Wild Rides, Water Slides and Amazing History at Knott’s Berry Farm

A true Southern California icon, there is only one Knotts Berry Farm. It’s located in Buena Park and hosts over 3.5 Million visitors each year.

Today it is known as a mecca of wild rides, attractions, and entertainment, but originally in the 1920s, it began as a berry stand on the side of the road.

HOW KNOTT’S BERRY FARM GOT STARTED

The Knott’s Berry Farm theme began as a berry farm established by Walter Knott and his family. Beginning in the mid-1920s, the Knott family sold berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand. In 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property. The dinners soon became a major tourist draw, and the Knotts built several shops and other attractions to entertain visitors while waiting for a seat in the restaurant.

In 1940, Walter Knott began constructing a replica Ghost Town on the property, which was the beginning of today’s theme park. In 1968, for the first time, a 25 cent admission fee was required to get into the park.

Expansion continued in the 1970s with the addition of nostalgic traditional amusements such as Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars, Knott’s Bear-y Tales. In 1975, Motorcycle Chase was added which at the time was a thrilling ride. Today the Xcelerator, a vertical launch coaster has taken its place. In 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. The family chose to sell to Cedar Fair instead of Disney, as they wanted the site and history to be preserved.

KNOTT’S BERRY FARM RIDES

Featuring over 30 unique rides for kids and adults (i.e. big kids), there is more to do than a single day will allow. Knotts Berry Farm is known for continually building faster, more thrilling rides for visitors.  The most popular and well-known rides at Knott’s Berry Farm include:

Montezooma’s Revenge

“Knott’s Berry Farm’s Montezooma’s Revenge® is an exciting ride that catapults passengers out of the station at 55 miles per hour, up through a 76 foot, 360° loop, and then to the top of a 148-foot tower.  After a moment of weightlessness, the train zooms down the tower, backward, goes through the loop, and passes through the station up a second 112 foot tower, then down the tower into the station.  The propulsion system is based on an aircraft carrier’s launch system and gives the rider the thrill of traveling 0 to 55 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds.”

Jaguar!

“The Jaguar!® is a family roller coaster that sends its passengers on an exciting tour around Fiesta Village® and through the loop of Montezooma’s Revenge.® The area is themed after an archeological dig in a Mayan temple, and the attraction itself offers its riders the feeling of a cat stalking its prey.” 

Hang Time

“HangTime, the first and only dive coaster in California, is now open at Knott’s Berry Farm!  HangTime towers 150 feet over the Boardwalk area showcasing a beyond vertical drop that is the steepest in California, gravity-defying inversions, and mid-air suspensions.”

Silver Bullet

“Silver Bullet at Knott’s Berry Farm flips upside down and all around during a thrilling two-minute roller coaster ride. Guests’ feet dangle below the ground as soon as the coaster train pulls out of the station. The inverted roller coaster then sends brave riders climbing up to a height of 146 feet before soaring back down with an initial drop of 109 feet into a track full of inversions. Riders will spiral, corkscrew, fly into a cobra roll, and experience overbanked curves as they find themselves upside down six times including the giant vertical loop of 105 feet. Silver Bullet’s 3,125 feet of track snakes in and around itself, high above a reflecting lake, providing incredible views of Knott’s throughout the ride.”

Ghost Rider

GhostRider is the longest, tallest, and fastest wooden roller coaster on the West Coast! Looming 118 feet over historic Ghost Town, GhostRider is the largest attraction at Knott’s Berry Farm and one of the longest and tallest wooden roller coasters in the world. Brave riders enter a mysterious mine and board gold, silver or copper mining car before being sent galloping along over 4,500 feet of twisting timber. The massive roller coaster includes 14 hills providing tons of air time throughout the nearly three-minute journey. For the ultimate thrill, take a ride at night when every twist and turn is hidden in darkness.

Supreme Scream

“Supreme Scream transports brave, open-air riders straight UP, to a record-breaking 252 feet in midair, before power-blasting them straight DOWN – in three seconds flat – at gravity-defying speeds topping 50 mph and after experiencing three seconds of total weightlessness! Thrill enthusiasts will bounce halfway back up the ride’s structure before returning to the launch pad.”

Xcelerator

Rocket 0-82 mph in 2.3 seconds as you fly 205 feet into the air before immediately hurtling 90 degrees straight down on Xcelerator The Ride® roller coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm. Slick back your hair and grab your leather jacket; happy days are here again! This high-octane coaster fires up its engines on the Boardwalk with chrome-plated, flame-emblazoned ’57 Chevys and speed.

Pony Express

“Get ready to ride through the Wild West like never before on the Pony Express roller coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm. Named after the famous Pony Express mail service, this roller coaster rides at speeds never imagined in the Old West! Passengers saddle up onto their “horses” and sit astride on this unique coaster.”

Coast Rider

“The 52-foot ascent to the top of Coast Rider will have everyone clinging to the handrails for the ultimate family coaster experience. The adventure aboard the ride gives guests the feeling of riding the California coast, but once they reach the crest, it is a harrowing journey down the 1,339 feet of track filled with hairpin turns, twists, and spins.”

Soak City

“Knott’s Soak City Waterpark is a separately gated 15- acre water adventure park immediately adjacent to Knott’s Berry Farm. Soak City boasts 23 speed, tube and body slides including Shore Break featuring 6 different waterslide experiences and a thrilling family raft ride, The Wedge; the 750,000-gallon Tidal Wave Bay wavepool; a one?third?mile Sunset River; and the three?story Beach House, featuring 200 water guns, nozzles, sprayers, and other interactive surprises. Soak City is open mid-May through early-September. Separate admission is required.”

KNOTT’S BERRY FARM SPECIAL EVENTS

Perhaps almost as popular as the rides are the seasonal events that Knott’s Berry Farm holds each year. The most famous is the annual Halloween event ‘Knott’s Scary Farm’ has been running each year since 1973.  During this special event, major areas of the park are re-themed into a ‘haunted house’ style with mazes and “scare zones” in the evening. The event has proved incredibly popular each year, so much that Knott’s Scary Farm generates half the revenue for Knott’s Berry Farm’s fiscal year.

‘Winter Coaster Solace’ is an event that takes place in March every year when roller coaster enthusiasts can come before the park opens and stay after the park closes to ride the rides and eat at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. A play on the words Winter Solstice, it is intended to provide ‘solace’ to visitors from other parts of the country where theme parks and roller coasters are seasonal.

Since 1991, Knott’s Berry Farm has offered free admission to veterans and their families during the month of November. Hotel Current also proudly offers a 20% discount to veterans and active military members, all year round! A Christmas event is known as ‘Knott’s Merry Farm’ also happens annually. The events include manufactured snow, handcrafts exhibits, and a visit with Santa Claus.

KNOTT’S BERRY FARM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How much is parking?

Standard Parking for Autos and Motorcycles is $20 for the day

What are the park hours?

Knott’s Berry Farm is open every day of the year except Christmas Day. Please visit the calendar page for a list of hours. Knott’s Soak City is open seasonally from late May – early September.

Are there height requirements for the rides?

Visit the Ride Information page to find height requirements for each ride. For more detailed information, including information for expectant mothers and physical requirements for each ride visit the accessibility information page.

Do you have options for people with special dietary needs?

Knott’s offers several options and alternatives for guests with special dietary needs and food allergies. Learn more by visiting our Dietary Needs page.

Are pets allowed?

Pets are not allowed on the premises

Can you switch out tickets for a different day?

If you bought a ticket, but want to change dates, Knott’s Berry Farm will refund your original ticket

If you are looking for a fun day (or night) out at Knott’s Berry Farm, then remember to book your stay with us at Hotel Current. We are conveniently located near Long Beach Airport. Our hotel is only 25 minutes from Knott’s Berry Farm and is perfect for both family vacations and business travel in Southern California. Also, check out our list of other hot attractions around Hotel Current throughout the year!