by Moe Zilla

Created on: February 17, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Knott's Berry Farm is a delightful hidden treasure, with a fifty-year history that pre-dates Disneyland. Surrounded by big trees in Buena Park, it includes a good set of rides and a relaxed atmosphere.

There's an advantage to attending one of the less-popular theme parks in Southern California - the lines are surprisingly short! The park almost never feels overcrowded, and it's easy to stroll through its old-fashioned landscape. And Knott's Berry Farm seems to try harder. Since 1991, the park offers free admission to veterans through the month of November, and they offer other special events tied to other holidays throughout the year.

The park has rides for little kids, big kids, and the whole family. Camp Snoopy is aimed at young children, and offers gentle "miniature" rides that are named after Peanuts characters. But for older kids, the park offers a variety of rides, including ten different roller coasters. And the park includes several entertaining shows which are fun for all ages. The "Calico Saloon Show" features a funny story with western characters and old-time songs, and the "Mystery Lodge" offers a touching story by a native American about hearing an owl call his name.

Knott's Berry Farm pioneered attractions that inspired many features in Disneyland, including a railroad that circles the park and the animated historical figurines near its mine train. Even if the miners are less interesting to watch, they hint at a simpler time before the arrival of the mega-theme park. The destination really did begin as a 1920s berry farm, run by a man named Knotts, who achieved fame as the cultivator of the boysenberry. Mrs. Knotts used their wedding china to serve fried chicken to their visitors, and Mr. Knotts got the idea of adding an attraction in the 1940s - a model ghost town using real buildings relocated from authentic ghost towns in the American west.

There's one more way the park stays true to its roots: with an amazing variety of restaurants. There's a 50s diner, an old-time "saloon" serving root beer, and even a T.G.I.F. Some of the meal choices are surprisingly healthy- one even serves fresh corn. And of course the outside of the park still boasts Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant, now filled with a gift shop where visitors can now choose from a wide variety of Knott's jams - including Boysenberry.

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