knoebels ten things to know before you go

Recently we took a trip to Knoebels! This Pennsylvania Amusement Park has been in existence for over 90 years and is really a tradition all its own. If you've never visited before (or even if you have) we have some great information to share with you from our visit! These , tips, and tricks on visiting, how to save money on your tickets and what the BEST perks of visiting this park are!

1. Visit During the week

In most cases amusement parks operate pretty much the same no matter when you visit. Knoebels is an exception and thus you should plan your visit accordingly if possible.

On weekdays Knoebels offers daily "handstamps" or wristbands which allow for unlimited riding from park open to park close (with a few attractions excluded). These are available for both adults and children Monday through Friday. We have visited on a weekday before and our experience is as follows kids who ride a lot and will ride all day will get a huge bang for your buck on an all day ride pass. I actually calculated when we bought these the value based on how many rides they did and it far surpassed what we paid for the passes. So if you have kids who LOVE to ride and have the time to be there for most of the day a handstamp is definitely the way to go.  Tickets are also available for weekdays for light or occasional riders who don't feel they would get value from the cost of a ride pass. 

Can't go during the week? No worries!

On the weekends the park operates with a ticket system, patrons purchase tickets and pay for each ride they do with different amounts of tickets based on the ride (values vary and can all be seen here Kiddie rides  and Family rides).

2. Plan ahead! 

Buy your tickets before you get there or pack your coupon book!

 Discounts and coupons for Knoebels all day ride passes are available a few different places, Including KidsStuff Books, Pepsi cans and more see the full list here.

You can also plan ahead to buy your tickets in advance and you can save up and over 20%! Local grocery stores stores (Weis and Wegmans) sell tickets at their customer service booths, jut remember to pick them up before you head out of town (see purchasing details here).




3. Your tickets NEVER expire

If you purchase their ticket booklets and end up with leftovers, you can keep them for the next time you go back! Unlike those pesky Muskiest tickets that leave you fired up after finding $10 worth left in your pocket in September. 

4. Eat all the Food.

Seriously, Its really really good! and you can actually afford to do it!  Knoebels is world renowned for the the variety of food they offer in their park and the quality - they're actually rank above Disney World Accoring to  XXXXX . There is something for everyone! Different food stands around the park offer all kinds of different food choices which really is unique if you think about it, many times in similar attractions the will offer the same food in 15 different places.

My two personal favorites from our visit this month are the Boom Shaka Laka Burger (pictured above) and the Tiger Tail both available at the Phoenix Junction stand.

A close second is just about everything available at the Mexican station in the International Food Court.

This is a shot of a meal (above) I bought to split between my 3 kids it cost $5. Feeding kids on the go can be a challenge and super expensive especially when you are in a amusement park or attraction. This is a feature of Knoebels that really makes the place stand above the rest. If you haven't purchased a meal at Dorney Park recently you may not truly appreciate the value here... It would cost you nearly three times as much for the same amount of food.

Additionally the variety of food choices really makes it easy to find something everyone well like. 

5. It is always cooler there

Yup! this place is absolutely loaded with super tall beautiful trees and shade is everywhere. Still bring your sunscreen of course, but really comparing directly to the local park we visited last week in the same weather Knoebels is hands down way more comfortable to be in on a hot day.

6. You can stay! 

Knoebels offers a number of great lodging options including a huge campground for campers, motor homes and tents.  They have cabins also available for rent - reserve these far in advance they get snatched up fast.  It is easy to spend multiple days here exploring, snacking and riding.

7. Admission and Parking is FREE 

Yes really! You only pay if you ride! This park is perfect for a group with a bunch of people who only lightly ride or want to watch the kids enjoy the experience. It won't cost you anything to bring grandma and grandpa along for an extra set of hands!

Paying for parking is the one thing I hate more than paying for shipping.  A little piece of my soul dies each time I have to hand over a $20 bill to park my car. You won't pay anything to park at Knoebels.

8. Bring in your own food and snacks!

If you are looking to stay close to a tight budget, have allergies to work around or just want to make sure you have food your kids will eat Knoebels welcomes families bringing their items into the park. Pack a picnic, bring your meals, snacks and drinks and use their free picnic facilities to enjoy your visit! 

9. Don't miss the Pool!

We sadly didn't get to visit Crystal Pool when we were there due to some badly timed thunderstorms and rain! But this pool is gasp worthy. It is huge first of all and offers 3 different levels of diving boards, not to mention all of the other awesome features of the water area.

Swim, splash and slide! Knoebels Crystal Pool is filled with refreshing spring fed water and they offer water slides, a kiddie splash area, rope climbing course and more with pool admission.

Pool admission is separate from the daily handstamp pass and requires payment of an additional fee but is part of the reason you can easily spend more than one day at Knoebels! 

10. Get a Map!

The size of Knoebels is surprising for many and its can be difficult to navigate if you aren't familiar with it. In order to make sure you can easily find everything you are looking for a map will come in handy. 

With a number of amusement parks in our local proximity people often ask if Knoebels really worth the drive. After laying out all of the tips and tricks we've discovered the conclusion is pretty simple. It absolutely is worth the drive, and honestly I'd properly drive further if I had to.  Knoebels is simply a gem the history and tradition that Knoebels comes along with this park is like no other.  Their attention to detail is impeccable the rides are clean and well maintained,  the park is blooming with flowers all over the place. My hope this that some new families will considering checking this park out  and we're really excited to offer a giveaway to allow a family to enjoy the park for a day for free this summer!

We owe a HUGE thank you to the staff at Knoebels and thank them for hosting us to help gather all of the information we needed to complete this article. Here are a few of our favorite shots of our family from our visit to the park!