What does a berry farm have to do with roller coasters? Plenty.
Knott's had humble beginnings-a simple berry stand at the edge of a farm. But when Walter Knott started growing hybrid berry plants he bought from a neighbor, the flavorful Boysenberry was born and caught the fancy of locals who flocked to the fruit stand.
Then Mrs. Knott-Cordelia-started selling chicken dinners to the customers at a small restaurant nearby. Those were even more popular in Depression-era America, and as the lines of customers grew, the Knott family decided to add entertainment to keep visitors busy while waiting to eat. Thus was born the Calico Ghost Town-the first section of what would become Knott's amusement park.
Knott's Berry Farm was the first to add Halloween attractions-dubbed Knott's Scary Farm-during October as a way to bolster fall attendance numbers at the year-round park. In the '80s, the Knott family sealed a relationship with Charles Schultz, creator of the "Peanuts" cartoons that led to the creation of Camp Snoopy, an amusement area designed for small fry.
By the mid-'90s, Knott's also had developed a reputation for roller coasters, with the likes of the forward-and-backward-looping Boomerang and later the retro Ghostrider wooden coaster. And in 1997, the Knott family sold the park to Cedar Fair-parent company of Cedar Point in Ohio and other amusement parks around the country.
In 2000, Knott's added the Soak City water park across the street from Knott's Berry Farm and opened an on-property hotel, the Radisson Resort at Knott's to provide a full vacation package for visitors. The Radisson even has a Snoopy floor for families, where the wallpaper, bedspreads and other amenities are adorned with Snoopy and Peanuts figures (including stuffed animals on the beds).
This year, the Xcelerator coaster-it launches riders up a 205-foot ascent at 82 miles per hour-was added to a stable of coasters that also includes the free-fall ride Supreme Scream, the Perilous Plunge water ride, Montezuma's Revenge, Hammerhead and others.
The coasters draw in the thrill-seekers and Camp Snoopy brings the families with tots. But there's much more too: an Indian village that Indian culture, an Old West town, laser shows, Snoopy shows and a host of other rides.
Locals find Knott's more laid-back than Disneyland-it's less crowded and the lines are shorter. And if you still need to get away for a short time, you can visit the replica Independence Hall on the park grounds across the street, picnic on shady, grassy knolls and feed the ducks in the nearby pond. It's fun for visitors of all ages.
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