American Lifestyle Magazine - Issue 84

from this point” marker. There are signs
which served their purpose when Sandra
To end our visit, we made our way to the
thoughtfully placed throughout the line to
commented to me about what life must
Pioneer Train to tour the grounds. To get
keep guests occupied, including revealing
have been like for the miners doing that job.
there, we crossed yet another bucolic
the history of this coaster. As it turns out,
bridge, passed the bumper cars (whose
the ride is legendary: opened in 2014, it’s
This led us to the back of the building,
sign said were voted Best in America by
a rebuilt classic coaster from the 1920s.
which houses the Knoebels Museum.
USA Weekend), and got in one final log
But one sign in particular immediately
Want to learn more about the centuries-
flume dousing. The train is a popular ride,
caught my eye: the one declaring that
old Knoebels story? You’ll find it here in
so the line was long (and included some
everyone would be weighed (as there was
a massive wall-length timeline, from that
more chitchat with strangers); however, we
a 400-pound maximum per car) and that
first land exchange in 1775 to the resort’s
were quickly aboard. Along the the mile-
everyone had to hand over anything that
opening in 1926 to the various rides and
and-a-half ride around the park, we went
could fly off, such as hats and glasses.
attractions that have opened since then.
under the popular Twister wooden roller
You’ll also be entertained, as we were,
coaster, through the resort’s wooded areas,
The ride was exactly as billed: the world’s
by the exhibits of old-fashioned carnival
and past its various campgrounds. And,
only wooden bobsled roller coaster. It starts
games, rides, and even a jukebox from
of course, when another train passed by,
off like a typical wooden roller coaster,
Knoebels’ past, and smile at the endless
everyone waved to us, and we waved back.
with the slow, ominous, uphill clanking of
array of antique photos throughout
It’s that kind of place.
the gears over the wood planks. But then it
the museum.
whips you into a bobsled area, where you’re
It’s family friendly. Kid friendly. Budget
literally off the tracks—there’s nothing
After Laura went on a nearby ride, we then
friendly. Even pet friendly. It’s just
but the winding curves and your car. You
entered another museum, the Carousel
amazingly, unassumingly friendly. The
then repeat this experience a second, more
Museum, which features over fifty antique
Knoebels family has gone to great lengths
prolonged time before the ride ends. As one
carousel figures and other memorabilia
to create a genuinely pleasant, nostalgia-
of the signs aptly says, it makes you feel
dating back to the late 1800s and early
inducing amusement park experience—with
like you’re flying.
1900s. If you’re a fan of carousels, this is a
really fun rides, games, and attractions
must-stop.
to boot.
With that adventure over, it was time to
eat again (or, in my case, eat for the first
Afterwards, the girls played a few
As we walked back to our vehicle and
time). We walked to the far end of the
nearby games (for as little as a quarter
commenced our two-hour-plus drive, we
park, past several games and shops, to the
each), and we found our way toward the
realized we wanted more. We hadn’t golfed
International Food Court, which offers a
host of food options. My family got in the
American food line, where Jeff ordered
another burger and Laura opted for chicken
nuggets. Sandra, not very hungry, got
some fries and gave in to the temptation of
strawberry shortcake. Her succinct review
of the dessert? “This is so good!”
That’s one thing that certainly stood out
about Knoebels: the food is much better
than usual amusement park fare. For
example, I had a difficult choice in the
Mexican food line. Tacos, an enchilada, or
a burrito? I opted for the shredded beef
burrito and was quite happy with my
decision. The veggies were fresh and the
meat delicious and ample, all packed in
a fresh tortilla. Sandra eyed the burrito
enviously, so I let her have a bite. When we
returned to this same spot later for dinner,
she got a burrito, plus another strawberry
shortcake for the family to share. The
dishes were that good.
Something else stood out at this food
court, though—Knoebels employees
write messages on the food trays. Ours
said, “There are 2 things you’ll always
find at the food court. Smiling faces and
amazing food.” As I was bussing the tray,
I quickly concluded that this was 100
percent accurate. I can’t say enough about
the food being amazing. But the staff is
also incredibly nice, and even the fellow
customers, caught up in the ambience,
are super friendly as well, with at least a
handful starting up mini conversations with
me while waiting in lines. That cheerfulness
was a microcosm of the overall experience.
We then began the (mostly) nonride portion
of our trip, and these unique offerings
certainly help to set apart Knoebels from
other amusement parks. Across from the
food court is the dual Anthracite Mining
Museum/Knoebels History Museum, which
offered us a lot of opportunity for learning.
Before we entered the museum, we gazed
at the panning river and deliberated
whether to pan for some raw materials.
For time’s sake, we passed and instead
entered the museum. One actually starts
by going through the gift shop, which
boasts a plethora of mining-related items
to buy, including real rocks and gemstones,
gemstone-themed jewelry (one of which
Laura bought), kids’ mining hats, and
other toys.
With an amethyst necklace in tow, we
went into the mining museum. It features
a collection of various antique mining
tools and artifacts, as well as black-andwhite
photos and life-size exhibits, all of
Americana section of the park, which
features handcraftsmanship and wares
of yesteryear, including a recreated wood
shingle mill from the 1800s. You can
watch artisans ply their trade; if you’d
like a custom-made wood sign or perhaps
handcrafted iron, you can observe them
being made. Visit the Lost Logger to
purchase an incredible handcrafted wood
product, such as a wood basket, wood
pumpkin, wood snowman, or life-size wood
animal. (I wasn’t sure how I’d get the wood
bear home, so I passed.) As impressed as I
was by the skills I witnessed, I was equally
impressed by the section of 220-year-old
oak displayed prominently on a mining car
in the middle of the area.
at the miniature golf course, played laser
tag, gone to either of the arcades (a miracle
in itself), experienced the 4-D theater or
haunted house, spent time in the pool, or
seen the bald eagle exhibit; as far as rides,
among the ones we didn’t go on were
the two pirate ships, the Scenic Skyway
chairlift ride above the park, and other
roller coasters.
This was all right, though, because we were
already planning next year’s visit to this
hidden gem tucked away in the mountains
of central Pennsylvania.
For more info, visit knoebels.com
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