What was a quaint area of farmland has now grown into one of California's most beloved theme parks.
It all started with a chicken dinner restaurant. Back in the mid-1930s, berry farmer Walter Knott started selling fried chicken in tea rooms on his land. By 1940, business was booming, and Knott decided to build a Ghost Town to keep customers entertained while they waited for a table. Knott's Ghost Town gradually expanded into a theme park, which now greets over 3.5 million visitors every year.
Knott's Berry Farm® has five themed areas. Start out where it all began, at Ghost Town. Watch craftspeople such as blacksmiths and sign cutters perform demonstrations. Check out GhostRider, the wooden roller coaster which looms over the rest of Ghost Town. Get wet at the Wild Water Wilderness area, popular for its Bigfoot Rapids ride.
Feel like you've crossed the border into Mexico at Fiesta Village. Brace yourself for Montezooma's Revenge, a roller coaster which gets up to a speed of 89 kilometres per hour. Or take a thrilling ride on Jaguar!, which passes right through the middle of Montezooma’s loop. If that's too fast for you, take a gentle ride on the Merry Go Round, a ride that's over 100 years old.
At The Boardwalk, make yourself dizzy on the Supreme Scream, Coast Rider, and Boomerang (a reverse shuttle roller coaster). Then sink your teeth into a proper hamburger at Johnny Rockets.
If you have small children in tow, head to Camp Snoopy. This district, based on the Peanuts comic strip, offers milder rides such as Balloon Race, Snoopy Bounce, Lucy's Tugboat and Red Baron.
Complete your visit to Knott's Berry Farm® at Indian Trails. Here you can purchase Native American arts and crafts original gifts for family and friends back home. Bring your swimming kit with you and drop in to Knott's Soak City (two combined water parks), on the east side of Knott's Berry Farm®. It’s well worth a visit, although there's a separate entry fee for this.
Knott's Berry Farm® is in Buena Park, just a 10-minute drive from Disneyland Park®. Either park on site (charged), or take the Metrolink train to nearby Buena Park station. Operating hours vary depending on the season check ahead of your visit.
