For the past few years we’ve been dedicating one summer weekend to visiting Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. A healthy three-hour drive from the Baristaville area (it’s sort of smack-dab in the middle of the state), it would be an ambitious day-trip for us and our young ones. Fortunately we’ve got close friends in the general vicinity so we always wind up making a weekend of it.
Now in its 85th year, Knoebels (pronounced Kuh-noebels) offers plenty of fun and frivolity without the cheeze and commercialism that in my book is often the theme of most theme parks. There are no licensed characters milling about, no chain restaurants, and perhaps the best part, no general admission. You pay as you go which is perfect for those of us traveling with little ones. I imagine it works out to be a pretty fair deal for everyone else as well. For us it means our preschool daughter can avail herself of the kiddie rides, and the rest of us who are more or less there to support her to that end don’t have to cough up an admission fee just to simply stand around and wave energetically as she glides past. And the rides are reasonably priced, most of the stuff in “Kiddieland” costs at most $1 a ride.
And the kiddie rides are sweet. They have miniaturized versions of bumper cars, the Whipper and the Ferris wheel. Kids can pilot Red Baron biplanes or power their own hand cars around a twisting track. They’ve got the obligatory ball pit and bouncy house, two trains and a historic merry-go-round (carved by the Brooklyn firm of Stein and Goldstein somewhere between 1912 and 1918). Most of the rides in both Kiddieland and the regular park originated somewhere else including the Grand Carousel from Riverview Park in Rahway, NJ. Built in 1912 it boasts two German-made organs. It’s the only carousel I’ve been on where riders can still vie for rings. If you catch a brass one, you get a free ride. And there’s even some chatter on the internet that rides from the now defunct Olympic Park of Maplewood and Irvington are still in operation under the trees of Knoebels.
Though we have not ventured much beyond Kiddieland, there seems to be plenty for big kids as well including roller coasters, flumes, tea cups, bumper cars and boats, a high-swinging pirate ship, dizzying round up, Tilt-a-Whirl, antique cars and more. Other attractions include a pool, mini golf, 18-hole golf, a couple of museums, Lazer Tag, arcade games, etc.
With its wooded, mountain setting Knoebels is a pleasant place to pass the day, and visitors are encouraged to picnic in any of the numerous picnic groves scattered throughout the park. And even if you don’t pack your own meal, you won’t leave hungry. All the standards are there from hot dogs and hamburgers to cotton candy, ice cream and funnel cake. Less standard fare includes fried fish, crab cakes, pulled pork, BBQ, pasta, tacos and so on. There’s one sit-down restaurant, curiously named The Alamo, where our entire party availed itself of the chicken and waffles. A classic stick-to-your ribs (and everywhere else) meal, and I couldn’t resist the hot bacon dressing for my salad either. All the food is reasonably priced, our dinner for four cost $40.
Camping sites and cottages are available to rent, but I believe those all go pretty fast.
Our daughter is already planning her return visit next summer when I imagine her younger brother will be ready to join in at least some of the fun. And me, I’m looking forward to more of those gravy-laden waffles and another helping of hot bacon dressing.
