It's probably been well over a decade since I was last here with family and my kids were small. Now…read morethey are big and we still had just as much fun! Knoebels does so many things right. On weekdays you can purchase (online for better discounts) a "ride all day" pass or buy the ticket books ($170 online for a $200 book or $400 for a $500 book I believe). Weekends it's only the ticket books. Parking is free! Kiosk foods are reasonably priced. Most "adult" rides are priced at $5 and they have some great ones like the two wooden coasters, the Phoenix and the Twister (I preferred the Phoenix with its up and down butt lifting airtime). My kids with their all day passes went on a lot of sick-makers, and we parents and grandparents held down the fort on most of the other rides but did ride a Log flume, bumper cars, and a toboggan ride which they say is not a coaster but it rides like one. The longest time we spent in line was about a half-hour if that. We ate lunch at the Alamo which was average but nice to have table service and air conditioning. Got in about 9000 steps and were there from 12:15 to a bit after 8pm and they were open today on a Thursday from 12pm to 9pm. We purchased online three all day ride passes for $54 each and $100 in ride tickets for the additional four adults. When you get in the park and head to the ticketing building, save some time and go to the smaller building with two lines on the left side. Have your phones ready with the QR codes and usually, you'll get your ticket books and passes much quicker than having to wait in the long lines at the main building. We rode everything we wanted to and only had to spend another $5 in tickets. Food came to $150 including tax and tip for lunch at the Alamo for seven adults, and an additional $50 for a pick-me-up snack in the evening which included five orders of pierogies and onions, a BBQ sandwich, and a chicken fries. This got us more than ready for the trip back to the rental. If you purchase a souvenir cup, you can get free water refills anywhere or $1soda refills. We went through a lot of water refills throughout the day but used the free ones to fill our own brought-in water bottles and then went back for more refills. They also have a nice looking water park which is an extra cost and we did not do. The log flume took care of that for a bit. My dad lost his baseball cap on the first drop but two logs behind us a family saved the day and was able to fish it out of the water while they were riding so we got it back at the end of the ride! My wife said she had a wet butt a good rest of the day. Almost every ride line had name graffiti on any open spot. Something should be done about this daily because if it's not removed immediately (after hours job) then the problem will compound itself with others just doing the same. Brought the experience down for me a little bit. So, about $460 for the day for seven adults. Everyone had a blast and thankfully, no one felt ill after the long day. Dogs are welcome here and we got to pet a lot of them. Ask first! All staff interactions were pleasant but you could tell that some of the teenaged staff were wishing they had their cell phones...especially the ones who were not on busy rides or kiosks. Everyone was very friendly. Very happy with our experience today at Knoebels Amusement Park.

The love I have for Knoebels is not easily measured. This is my favorite amusement park in the…read moreentire world. Free parking and tons of it, and FREE ENTRY!! You can just walk around in here for 0 dollars. You can go the ticket route per ride/game or get a wristband depending on the payment structure they have going on that day, but either way, the rides are cheap. The haunted house here is such a classic and their wooden roller coasters are so so so great. Love you Knoebels.

Wuh-ho, ladies-n-gentlemen! After riding this coaster I can safely say it is the best twister…read morecoaster I've ever been on! And that's a statment the Rollercoaster Queen doesn't make too lightly. For those of you who are wondering what twisters are, they're a relatively new breed of wooden rollercoasters. Recent technological advances have allowed for higher hills and more sharply banked turns and twists, hence the name (and name of this particular coaster) "Twister." I mean, you know it's gonna be one hell of a thrill ride when the coaster has not one, but two lift hills! This beast is over 3900 feet long, reaches a height of 101 feet, and has a bowl so twisted, you'd think you're looking at spaghetti gone haywire. It was designed completely in house by the folks at Knoebel's and was built by Philadelphia Toboggan Company, who've put their name on many, many famous coasters. So we're gonna take a couple of rides, first in the front for the view and then in the back for the G-forces. Ready? The Twister does a bit of a drop out of the station and then clips along towards the initial lift hill. This lift hill is actually within the rest of the coaster's structure. This one does a rather rapid ascent and for me that's the only negative. Me, I love it when coasters ascend their lift hills slowly. Builds up anticipation, y'know. So the lift chain releases and we drop slightly into a very rapid "S" curve before we hit the second lift hill. The lift chain engages and if we look ahead, we see nothing but sky. But if we look to the sides we get a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. As we crest the hill, we take a look of the foothills. We do a short drop and then into another "S" curve before we take the big drop. Ah, the big drop! We get maybe a nanosecond to take in the view of the twists, turns, and bowls of The Twister! We plunge Earthwards under the bowl before going back up again, then a 180 into a boomerang before we go into the bowl itself. We're on the outer part of the bowl as we do a high-banked curve. We're going almost too fast to see it, but we're now on the inner bowl with even more sharply banked curves. The a twist into a high-banked boomerang, an airtime hill, then we plunge into the short tunnel for another hidden airtime hill. Finally we do another curve as we hit the brake run into the station. So as we get off the ride, I hope you've caught your breath, your heartrate returns to normal, and your innards have caught up with you. 'Cos we're gonna ride again!

I've been to about 20 amusement parks throughout my life, mostly on the east coast and a little…read morefurther south to King's Dominion and those in FL. Although I'm a bit biased because I grew up just a few towns over from Knoebels, it is still the best park in America hands down for not only the free admission but because they have gems like the Twister that make you want to come back over and over again. The Twister has to easily be on the top 10 wooden coaster list in all of America, if not cracking the top 5. The BEST I've ever been on, even though it is a hybrid coaster, would be El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure. The Phoenix was obviously ranked for many years and for good reason but now Knoebels has TWO of the top coasters in the entire country and can be ridden any day you'd like for only $5 for BOTH! Who offers up that kind of deal anywhere else?? I've posted a few "different" pictures, one of the golden bolt when the coaster was finished in 1999 and the lovely train that goes under the two large lift hills and back into the woods. I don't have enough gumption to pull out my camera going down the lift hills so you get to enjoy those instead. The only complaint about the ride itself is the headaches it can cause from all the jarring, especially if you ride it more than once in a row. One time, I rode 3x in a span of 20 min because the lines were so short on a fall day and that was not smart given how I felt afterwards. The bouncing around happens throughout the ride, beginning in the decent down a small hill out of the station. EVERYTHING else, and I mean everything....is great about the Twister. From the first teaser hill (sorry for ruining it) to the "double helix" twist you engage in while making circles around the queue line. It's so genuine and original, I can't think of another single coaster I've been on that compares to the Twister. It's in a category all on its own and the thrills don't end. Coaster enthusiasts need to head to rural PA for a day to experience this as well as the Phoenix....and I can't stress enough, it'll only cost you $5 and the gas to get there.

Welcome to one of the few arcade's left in Eastern/Central Pennsylvania. While arcades were once…read morecommon with virtually every mall having one, most have closed including Boardwalk Boulevard, Pocket Change, and Tilt. This arcade is located within Knoebles, so there is no admission fee. Playland is an interesting arcade that has modernized to keep with the times. Building is not fancy but is decently large. This is NOT a retro arcade, so you will not see games like X-Men, Simpsons, or Centipede. They have a wide array of new $1 a play games along with other recent games such as Dance Dance Revolution. Playland has many new ticket games with the usual array of prizes available. Some older ticket games include Skee ball and Pop-A-Ball poker. A few pinball machines are located in the back of the building. It's easy to walk into Playland and spend $5 quickly. As a child of the 80's it's nice to see at least one arcade can continue to thrive. There's no right time to visit as it's always crowded, so if you're at Knoebles, make sure to stop!

Fun arcade in the middle of Knoebels. The main draw for me is that in addition to video games and…read moreticket games, they also usually have three or four pinball machines!

The Scenic Skyway is a scenic and relaxing way to spend some time at Knoebels. Leaving, you get…read moregreat views of the mountains. Coming back, you get great views of the park. Because of this, this is something you must do at least once when visiting Knoebels.

Holy airtime! If you go, make sure to sit in the back seat…read morefor the best experience of this historic wooden coaster.

In the 1980s, when the Knoebels family announced they were resurrecting a dead roller coaster from…read moreTexas, a wooden relic called The Rocket, there were skeptics. "Wooden coasters don't rise from the dead," they said. "Once they're gone, they're gone," they said. "Extreme coasters with ever-growing numbers of loops are the future!" But Knoebels, being run by either visionaries or lunatics (or both), instead dug up the corpse, hauled it across the country beam-by-beam, and brought it back to life. They named it The Phoenix, because what else do you call a miracle? And what a resurrection it was. The Phoenix is a wooden coaster as God intended. No over-the-shoulder restraints, no plastic prison to hold you down. Just a single, beautiful buzz bar, a safety system designed under the assumption that riders are either thrill-seekers or daredevils, and that both deserve respect. The bar does not staple you to your seat. It merely suggests that you stay. And so, if you are fortunate enough to ride in the back row, and you should ride in the back row, you will experience what can only be described as flight. The first drop pulls you down like a siren's call, but it is the return trip, the final act of this wooden symphony, where The Phoenix truly earns its legend. The bunny hills do not simply lift you from your seat. They rip you from gravity itself. Your body becomes a loose suggestion, held in place only by momentum and the faint hope that this ancient engineering will continue to defy physics for just a little longer. You will scream. You will laugh. You will ascend. There are flashier roller coasters in the world. Taller ones. Faster ones. Louder ones. But none of them feel like this. The Phoenix doesn't consistently place in the top three (and often win) the Golden Ticket Award for best wooden coaster because of it's speed or height. It is a coaster built entirely of transcendence. So if you ever find yourself in Elysburg, PA, among the trees and the laughter and the smell of frying dough, do yourself a favor: go ride The Phoenix. And for those brief, breathtaking moments when you are no longer touching your seat, remember this: sometimes, dead things do come back. And sometimes, they are better than ever.

There are faster rides at Knoebel's. There are rides that pull your hair back like an unpaid debt…read morecollector and rides that make you taste the corndog you ate three hours ago. Flying Turns is not one of them. It tops out at 24 miles per hour, which is about the speed your uncle drives when he is looking for the turnoff he missed ten minutes ago. And yet, here I am, grinning like a fool every year as I step into its line. As far as I know, this is the only wooden bobsled coaster on Earth. The only one. Each car slides and rattles through a curving trough of planks with no rails to keep it in check. Gravity and momentum have the wheel. You are cargo. You are a marble in a chute, an egg in a spoon race against nothing but yourself. And here's the strange thing: even though it is only 24 miles per hour, because you are sitting so low in the car and there are no tracks beneath you, it feels much faster and far more chaotic than that number suggests. The line does not move quickly. There are three cars per train. Six humans ride at a time. Knoebel's built this ride over seven years and only opened it when it was perfect, so I respect the slowness. Before you even get in line, they weigh you. Before you ride, they weigh you again to arrange the load. No numbers are shown. Someone just nods yes or no like a prophet who has seen the future and decided you may proceed. If you ride with someone else you sit in single file and share a single seatbelt like two sardines who have agreed to a joint adventure. People say get there first thing in the morning. I say no. This week by noon the line snaked all the way past the North Pole shop. Around dinner time I walked on in about 25 minutes. That is my pilgrimage hour. Every year I ride Flying Turns. Every year it is worth it. It is slow. It is rare. It is as joyful as it is improbable. I cannot imagine Knoebel's without it.

Flying Turns is the only wooden bobsled coaster at least in the United States, if not the world…read more This causes it to hug every little dip and turn, which makes for an exhilarating ride despite the low heights. The only downside is that this has a low capacity, and therefore often has the longest line in the park.

The Bumper Cars, also known as the Dodgems or Skooters, are a Knoebels staple. Everyone has a…read moredifferent opinion of what the best ride is at Knoebels. Many will say the Phoenix; others will say the Train, there are countless possible answers. I would argue that this is the parks well known but best dark horse ride. The bumper cars are like many of the older rides at Knoebels: not perfect, edgy, and full of individual personality. Two different styles of cars are in-use (older medal vs newer plastic), with the medal ones being the standard operating cars. These cars are edgy, you might get one that is fast and maneuverable, but the next one is slow and sluggish, it's part of the experience. I've had a car break at the start of the ride, it happens. As for the individual ride, it can vary per the group. Floor is configured as an oval, one way, and no head on's allowed. Many kids have issues controlling the cars as they do not drive yet. Often, the ride has to be briefly stopped due to people being unable to understand directions. Cars can hit very hard and pick up some decent speed, and it can be a physical experience. Overall, worth the price of the ride for the fun experience. The Bumper Cars are one of the best rides in the park without question.

Come for a great time but try not to stay for the whiplash!…read more Often quoted as "the best bumper cars in America", this statement is fairly legit for those that I have been on throughout the northeast. These are a classic mainstay and part of the unique charm of Knoebels in general. I'll never forget the older gentleman who worked here for years and is glorified in a painting on the wall yelling "NO HEAD-ON COLLISIONS!" I believe he has passed away considering he was probably in his 70's back in the 1990's. RIP Awesome Bumper Car Man Whoever is working here, they are still sassy as hell no matter who it is and you'll hear someone get yelled at no less than three times throughout a ride. But this is for good reason and the heeded warnings are important because you will legit get injured if you decide to take your buddy on at full speed, head-on. Don't think about trying it because your neck will hurt for weeks AND you'll probably get kicked out of the park. The smell of these cars while running, the loud bangs and the sparks flying on the ceiling make it a must see attraction every single visit. These can't be missed and at under $2 per ride, it's probably the best value in the park besides the Grand Carousel. The line is rarely longer than 2-3 cycles of riders and the ride seems fairly long, like close to five minutes.

Treasure Castle Playland is a pretty cool place to visit in South Williamsport if you have younger…read morekids. It's an older church converted into a child's playland. Very similar to Chuck-E-Cheese, Gymboree or Bounce U. Admission is 6 dollars for ages 1-3 and 9 dollars for 4-12, one parent is free per child, extra parents are 2 dollars a person. They have two floors of adventure, including padded play area, fortress climb wall, blocks, panning for gold, a Castle Garden for younger kids, coin-operated amusements, a food court, learning computers, free wi-fi, and all sorts of kids stuff available for purchase. Our 2 year old had a blast there. Ample parking available, next to Little Tresures Daycare.

We wish we lived closer! We were passing through and stopped to get some energy out with our 1 and…read more4 year olds. It was awesome. Pizza was amazing and great priced. Love the family owned feel. Super cool place! Thank you.

I am a longtime fan of Hershey Park, but as the years go on, it is getting outrageously expensive…read more My friend and I bought tickets ahead of time and got fast pass, about $400 ish. We didn't get any food because everything was high priced. I stopped at a dunkin & a medium refresher was almost $7. We did enjoy the water park & the lines were short today probably due to the heat but the ride attendants were nice & did their jobs well. We went to the boardwalk & a large locker was $25, which seemed insanely pricy to put personal items away. Also parking is so expensive. $30 with tax to park the car on their lot I did notice the water at tidal force was brown & murky. I know we had that thunderstorm semi recently but the water color was a turn off to ride. I do appreciate how well kept the park is, the rides are very safe & the employees seem well trained. The waterpark was also a huge relief with the heat today! Overall, I do suggest trying HP if you're looking to have a fun day.

Hersheypark needs to elevate its standards. Today's visit was an unmitigated disappointment, aside…read morefrom the pleasure of spending time with family. This follows a concerning trend in recent visits we've experienced. Major issues include high prices, numerous closures, season ticket discounts with more exclusions than inclusions, discontinuation of towel service in cabanas, and opaque communication about closures. After four years of loyalty as a season ticket holder, I'm choosing not to renew next year due to these unresolved issues. Hersheypark needs to elevate its standards. Today's visit was an unmitigated disappointment, aside from the pleasure of spending time with family. This follows a concerning trend in recent visits we've experienced. Major issues include high prices, numerous closures, season ticket discounts with more exclusions than inclusions, discontinuation of towel service in cabanas, and opaque communication about closures. After four years of loyalty as a season ticket holder, I'm choosing not to renew next year due to these unresolved issues.

What a hidden gem! So glad my son & I visited! Really enjoyed not only the challenging 22 holes but…read morethe grounds were beautiful and peaceful, like you were in a secret garden. The owners a husband & wife team are super friendly! Would definitely come back if in the area!

Beautiful scenery (forgot to take pictures lol) with a very unique course, definitely a bit…read moredifficult but was extremely enjoyable. Quiet, not a lot of people, but you are accompanied by bullfrogs, butterflies, and dragonflies. We got distracted watching the frogs and taking pictures of the butterflies. Definitely is a hidden treasure.