant is the most popular as it opened in 1934 and features an iconic chicken dinner that includes biscuits, fried chicken, salads, mashed potatoes, and pie.
There are other restaurants that are located within the theme park. These include quick-serve locations such as Starbucks, Panda Express, TGI Fridays, and Johnny Rockets. Knott’s Berry Farm also offers Boysenberry-flavored snacks that include Boysenberry pie, corn dogs, and soft serve. You will find the soft serve to be particularly delicious.
Stay
Some popular hotels nearby are:
- Courtyard by Marriot San Diego Oceanside
- Best Western Plus Oceanside Palms
- Comfort Suites Oceanside Camp Pendleton Area
- Days Inn by Wyndham Oceanside
You can also read: Cedar Point Park