For some, Knoebels Amusement Resort is one of the best kept secrets in Pennsylvania. For others, the park has become a family rite of summer.
“For us, it’s the sense of tradition, which is what we’re all about,” marketing director Joe Muscato says about what separates Knoebels from other amusement parks in Pennsylvania. “We seem to be the place that people pass on to their children and grandchildren.”
Located only an hour and 45 minutes east of State College, about 10 miles south of Danville, Muscato says that the free-admission park is a great destination for a family day trip or weekend getaway.
“It’s a park you can do in a day, but there’s plenty to do to make the trip worthwhile,” he says.
The park currently has 60 rides, an 18-hole golf course, a pool with water slides and picnic pavilions for lunch. Families that want to extend their stay through the weekend can choose from two campground areas with about 800 campsites and almost 60 cozy log cabins.
Visitors come from all 50 states to visit Knoebels, Muscato says. The Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain is even visiting this weekend to ride one of the group’s favorite roller coasters. Every other year club members stop by Knoebels to ride the Phoenix, which was ranked the third best wooden roller coaster in the world by Amusement Today in 2012
“They love the Phoenix,” he says about the club.
Knoebels has continued to grow since opening in 1926, and this season two new rides were introduced. Muscato says the StratosFear, a 148-foot drop tower, has been a big hit since the park’s opening day on April 27. There’s also a kiddie/family ride called the Crazy Sub, which operates like a mini Ferris wheel and resembles the yellow submarine from the 1968 Beatles film.
This summer also marks an important anniversary for one of the park’s oldest attractions. The antique Grand Carousel turns 100 years old and Muscato says there will be a celebration on July 4 featuring historic artifacts from the park, information about the ride’s history and some birthday cake for visitors.
“It’s really a popular, important ride here,” he says.
For people who have never visited Knoebels, Muscato says that much of the park’s charm can be credited to the setting. The rides and attractions are surrounded by trees, and two natural streams converge in the area.
“The fact that there’s this larger than most people expect amusement park nestled in among the trees without bulldozing the place, that’s my favorite part of it,” he says.
The combination of the scenic, Pennsylvania wilderness with the fact that visitors don’t have to pay for parking or admission to the park gives Knoebels an edge over its larger competition.
“The pace is slower here than the larger theme parks,” Muscato says. “It’s a little more family friendly.”
Knoebels Amusement Resort is located at 391 Knoebels Boulevard, Elysburg, Pa., 17824. Click HERE for more information, or to plan your trip using the mobile application Click HERE.
