I have been coming to Knoebel's almost every summer since 1979. I have watched it change and grow,…read morebut what's remarkable is how much it has stayed true to itself. It is still family owned. It still feels personal. It still feels like the kind of place built for joy rather than spreadsheets. Knoebel's has one of the most unique setups of any amusement park in the country. There is no admission fee. None. You pay only for what you want to ride, or you can get an all-day wristband on weekdays. Parking is free too. You can bring in your own food and non-alcoholic drinks without any hassle. The food they sell is good and affordable, and the variety is incredible. This is not frozen burger-and-fries territory. Knoebel's regularly wins the Golden Ticket Award for Best Food, beating out giant, big-budget parks from across the nation. And it is not just the food that gets recognition. The Phoenix, a masterpiece of a wooden roller coaster rebuilt from the bones of a coaster in Texas, has been named the Best Wooden Coaster in the world more than once. The Haunted Mansion is consistently ranked among the best dark rides anywhere. These rides are not nostalgia pieces coasting on reputation. They are legitimately great. Add in the one-of-a-kind Flying Turns, the steel thrill of Impulse, the twisting chaos of Twister, and the wonderfully unpredictable Flyer, and you have a lineup that would stand out even in parks five times the size. The park's setting is part of its magic. It is nestled in the mountains, shaded by towering trees. On hot days, the shade makes all the difference. The paths wind like a midway at a state fair, and in fact, that is what Knoebel's most closely resembles: a permanent state fair where you are not constantly being wrung for every dollar. It is relaxed, welcoming, and wonderfully unpolished in the right ways. It is dog friendly, which means you can bring the whole family, four-legged members included. For those who want to stay overnight, there is an on-site campground with everything from tent sites to cabins, as well as the Crystal Pool for swimming on hot summer afternoons. Knoebel's has been part of my life for over four decades, and it remains my favorite amusement park in the world. I love being able to watch my sons create memories on some of the same rides I loved at their age while exploring new additions together. It is proof that you can grow and improve without losing your heart. Every year I leave with the same thought: I cannot wait to come back.

What can be said that has not already been said before…read more This is a very quaint family owned amusement park nestled down in the woods, which makes for an amazing backdrop to view and it's really nice is there are plenty of trees throughout the park so if it is one of those 90° days you'll find relief under a shade tree somewhere in the park . We went there for the first of their Halloween nights and it was decorated really nice. I was impressed and we had our granddaughter with us so we spent a lot of time in the children's area for the rides and we were able to get her in on a few big people rides, which was very nice. We did want to go on the haunted train, but it was closed, which was kind of strange They do have plenty of food selections and it seems their prices are just a little bit on high side for what they offer and what portion you get so I would walk around and take a look and see what you really really want and the pricing but the food that we had was freshly prepared. It was good worth the money no The lines were not that long at times we were able to go on the rides pretty much when we walked up to them until it started to get more in the evening and the rides got a little bit longer lines, but it move very fast. The rides are in great shape. They're very well lit very very nice looking Parking on the other hand, we forgot where we parked and it took us a lot to find our vehicle so make sure when you park you look at the road number for which we failed to do It's a really nice ride at this time of year out of Harrisburg to go up there. Plenty of open highway traffic moved well getting off the highway and going down the back roads to the park. We had no problems whatsoever. Note there is a Starbucks there that it's not an actual true Starbucks you need to put your own cream and sugar and other items in your drink so just be aware of that We highly recommend us amusement park and we look forward to many more visits over the next coming years

Impulse is a fun ride. Like its western cousin Wicked in Utah's Lagoon, it features a full course…read moreof hills, inversions, and turns. However, it is missing the launch at the beginning that Lagoon's Wicked has. With that said, it is still a good, fun ride, it could just be a little better with if it had that launch.

As someone who loves roller coasters, this is definitely a good one…read more Knobles is a good park and is mostly old, wooden, and small rides. Impulse is a great ride as knobles needs at least 1 metal roller coaster. The experience is phenomenal I get into a tight, but comfortable seat, there are 2 carts running at a time and each cart fits 8 people 4 front 4 back This is great for friends so they can all fit. Not to mention it's better than other coasters because you have a 50 -50 chance to be in the front, a lot of people prefer the front for better experience This ride is super smooth, and intense not to mention the 88 degree drop. WOWZERS Anyone who loves roller coasters should go on impulse

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.

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.

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

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.

Great park and great rides! Been going here for years! Plan on going here for years to come!read more

This was my first time at Hershey Park. I really enjoyed my visit. Wow what a walk. Got in nearly…read more12,000 steps. We love amusement parks. I'm not a roller coaster rider but I do get on rides. I get on mellow rides lol. We probably got on at least six non roller coaster rides that were very enjoyable. Also saw a seal show. That was quite entertaining. It also wasn't rushed. Probably lasted at least 30-40 minutes. Oh and the price also includes the zoo. We were here during the springtime. I would love to come back during the summer to explore some of the other activities available such as the water park and other options. This really was fun and we also paid for one meal plan. It included one main course, one side and a fountain drink or bottle of water for $19.99. All tickets were pre-purchased online. One recommendation. Pre-purchase your parking online as well. We didn't do that and we went for upclose parking. It was pretty expensive. $60 to be exact. We could have saved if we had purchased it online. So we know the next time. General parking was $35 and they had a trolley to take you to the park. So the choice is yours. I would definitely return again. Can't wait!!!

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.