With Hersheypark in Central Pennsylvania’s back yard, it is easy not to notice the less flashy Knoebels Amusement Park and Resort, just an hour and a half away. But while you’ve waited in line for the Great Bear for the better part of your life, at Knoebels you won’t have to wait longer than a Pennsylvania minute to ride what is currently rated as the 4th top wooden roller coaster in the world; you won’t have to close your bank accounts just to eat lunch, and you’ll be far enough away from home that spending just one afternoon in its beautiful wooded setting will seem like a complete vacation getaway.

When entering the park grounds, it may seem understated and less exciting than Hersheypark, but don’t be deceived — Knoebels has far more to offer than what first meets the eye. The wooded paths and rural setting provide a natural layout, letting a day of exploration play out like an enchanted walk in the woods.

You’ve probably ridden the Comet, Hersheypark’s oldest wooden roller coaster, a hundred times, and by now the Sidewinder and Lightning Racer are old hat. But how about The Phoenix? The Twister? The Whirlwind? The High Speed Thrill Coaster? And that’s just four of Knoebels’ 50 rides. With free admission, free parking, and free entertainment, Knoebels could be featured in MODE Weekly’s "Free & Cheap" column as the largest free amusement park in the country. Knoebels prides itself on over 75 years of award winning fun, with awards such as "Best Family Park," "2 Top 20 Coasters," "Best Carousel" and "Best Park Food." But the best thing about Knoebels, besides the rides, is that there are no lines. No signs saying, "From this point the wait is 90 minutes." No waiting two hours to enjoy a two and a half minute ride. The longest I waited was 15 minutes, for the 1.5-mile train ride that takes you around the park grounds.

The Phoenix is easily the most anticipated ride at Knoebels. It’s no wonder why — this world-famous wooden roller coaster is consistently named to top ten lists since first opening in 1985. The highest drop is a mere 78 feet, which isn’t impressive in itself — the Comet’s drop is 96 feet — but the difference is that The Phoenix builds up the rider’s expectations by delaying the highest drop until the middle of the ride. However the real thrill of the Phoenix is the coaster’s phenomenal amount of hang-time. (For those who aren’t experts on roller coaster language, hang-time is when you are actually lifted off your seat and hang in the air momentarily.)

A relatively new coaster, the Twister delivers an extreme ride of drops, twists, and hairpin turns. Prepare your stomach because the highest drop is over 101 feet — 11 feet higher than Lightening Racer’s maximum drop. After you’ve turned your stomach inside out a few times, and you’re thankful that your head didn’t get cut off on those close turns, you may be in the mood for something a little less extreme.

Both the Grand Carousel and the Ferris Wheel offer great views of the park. And if you think the carousel is just for 4-year-olds, you haven’t been on the one at Knoebels. One of only a handful left in the world, the Grand Carousel still offers the old tradition of grabbing metal rings as you pass a metal arm. Because of this, try to get an outside horse so that you can reach out your arm and hook the rings around your index finger, in hopes of getting the brass ring, which wins you a free ride on the carousel. While it may sound childish, everyone participates, and competition for outside horses is high. Built in 1912, the Grand Carousel offers 63 uniquely decorated horses to choose from, plus three chariots, making it one of the largest carousels in the country. This area of the park features other notable rides as well, including the Satellite (better known as Salt and Pepper Shakers), the swings, the Whipper, and the Pirate Ship — or Galleon, as it’s called at Knoebels.

Spending a day at the park works up your appetite, of course, and this is one cause of frustration at so many franchise amusement parks. You ravenously look for food that is halfway appealing and you empty your wallet buying incredibly average food, usually fried and greasy. At Knoebels, dining is actually a pleasant part of the experience. Knoebels, voted "Best Park Food," has a large array of delicious dining options that you wouldn’t expect to find at an amusement park. In addition to the typical snack foods (cotton candy, popcorn, ice cream, and soft pretzels), there are also more exotic options, such as Ostrich Burgers and Bison sandwiches. Visit The Wharf, the Oasis Cafeteria, Cesari’s Pizza, Phoenix Junction, or the International Food Court (which features foods from Italy, Mexico, and America). For sit-down dining, go to The Alamo and enjoy a family meal. With so many options, Knoebels has it all and makes sure hunger pangs don’t strike while you walk from ride to ride. And since you don’t want to ride anything right after you eat, you can head over to the bandshell and be entertained in your seat.

Free entertainment is offered daily. Showtimes are 1:30 pm, 6:00 pm and
8:30 pm every day. A complete schedule of the shows can be found on Knoebels website. On these hot summer days, in addition to riding the flume and other water rides, I suggest paying the few bucks and taking a dip in the huge Crystal Pool. With three diving boards, slides, two waterslides, and over 4 acres of sunbathing areas, it truly completes the Knoebels experience.

Also available are free picnic facilities, and diving shows are performed at various times throughout the day. Located in the park, but excluded from all hand-stamps, bracelets, or tickets, are the Haunted House and a miniature golf course. The Haunted House costs $1 and is a ride through a dark, Victorian house that is not to be missed. The ride begins in complete darkness, and turns you around so you don’t know which way you are going. Then, be prepared for mannequins who appear from nowhere, causing your heart to race. After jumping out of your skin a few times, you enter a completely dark tunnel, where I swear, I felt someone touch my arm. Frequent riders who I talked with offered this warning — sometimes employees of the Haunted Mansion have been known to jump onto the back of rider’s cars, once in the house, and put their arms around you. So if you feel an extra body, know that you aren’t crazy.

Mini-Golf is $3.50 for a round of golf, making it another cheap option after you eat lunch or dinner, if you don’t want to go on the thrill rides immediately after satisfying your appetite.

In addition to the daily entertainment, Knoebels plans special events regularly. Starting October 4, and continuing through October 6, is the 21st Annual Covered Bridge and Arts Festival. Look at the classic and antique cars on Sunday, or participate in the Knoebels Lumber 5K Wood Race. This same weekend, on October 5, is also the 17th Annual Phoenix Phall PhunFest — a special day open to all roller coaster enthusiast and thrill seekers. This PhunFest consists of a tentative schedule of 4 hours of private ride sessions, on The Phoenix and The Twister, with some other rides open as well. (The price for this festival is not available yet, but you can register online at the Knoebels website.)

As for lodging, if you don’t mind roughing it a little, you can camp at the Knoebels campgrounds. The campsites offer differing levels of rustic, from primitive non-facilities to sites with electric, water, and sewer. You can also rent a cabin, at $84 to $149 for, double, but it offers more conveniences. At Lake Glory, one of the two campgrounds, you can enjoy fishing — sorry only catch and release — or video games at the arcade. Both campgrounds range in price from $26 to $30 per night. If you camp at Knoebels, you also get free use of the Campground Pool (don’t confuse it with Crystal Pool). For convenience, a free shuttle runs from Lake Glory to the amusement park, with the schedule varying daily. Camping isn’t your only choice of lodging; many hotels and bed & breakfast places are located near the park. However, since Knoebels is less than two hours from Harrisburg, you can make a day trip of it and drive home the same night, like I chose to.

There are two options of payment for rides. You can pay as you go, by purchasing booklets of tickets at the door, or you can choose to do one of the pay-one-price plans. The Ride All Day Plan (11 am —10 pm) is $22.75 for basic rides, or $27.75 for basic rides plus the wooden roller coasters. The same plan, for people under 48" tall, is $15.75 or $19.75 respectively. The Sundown Plan offers cheaper rates beginning at 5 pm. Basic rides are $13.25 and $9.25 (under 48"), and basic plus wooden coasters is $17.00 and $11.25. Every Wednesday and Friday, from 6 pm to 10 pm, are Bargain Nights, with prices at only $5.50 (under 48") and $6.50 — some rides excluded.

Knoebels Amusement Resort is a great place for families, and also a great place to spend a day or weekend. Get a group of friends together and enjoy what America’s largest free admission amusement park has to offer. But don’t take a travel writer’s word for it; listen to the words of the true amusement park authority — children. As Alicia Glessner, a five-year-old who recently had her first Knoebels experience, put it, "Knoebels is the funnest place on earth!"

2. Yuengling Lager Factory — About a 20 minute drive from Knoebels. Tours from Monday to Friday at 10 am and 1:30 pm or Saturday at 11 am, noon, and 1 pm.