Knott's Berry Farm

Enjoy a mix of rides, live shows and boysenberry treats at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, located between Anaheim and Los Angeles. The all-ages theme park, which started out as a family farm, covers the bases in thrills, from the longest, fastest, and tallest wooden roller coaster on the West Coast (GhostRider) to the kid-friendly fun of Camp Snoopy. Knott’s has its own unique personality and history—as well as an on-site hotel and seasonal waterpark—and makes a great home base for a family vacation in Southern California.

History of Knott’s Berry Farm

The theme park’s story began in the Great Depression, when a farmer named Walter Knott started having success growing boysenberries—part loganberry, raspberry, and blackberry—on his farm in Orange County. The adjoining tea shop that his wife Cordelia opened in 1934—serving fried chicken and boysenberry pie—became so popular that the Knotts added an Old West attraction to keep their waiting customers occupied, and gradually a theme park was born. Rides and live shows were added starting in the 1950s, and the Halloween event Knott’s Scary Farm launched in 1974.

Rides and Shows at Knott’s Berry Farm

The theme park itself is loosely divided into four major areas. Near the gate is the Ghost Town, the original section of the park, which still has old buildings that Knott salvaged from other parts of the country (like an 1879 school house from Kansas), as well as classic rides including Calico Mine Ride, Calico River Rapids, and the 118-foot-high wooden GhostRider coaster. 

Don’t miss a performance at the Bird Cage Theatre in Ghost Town: the replica of a Tombstone, Ariz., theatre tends to put on fun, old-fashioned melodramas, and its stage has featured great up-and-comers—like Steve Martin, who reportedly had his first comedy gig here.

Head east for the Camp Snoopy area, which has a dozen rides, many accessible for little kids, and the Fiesta Village area, with rides such as La Revolución and MonteZOOMa’s Revenge (currently being refurbished and scheduled to reopen sometime in 2025). 

The back of the park is the Boardwalk area, where you can find the park’s biggest concentration of thrill rides—such as Xcelerator and HangTime. You’ll also find the family ride Knotts Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair, an indoor interactive ride where you fire your “jelly blaster” to help recover stolen pies while racking up points in your car.

Just down the street is Knott’s Soak City Water Park, which offers a giant wave pool, 23 slides, a three-story water playground, and a lazy river, as well as a family raft ride. (Note that the Buena Park water park is only open May through September and has a separate admission.)

Dining at Knott’s Berry Farm

You can experience the park’s culinary roots even without setting foot inside. The updated version of Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant sits right outside the park gates in the California Marketplace area, where you can still tuck into a feast of fried chicken, comfort-food sides, and boysenberry pie. 

Next door, you can pick up fried chicken and pie at Chicken To Go and the Farm Bakery or browse the Berry Market for jams and sauces. While you’re in the marketplace, pick up some Snoopy merch at the Peanuts Headquarters.

Inside the park, you can also enjoy plenty of berry-based treats and savory items, alongside classic theme park burgers, burritos, and corn dogs. Sip a boysenberry cream soda in a mason jar at the Calico Saloon, slurp boysenberry ICEEs by the log ride, or make a meal out of the boysenberry BBQ ribs at Fireman’s Brigade BBQ. 

A few non-berry-based fan favorites include the Ghost Town Burger at Coasters Diner or the carne asada fries and nachos at the Cantina Del Sur in Fiesta Village.

Special Events at Knott’s Berry Farm

Every season brings its own annual events to the park. The year kicks off with the Knott’s Peanuts Celebration featuring shows, activities, and meet-and-greets with Peanuts characters.

Next is spring’s Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, where separate-ticketed attendees can enjoy small plates of boysenberry-fueled recipes around the Ghost Town area. 

Summer brings the live music of Summer Nights as well as the interactive shows and parties of Ghost Town Alive! During fall, the events get even bigger, starting with the scare zones of Knott’s Scary Farm and the little-kid-friendly Knott’s Spooky Farm. The year wraps up with Knott’s Merry Farm, when the park is decked out with holiday decor, carolers, and special shows.

Check the calendar for live entertainment and events going on year-round. Depending on the day or season, you can see Native American dancers, watch a Snoopy ice-skating show, or hear an Old West–style band. 

Plan Your Trip

Start your visit by checking out the discounts on the Knott’s Berry Farm tickets page. Also, browse Visit Buena Park’s deals page for discounted park tickets as well as deals on nearby attractions such as Pirates Dinner Adventure, Medieval Times Buena Park, and City Experiences. 

Another great value: Staying at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel, just steps from the park entrance. Online packages make this already-affordable hotel a serious deal, with offers that combine your stay, park admission, breakfast, and parking. 

Extend your Southern California getaway by exploring more ideas for Orange County family fun, nearby shopping, don’t-miss O.C. beaches, and another local gem, the Orange County Museum of Art.