Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania opened in 1926
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NEED TO KNOW
- Knoebels Amusement Resort has remained the largest free-admission park in the U.S. for nearly 100 years
- The park, started by the Knoebel family in 1926, now features 60 rides, campgrounds, and a golf course
- Knoebels ranked No. 1 among U.S. parks in TripAdvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards
A theme park in Pennsylvania has provided free admission for nearly 100 years.
In an interview with PA Local (via BCTV), Brian Knoebel recalled how Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg came to be after his ancestors — farmers who had Christmas trees and animals — came over from Germany and bought a plot of land.
"People started to find out that the two creeks came together at one spot, and … it formed a natural swimming hole. After church on Sunday, they'd come down and park their horse and buggy off to the side, and frolic in the stream and have a little picnic," Knoebel told the outlet.
"My great-grandfather would feed and stable your horses for, I believe, a quarter. Little by little, he started building some picnic tables and park benches, and on July 4, 1926, we opened a swimming pool, a restaurant — appropriately named 'The Restaurant' — and we rented a steam-powered carousel," he continued.
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Nearly 100 years since his family launched the amusement park, Knoebel has kept it the largest free-admission park in the country.
"Well, first I'm going to tell you how it's the same," he said while discussing the differences between the park in 1926 and now. "The canopy of trees that exists here in the park is something that we take a lot of pride in."
"We kind of have an unwritten rule that whenever we take a tree out for expansion, we put a tree back in," Knoebel added.
Recalling that there used to be only one ride, a food stand and a pool, Knoebel said the park has significantly expanded throughout the years.
"We now have 60 rides, I believe 38 food stands, 24 games, and water slides," he told PA Local. "We have a campground that is attached to the park. We have a second campground about three miles away called Lake Glory. A quarter-mile down the road, we own the 18-hole golf course, complete with a bar and tavern."
Some of the rides at the Knoebels park include a coal mine coaster called Black Diamond that was constructed in 2010, the high-speed Twister first introduced in 1999, and the StratosFear, which was added in 2013.
Among some of the oldest existing rides, the Grand Carousel has been there since 1942, the Whipper since 1950, and the Bumper Cars since 1947.
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Knoebel explained that while other trolley parks were built around them and started charging people admission to "make more money," their family wanted to remain "that traditional park."
"I had to pinky swear to never change it," Knoebel said of their park's free admission.
"We recognize that grandma and grandpa get more satisfaction out of watching their grandkids ride the rides than they do themselves," he continued. "And grandma and grandpa are on a limited income. So they don't pay to park. We don't force you to buy food in the park — if you want to bring a picnic lunch, then bring a picnic lunch."
Still, the park has encountered challenges along the way. The park's opening was delayed in 2020 amid the pandemic and many staff members also left around the same time.
"We had some staff that were getting near retirement age, and they hung it up a little bit early because they were just nervous," Knoebel told PA Local.
Knoebel revealed hopes to keep the park within the family, saying, "There's been, through the years, people that have tried to buy us, and we don't even entertain the thought."
In a theme park ranking from TripAdvisor for their 2026 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Awards, Knoebels Amusement Resort was the only U.S. amusement park to make it into the top 20 of the global list. Knoebels ranked at No. 1 for U.S.-based parks, followed by Dollywood and Disney's Magic Kingdom in Florida.
The amusement park is honoring its 100th anniversary with a celebration from July 3 through July 5. The weekend will include a parade and "a few surprises," according to their website.
"And if you can't join us that weekend, don't worry! We'll be celebrating all season long, giving everyone a chance to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime milestone," reads a statement on the park's website.
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