Knoebels Amusement Resort has welcomed guests to Elysburg, Pennsylvania, since it first opened on July 4, 1926, and the Knoebel family still owns and operates the park a century later. Spread across roughly 150 acres of wooded grounds, Knoebels combines an old-fashioned picnic grove, a campground, and an amusement park into one sprawling resort-style destination.
What sets Knoebels apart is its admission model: there is no gate fee. Guests pay only for the rides they choose, through individual ride tickets, ride-book stamps, or an unlimited-ride pass, which is why it’s known as the largest free-admission amusement park in the United States. That formula, paired with a beloved wooden coaster lineup and award-winning food, helped Knoebels edge out Disney, Universal, and Dollywood to be named the No. 1 amusement park in the U.S. in Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards.
Quick Answer
Knoebels Amusement Resort is a free-admission, family-owned amusement park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, open since 1926. There’s no cost to enter or park — you only pay for rides, either through $5/$20/$50 ticket books or a Ride All Day pass. The park has about 58 rides, including six roller coasters (three wood, three steel), headlined by Phoenix, repeatedly ranked the best wooden coaster in the world.
Hours, Tickets & Prices: Planning Your Visit
Knoebels runs on a seasonal schedule that generally stretches from spring through Halloween, plus an extended run of holiday lights and rides each winter. Hours shift throughout the season — some early-season weekdays run a shorter midday window, while peak summer days and weekends stay open into the evening — so the park’s own day-by-day operating calendar is the only reliable source for the hours on the date you plan to visit.
Because there’s no gate admission, pricing works entirely around how you want to ride. Ride tickets are sold in books of $5, $20, and $50, redeemable individually at each attraction, with each larger book buying proportionally more rides. If you’d rather not track individual tickets, a Ride All Day pass is available on most days, priced by rider height, with a lower-cost “Sundown Bargain” pass on select afternoons and evenings for visitors who arrive later in the day. Group rates and discount days also run periodically through the season. Because exact prices and dates change year to year, check the official Knoebels pricing page before you go — parking, general admission, and entry to the picnic groves are always free.
Roller Coasters and Rides
Knoebels is best known among enthusiasts for its wooden coaster lineup. Phoenix, built in 1947 by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters as “The Rocket” at a Texas park, was relocated to Knoebels and reopened in 1985. Its double out-and-back layout reaches about 78 feet with a top speed near 45 mph, and it has repeatedly been named the world’s Best Wooden Coaster at Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards, again in 2025.
Phoenix shares the wooden-coaster lineup with Twister, an in-house-built ride that opened in 1999 and takes design inspiration from a 1964 Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters ride called Mr. Twister, and Flying Turns, a rare wooden bobsled-style coaster with no fixed track. Rounding out the collection are three steel coasters — Impulse, Black Diamond, and the family-friendly Kozmo’s Kurves — for six roller coasters in total, part of a lineup of roughly 58 rides across the park. The 1913 Grand Carousel is another standout: it won Golden Ticket Award honors for best carousel every year the category existed before organizers retired it undefeated in 2019.
Camping, Cottages & Places to Stay
Because Knoebels began as a picnic grove long before it became an amusement park, an overnight stay has always been part of the experience. The on-site campground has more than 500 tent and RV sites, along with log cabins, cottages, and a bed and breakfast, letting visitors turn a single day of riding into a multi-night trip without leaving the property. Campsites include electric hookups, water access, and shower and laundry facilities. Peak summer weekends fill up months ahead, so check the official Knoebels camping page for current site availability and rates.
Food, Picnicking & Crystal Pool
Unlike most amusement parks, Knoebels allows guests to bring their own coolers and food into the picnic grove — the only restrictions are glass containers and alcohol. Covered pavilions with picnic tables sit throughout the shaded grove, making it easy to pack a family meal between rides. For guests who’d rather buy food on-site, Knoebels’ dining has become a destination in its own right: Amusement Today gave the park its “Legend” Golden Ticket Award for Best Food after Knoebels won the category 22 times in 25 years, a category since retired because of the park’s dominance.
The other major non-ride draw is Crystal Pool, a 900,000-gallon swimming pool filled with natural mountain-stream water on the site of the original 1926 swimming hole, complete with waterslides, diving boards, and a shallow area for young children. Pool admission is separate from ride tickets.
Awards: America’s Top-Rated Amusement Park
That combination of nostalgia, ride quality, and value has translated into national recognition well beyond the amusement-industry press. In 2026, Tripadvisor named Knoebels the No. 1 amusement park in the United States in its Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards, based on the volume and quality of traveler reviews, ranking it ahead of Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Combined with Phoenix’s repeated Best Wooden Coaster wins and the retired Legend award for food, Knoebels holds a rare trifecta among U.S. parks: acclaim from casual visitors, coaster enthusiasts, and food critics alike.
A Family-Run Tradition
Unlike most major amusement parks, Knoebels has never been sold to a corporate chain. That century of family ownership shows in the park’s mix of vintage rides, wooded picnic groves, and a campground that lets visitors turn a day trip into a weekend stay. The pay-as-you-go model keeps Knoebels accessible to casual visitors while still drawing dedicated coaster enthusiasts who travel specifically to ride Phoenix, Twister, and Flying Turns, cementing the park’s reputation as one of the most respected traditional amusement parks in the country.
Knoebels Amusement Resort FAQs
Is there an admission fee to enter Knoebels?
No. Knoebels doesn’t charge general admission or parking; guests only pay for the rides they use, via ticket books, a Ride All Day pass, or hand-stamped tickets.
How much do rides cost at Knoebels?
Ride tickets are sold in $5, $20, and $50 books, or you can buy a height-based Ride All Day pass, with a cheaper “Sundown Bargain” option on select afternoons. Exact prices change by season, so check the official Knoebels pricing page.
What are Knoebels’ hours?
Hours vary by day and season, from shorter midday windows on early-season weekdays to open-late hours on summer weekends. The park’s online calendar lists exact hours for any date you plan to visit.
Is parking free at Knoebels?
Yes. Parking, like general admission, is free — the park makes its money on rides, food, games, and lodging rather than a gate fee.
Can you bring your own food and coolers into Knoebels?
Yes. Knoebels allows outside food and coolers in its picnic groves, with no glass containers or alcohol permitted.
Can you camp overnight at Knoebels?
Yes. The park operates its own campground with more than 500 tent and RV sites plus cabins, cottages, and a bed and breakfast, all bookable through the official Knoebels camping page.
How many roller coasters does Knoebels have?
Six — three wooden coasters (Phoenix, Twister, and Flying Turns) and three steel coasters (Impulse, Black Diamond, and Kozmo’s Kurves).
What is Knoebels’ most famous roller coaster?
Phoenix, a wooden coaster built in 1947 and relocated to Knoebels in 1985, is the park’s signature ride and has repeatedly been ranked the best wooden coaster in the world at the Golden Ticket Awards.
When did Knoebels open?
Knoebels opened on July 4, 1926, and has been owned and operated by the Knoebel family ever since.
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