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Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park is often overshadowed by its larger and more famous amusement park cousin nearby Disneyland. It shouldn’t be, because Knott’s offers plenty of its own fun for young children mixed with unique attractions that teach us about the Old West and California history. Knott’s is America’s first theme park, founded in the mid-1930s by boysenberry farmers Walter and Cordelia Knott. The Knott’s expanded their park over the years, adding new rides and attractions to their 1880s Ghost Town, bringing in antique wagons, trains and buildings to make Walter’s beloved Ghost Town authentic. I was surprised that on a recent visit, one of my 5-year-old son’s favorite things was the genuine one-room schoolhouse, built in 1879 by some Iowa farmers who had moved to Kansas. My son Logan, a kindergartner, loved the old wooden benches and was surprised when I told him that more than 100 years ago, children in first through eighth grades all sat in the same small classroom together. “There’s no kindergarten?” Logan asked. Walter Knott bought the schoolhouse at an auction, had it dismantled and brought to his park in 1952. Children can learn about history in a fun way through displays and rides. I love to show my son the museum-quality antique wagons and trains around the Ghost Town. Knott’s is among the few places in the nation where you can ride a real Baldwin steam locomotive, built in 1881. And where else can you ride inside or on top of a genuine Butterfield Stage coach from the 1860s pulled by a team of four horses? The park skews even younger. Knott’s Camp Snoopy is perfect for the little ones. It is a 3-acre section with rides that are slower and built on a smaller scale, and there’s even a Snoopy moon bounce for the littlest guests to enjoy. My son rode his first Ferris wheel at Camp Snoopy last year, and this year we tried some rides we didn’t try the last time. Logan enjoyed the Flying Ace hot air balloon ride and honking the noisy horns on the Rocky Road Trucking Co. trucks. He had fun pumping the lever in the little cars on the Huff and Puff miner’s hand-cart ride to make the cars move forward. We got in line for the Timblerline Twister, a small roller coaster that didn’t look very fast and certainly didn’t go upside-down, but Logan changed his mind about taking the ride when a roller coaster car sped by, a little faster than he would have preferred. After a couple hours in Camp Snoopy, we browsed in the shops and Ghost Town Museum, which houses a great collection of items from the late 1880s, such as clothing, flintlock guns, kitchenware, and a large antique wood and iron fire truck. Summer may be the park’s most popular time, but a great time to visit Knott’s is during the month of December, when the Ghost Town is transformed into a lively Dickens Village. Holiday crafts are on sale, carolers in costume stroll around singing, and you can see artisans such as a glass blower and a blacksmith giving demonstrations. It’s also less crowded, and the only month you can see the top-notch Snoopy ice skating show. There is another side to Knott’s, which is comprised of a growing number of fast rides for the older crowd (ages 10 and up). But for the little ones, this road map is well-traveled. Amy Bentley is a Temecula-based writer and regular contributor. IF YOU GO: Knott’s Berry Farm is located at 8039 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park. Call 714.222.5200 or visit www.Knotts.com for details. Hours vary from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. but the park often closes earlier. Check the park’s website or call for hours. Knott’s is open every day of the year but Christmas Day. General admission is $45 for adults, $31 for Southern California residents and $14.95 for children 3-11 and seniors 62 and older. Annual passes are available. Parking is $9 for cars and $15 for RVs. |
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