Knott's Berry Farm

8039 Beach Boulevard

Buena Park, California 90620

(714) 220-5200

Written by Scott Messmore

Knott's Berry Farm is the nation's oldest, and first, theme park and draws around five million visitors each year. Knott's Berry Farm hardly had an auspicious start. Arriving in Southern California in the 1920s, the Knott Family farmed about 20 acres of land and eventually started an eatery called Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Mrs. Knott's food became well known and her husband Walter built a Ghost Town as a way of entertaining waiting customers. The family kept expanding and today, Knott's Berry Farm has 165 rides, shows, attractions and

restaurants. New for the beginning of the millennium is the Radisson Resort at Knott's Berry Farm and Soak City, U.S.A., a 13- acre water park. For more than 80 years, Knott's Berry Farm has been entertaining families and visitors from around the world with great rides and fantastic fun.

Knott's Berry Farm is separated into six different themed areas with rides and attractions. Fiesta Village highlights California's Spanish heritage with art work, rides and food. Indian Trails is similar to Fiesta Village but with an accent on Native American legends, crafts, music and dancing. The Old West Ghost Town is the attraction that started it
Perilous Plunge
all back in the 1920s. Opened in 1999, a wooden roller coaster called the Ghost Rider draws the crowds along with shoot outs, stagecoaches and an actual steam powered train. The Boardwalk recalls Southern California beach and surfing heritage plus the Boomerang roller coaster and the Hammerhead. Wild Water Wilderness is an 1800s-style park with water rapids and Native American exhibits. The Perilous Plunge is the world's highest and steepest water ride. For Peanuts fans, Camp Snoopy is a six-acre children's section with 30 rides and attractions. Soak City U.S.A. offers 16 tube water slides and 16 water rides and attractions. The Supreme Scream ride drops you straight down from a height of 312 feet. Children of all ages can ride the 1896 Dentzel Carousel or the Timber Mountain Log Ride. Knott's Berry Farm also stages annual special events such

as Scary Farm and Halloween Haunt plus Knott's Merry Farm for the holiday season.

Knott's Berry Farm is located in Buena Vista, Orange County, California. Knott's Berry Farm is roughly a half an hour from downtown Los Angeles and 10 minutes from Disneyland. Knott's Berry Farm is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., during the week. The park is open Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. During the summer months, the park is open later. The theme park is closed on Christmas Day. Tickets for 2001 are: adults, $40 all day; seniors older than
Radisson Resort Snoopy Wing
60, $30: children three to 11 years, $30. All tickets bought after 4 p.m. are $16.95. Radisson Resort at Knott's Berry Farm is a $28 million hotel with 321 rooms, a ballroom, shopping, dining and 20,000 square feet of meeting areas. For booking information at the Radisson Resort Knott's Berry Farm, call 800-333-3333.