Knott's Berry Farm Pt. 1

I was looking forward to my first visit to Knott's Berry Farm almost as much as Disneyland. It was a crowded day at the park that many consider the oldest in America, but I was not disappointed. Since I learned so much about Knott's before ever visiting, I was able to appreciate it all the more.

Ghost Town was bustling because of the annual Ghost Town Alive event, which meant that there were a lot of roaming actors.

You can't forget the minor attractions that gave Knott's its start, like the quaint blacksmith shop. I wonder how old the paint is on the sign?

Though there aren't many wide-open spaces or shaded areas, the landscaping at Knott's was excellent. 

Of course, I had to get my picture with the most legendary duo of Ghost Town, Handsome Brady and Whiskey Bill.

Another icon of Ghost Town is the Catawampus, not to mention the newly-hatched baby Catawampus!

The independent vendors who run some of the shops in Ghost Town were all really nice. I didn't know that there are old tickets and mementos stuck in the glass of the Bottle House. If you ask, the cashier might use a pair of tweezers and show you some of the treasures.

Market Street is probably the most peaceful part of Ghost Town, as it sits away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

Even with Ghost Town Alive taking up many of the buildings, there are still some real gems of peek-ins, like this one of a gunsmith.

One of my favorite memories of the visit was getting a Sarsaparilla and soft pretzel from the Calico Saloon. Though there wasn't a show playing inside the saloon, my dad and I sat outside and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Though "newer" than Bill and Brady, Marilyn and Cecelia are still older than Disneyland. My reflection photobombed this shot!

The Boot Hill tombstone that still has a "beating heart" is such a delight. If you don't know what I'm talking about, your life isn't complete yet. ;-)

I missed the hoedown. :-( But seriously, seeing iconic views like this for the first time almost felt surreal.

The Western Trails Museum is a rare piece of "old Knott's" that I hope never goes away. I'm guessing this diorama was sold as a souvenir of the old Chapel on the Lake.

There are countless authentic trinkets from the old west in the museum, but the collection also includes a lot of Knott's ephemera. I appreciated it all.

Does anyone know where this sign used to hang? I love how you can tell it was hand-carved.

As a first-time visitor to Knott's, I had to undergo initiation by greeting Sad-Eye Joe.

 My dad's name is also Joe, so he was looking forward to seeing Sad-Eye. I can't remember what we talked about, but I would love to have the job of providing Joe's voice (my dad or the statue??). Do they have the same person play Sad-Eye Joe all day?

GhostRider was the lone wooden coaster I got to ride on this trip, but it was definitely one of the best I've ridden. It is frustrating that Cedar Fair's highest-attended park has a signature coaster with such a low capacity. The ride operations at Knott's are probably the worst I've seen at any park, mostly due to Cedar Fair's overly stringent safety rules and some confused employees. It was so crowded on the day we visited that I was faced with the option of either waiting in hour+ lines for every ride or buying a skip-the-line wristband, so I coughed up $114 for one, and I can't say I regret it.

The 90-minute wait for the Butterfield Stagecoach did not seem appealing, so this ride will have to wait until next visit... whenever that is. It is impressive that the stagecoach still runs after so many decades. I didn't notice if there was more than one vehicle running, but that line had to be painful.

The Ghost Town and Calico Railroad can't compare to the Disneyland Railroad in both speed and scenery, but I appreciated it for its history.

This picture is one of my favorite memories of an already incredible trip. I was enjoying my train ride when I heard a familiar voice behind me. So I turned around... and saw Tony Baxter sitting just a few seats away! He was nice enough to take a photo after the ride. When I told him my family was visiting Disneyland, he said that he was thinking of going there but thought it would be too difficult to get reservations. For Tony Baxter?!

My mom dropped my dad and me off at the park in the morning, but she accidentally took the wrong I-5 exit when coming to pick us up at night, ending up in northern Anaheim. (She thought she remembered where she was going and didn't need the GPS.) My dad was not amused.

I was happy that Knott's and Disneyland were open late, as most of my local parks never returned to pre-pandemic hours. Any park is a completely different experience at night.

Nighttime in California also felt different than it does at home. Ghost Town was particularly special, with a live band adding to the atmosphere.

I rode GhostRider a second time at night, and it's certainly one of the best nighttime rides I've experienced. While I was going up the lift hill, I could see the Disneyland fireworks going off in the distance behind Independence Hall. I had to wait thirty minutes even with the Fast Lane wristband, but the wait was worth it, as this was a perfect way to end our day.

In the next post, we'll look at the two most famous attractions in Ghost Town as well as the rest of the park and Independence Hall!