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    Knoebels Amusement Resort

    4.3 (415 reviews)
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    Updated 1 week ago

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    Museum photo
    Bill B.

    Went on Saturday sept 13 th hoping to avoid the huge crowds. Sadly this was not the case as it was totally packed. However, everything about the place is fantastic! There is no admission. It's pay per ride with old style tickets. The ride prices are very cheap ($2.50 to $5). The food prices are very reasonable compare to other parks that price gouge (pepperoni pizza slice $4.25, hot dog $3). The museum was excellent. I did notice the people in the photos in the museum (posted) those oeoole from back in the day weren't extremely large, misshapen, heavily tattooed and stupidly pierced, but that's not the parks fault. Just be prepared to see a good portion of the clientele that looks like this. They even allow dogs. We even saw a cat in a stroller! There were none of the certain demographic to cause problems like in other parks. No usual suspects coning in on busses! I do not smoke, but sadly the park does allow cigarette and cigar smoking anywhere that's not on a ride. The lines for the rides were very long, often overextending the queues. It was a day trip so I can't comment on camping or prices. Unused tickets can be used again and do not expire. Overall a great day!

    After our carousel ride.
    Donna P.

    My husband and I are amusement park enthusiasts. This park has great roller coasters, Phoenix has won awards a bunch of years, Twister is one of my favorite coasters anywhere, Impulse and Flying Turns are great too. I'm not here to talk about these top-notch rides. I'm here to talk about the amazing trip I had while watching my mom's dog. You read that right, I'm here to talk about going to an amusement park with Ralph, the best boy ever. When I told my husband we were going to be dog-sitting the first thing he asked is "are you sure he's a good boy?" but only moments later he asked "are we taking him to Knoebels?!" First off, the tram people were kind, and patient. I was slow getting on as I have never tried to board a tram while holding..well anything more than a water bottle, let alone a dog and more dog supplies than I really needed. Me and my husband passing Ralph and the bag of things I brought for him back and forth was probably funny to watch. (Spoiler alert, we did get the hang of it before the day was over.) We all enjoyed the tram ride. After we were dropped off near the entrance Ralph had to smell everything. And I mean it everything. There are a lot of shady trees for sniffing or sitting under. They are of course dog-friendly, so lots of dog smells for him to smell. Luckily the dog smells aren't strong enough for me or my husband to notice, but Ralph sure did. A lot of people old and young asked if they could pet Ralph, what kind of dog he is, how old he is, etc. He's a Hava-poo, 1.5 years old, and seriously the best boy. With the best doggy in the world we rode both trains, both carousels, and his absolute favorite the antique cars. Ralph got to ride for free. He sat on my lap for both trains, and next to me on the carousels and cars. It was a lot of fun for all three of us! Ralph even got a milk bone dog biscuit from one of the train conductors. My husband and I got soft serve ice cream and got a pup cup for Ralph, which I didn't know was an option, but it was offered, and we took it! He loved his first bowl of ice cream. Knoebels with a dog...if you have an easy going pup in your life, who can handle being around lots of other dogs and people while still remaining calm and happy, and if you like amusement parks, great rides, and yummy food I can not recommend Knoebels enough. Also, if you don't have a dog you should still go, it's just a really great park. Free parking, free admission, pay per ride or buy a bracelet to enjoy all of the rides (haunted house is always extra I think.) And since it's free admission if you just want to pop in for a snack it's not costing you anything to walk in a buy whatever you want!

    Peggy C.

    My family and I visited Rochester and decided to make our way to Pennsylvania to visit this park. The drive was definitely worth it with free admission and free parking. Best of all is they allow you to bring in your own food and drinks which is amazing especially if you have kids. Food and drink prices at amusement parks are usually pricey so if you can bring in your own food, you can certainly save some money. The park is really big with lots of things to do. The tickets for the rides aren't expensive. They have huge rollar coasters, bumper cars and lots of kiddy rides. We went when they opened and spent the full day there. My kids had a blast! I wish we had something similar to this in Toronto. I would definitely be coming back in the future if we're in Pennsylvania.

    Brad P.

    What can I say on the 350th review that hasn't already been said? Probably nothing new but I will give you my take on why Knoebel's is a great trip to make. First, you get free parking where as most other parks charge $20-40 just to park. There is plenty of parking space and the free lot is a short walk from the amusement park with shuttle service available if you need it. Next, free, no hassle admission. There are no gates, you just walk in wherever and whenever you want. You can bring coolers, strollers, and dogs with no issue. This is especially good if people in your family or group don't do rides, they can still come in and hang out for free. For those who want to do the rides, they have all day wristbands available on weekdays only, and reasonably priced ticket books as well. If you are a military vet you can get a $20 book for free, and $40 if you are current active duty. Additionally, on Armed Services Day military gets a free all day wristband. The lines and wait times for rides are much better here than the other big parks. They might not have the latest super rides, but they are definitely fun and the short wait times makes it enjoyable. The concessions are some of the most reasonably priced I have seen at any park, stadium, or event. They have plenty of decent food prices that aren't ridiculously priced like so many other places. They have a separate water park which costs from $6-15 a person depending on what you want. I definitely recommend trying this. All of the kids in the park were enjoying doing jumps and flips off the diving boards. The water rides have virtually no lines and you can go right up as many times as you want. Overall Knoebels is fun, hassle-free, and affordable. The scenic mountainous backdrops just make it that much cooler.

    Grand Carousel
    G H.

    We love this place! Such a great place to chill out and have fun! This is the largest admission free park in the United States. It's located in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. It's surrounded by woods. Parking is free and you can even bring in your own food! There is a picnic area with grills. You can sit down and enjoy your own food as long as the area hasn't been reserved. The food is good and lot more affordable than other amusement parks. We ate chicken burritos at the Oasis Cafe, $4 each. We also tried a pulled pork sandwich at the BBQ Shack $7, very tasty. We got black cherry ice cream at the Old Mill, 2 large scoops for $6. For dinner we dined at the Alamo restaurant. It was air conditioned. Staff was friendly and attentive. We got fish and chips $15, grilled chicken Caesar salad $8 & a turkey club sandwich for $8. Rides are very affordable $2.50 for kiddie rides and $4.50 for roller coasters. You can purchase $20 of tickets for $17 at Weis supermarkets. You can also purchase a pass to ride all the rides that you want (sorry I don't know how much). If you are active duty military or a veteran you can get a $20 book of ride tickets for FREE! Just checking in with Customer Service across from the Big Wheel (ferris wheel) Knoebels is home to 2 wooden roller coasters: Twister and the Phoenix. There is also Impulse, a stand up roller coaster! There is also a trackless roller coaster: Flying Turns! They also have 2 coal fired steam trains: Pioneer train (7 minutes ride) and Old Smokey (3.5 minutes ride). There are two rides that you will get wet: Giant Flume (a little wet) and Skloosh (you will get soaked!) There are 2 carousels, motor boats, antique cars, bumper cars and many kiddie rides. There is even a giant pool with water slides. Knoebels is a great place for family fun!

    Pizza rolls
    Cait C.

    My family and I have been going for over 10 years. Definitely for more younger kids, but there are a decent amount of thrill rides. The food is usually good, though I recommend bringing your own seasonings cause the food is sometimes bland. My only real complaint is the service. The workers used to be so nice, however the last couple of years I found that they were often rude.

    Ample parking
    Rhonda D.

    Hidden gem alert! I never knew this park existed until I visited the Susquehanna Valley area for a weekend getaway with my family. At first blush, it looks old and dated, but take a closer look and you find NOSTALGIA in motion. I love that its original charm of days long gone has been preserved and well maintained overs the years. There's a level of innocence that underpins the lifeblood of this entire operation. We visited for the amusement park but noticed that the grounds include rental cottages throughout the park area, as well as adjoining campgrounds... plus there's a water park with a large pool area, a haunted house, golf... So much to offer! All the concessions food I tasted was great and fairly priced. I especially enjoyed eating the homemade ice cream from the Old Mill and the beans and cornbread at The 3 Amigos. Everything tasted fresh made- nothing generic. I also enjoyed the energy of the live brass band. They sounded amazing! Lastly my favorite was getting to ride the Impulse coaster and a few other amusements with my sons. As a family we had a total blast at this place and would gladly come again. There's something for everyone of all ages. And the best part is that entry is FREE!

    Orangade
    Jessica O.

    The only free admission park that I have been to, and I loved the concept! Parking is free as well. Once you get into the park you can either buy a set amount of ride tickets or get a wristband for unlimited rides for the day. It is more like a fair or carnival than your standard amusement park. The reason I say this is because of the types of rides they have, less roller coasters, no simulation rides, and more rides that spin in circles. We bought our one-and-a-half-year-old son with us. There were so many rides for him to go on! Some he could ride on all by himself and some we rode with him. The best part too was many of the rides he could go on he did not have to wait in line! Food items I recommend trying while visiting: Potato cakes, funnel cake (you can get oreo ones or strawberry), orangeade (made with fresh squeezed oranges!) and perogies. The food here for the most part is pretty standard fair/amusement park food. Lots of fried items and standard American food. They have a food court that is supposed to be Intenational food,but it is really just American food and then one places that has burritos. Staff here could be friendlier lot of them seem like they don't really like their job. Which is funny because driving here there was a sign to "come work for Knoebels, best job around." One thing to know you can bring your own food and even grill it there! They have grills and plenty of picnic tables right between the parking lot and the amusement park. Camping here is very popular as well. You can walk straight into the park from the campgrounds! I would not say that this is a bucket list park to go to since the rides are all pretty generic. That being said I would not fly to go to this amusement park like Disney but if you can make the trip, might as well check it out! Definitely worth a drive or stopping by if you happen to be in the area.

    This mobility aid, that has been all over the WORLD, was banned at Knoebels.
    Claudia S.

    I am a disabled person who uses a new type of mobility aid called an Alinker (thealinker.com). It is a three wheeled walk aid that absolutely fits within the definition of an allowed mobility device according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Knoebels has repeated claimed that this highly engineered mobility aid is a "bicycle" rather than a mobility aid and has banned them from the park. This is an act of discrimination against those of us with disabilities! Please do not support this park that can't see the difference between a bicycle and a three wheeled WALK AID with no pedals!

    This place was crowded but didn't feel like it. Hardly any wait for rides or food. We loved the nostalgia of it all. Fun for the whole family!!

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    9 months ago

    Best amusement park I've been to. Great rides and great food. Staff is super friendly. The 2 wooden coasters are awesome.

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    9 months ago

    I Love this place been coming since I was I was a kid it's amazing and the Phoenix is be far the best dollar costarr there

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - Knoebels Amusement Resort

    Is the Crystal pool water cold. It's spring fed and unheated, so I'm assuming it's rather cold?

    Yes the water is rather cold since it is spring fed.

    How much does a ride cost?

    Kiddie rides start as low as $1.50 and the roller coasters go up to $4.50. You can also get a ride all day wristband that's $55 for riders over 48" that includes unlimited rides on everything except the Haunted House. You can see each rides… Read more

    What should I expect if I go here memorial weekend, is it crowded? Thanks :)

    I have 3 kids is there something like a bracelet/ stamp where the kids can ride unlimited at least for a day? If there is about how much is it?

    Yes! I am not sure how much it is but I think you can get it with or without rollercoasters-they do sundown special unlimited rides too. You could check their website. If you go-have fun! It's a great park!

    Are there restrooms and changing rooms by the swimming pool and at the amusement parks?

    Restrooms and changing rooms at the pool, yes. Restrooms are also throughout the park. Not any changing rooms in the park that I can recall, but there are a number of Family Restrooms right by the Bumper Cars that could be used to change in if need… Read more

    This place is in the boonies of PA. Is there a city close enough where I can find a suitable family hotel for overnight stay? Lancaster ? Harrisburg? Please advise. PA is so big.

    Your best best is Bloomsburg. It's 15-20 minutes away. It's a college town, so it has a range of lodging options from motels to mid-level hotels (Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, etc.). Plenty of restaurants and shopping as well, including a 24… Read more

    Is the swimming separate from the amusement park? Are there slides ? What is the admission for swimming?

    Yes there is a pool called the “Crystal pool” There are water slides.… Read more

    Was told to put phone away on the Carousel by a staff. Is it part of their policy?

    I would think if the ride was about to start and the employee was going through her check of making sure everyone is secure along with personal belongings, I would say yes.

    How are the showers and the restrooms at Knoebels campground? Can anyone insert pictures if available

    Rustic but much cleaner than most campgrounds! 6 restrooms (in stalls) per side , at least 14 showers with hook/bench. Then you also have outside sinks with mirror for teeth brushing/makeup/hot hair tools if needed. Everything was cleaned several… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Knoebels Amusement Resort

    They feature some of the best wooden roller coasters, dark rides and Halloween theme events anywhere in the world.

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Twister Rollercoaster

    Twister Rollercoaster

    3.6(10 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Twister Rollercoaster
    Twister Rollercoaster - High drop 2015.

    High drop 2015.

    Twister Rollercoaster - Entrance 2015.

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    Entrance 2015.

    The Phoenix - Golden Ticket Awards Best Wooden Coaster 2018.

    The Phoenix

    4.8(15 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    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.

    Good original wooden roller coaster. Lines were long but they were not running all the cars. I…read moreremember this from pre 1990

    Photos
    The Phoenix - Phoenix as seen from Wipeout

    Phoenix as seen from Wipeout

    The Phoenix - Main hill 2015.

    Main hill 2015.

    The Phoenix - Golden Ticket Awards Best Wooden Coaster 2018.

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    Golden Ticket Awards Best Wooden Coaster 2018.

    Flying Turns

    Flying Turns

    4.4(7 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Flying Turns
    Flying Turns
    Flying Turns - Flying Turns roller coaster

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    Flying Turns roller coaster

    Bumper Cars - Line to ride.

    Bumper Cars

    5.0(3 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Bumper Cars - Ride art.

    Ride art.

    Bumper Cars - Well worn ride ID tag.

    Well worn ride ID tag.

    Bumper Cars - Spare cars.

    See all

    Spare cars.

    Knoebels Amusement Resort - amusementparks - Updated May 2026

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