![Best rides from Knott's Berry Farm](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/24ad3ab/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2400x1600+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe1%2Fe1%2Ff05fa2ff4d8eb10518f3e926aa23%2Fla-wk-themeparks-knotts-best-rides1.png)
Every ride at Knott’s Berry Farm, ranked
It may not have been the initial intent, but Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park would begin to define Orange County as a home for the modern American theme park. What began in the 1920s as a family-run roadside berry and tea destination would become a fried chicken haven in the 1930s, the popularity of which would lead to development of Knott’s historic Ghost Town.
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Today, Ghost Town is situated within a thriving theme park and is home to not just many of its original Old West structures but also era-defining attractions such as the Calico Mine Ride and the Timber Mountain Log Ride. Ghost Town throughout the 1940s and ’50s showed that Americans would flock to intricately designed environments centered on shows and light amusement park attractions, but competition from Disneyland, which opened in 1955, would inspire the Knott family to up its game.
The 1960s and ’70s were an era of prolific growth for the park, and Knott’s would fully transition from its farm-based roots to an enclosed amusement center. The famed roller coaster Montezooma’s Revenge, currently being updated and re-imagined, would open in 1978 and steer Knott’s into the coaster-enthusiast park it is today.
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Knott’s Berry Farm is responsible for other innovations as well, including its seasonal makeover into Knott’s Scary Farm. The endeavor was first undertaken in 1973 and is one that forever turned theme parks into places to celebrate annual holidays. And, of course, that says nothing of the boysenberries for which the original farm was famous .
Today, you can still come for the rides and stay for the fried chicken and fruit pies.
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A quick note of fine print: This summer, Knott’s Berry Farm is remaking part of Camp Snoopy, and those rides will be added to this guide at a later date. Same for the re-imagined coaster Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress, which is scheduled to open in 2025.
![Calico Mine Ride at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6bc03c5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3300x2200+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Fa7%2Fc2f5f45942b48cc37ab68a4abab4%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-calico-mine-ride-003.jpg)
1. Calico Mine Ride
To talk about the Calico Mine Ride, one must discuss Wendell “Bud” Hurlbut, who helped turn Knott’s Berry Farm into a modern amusement park by designing and building two of its signature attractions, the Calico Mine Ride and the Timber Mountain Log Ride. Hurlbut, who long operated out of Buena Park, had dreamed of building his own amusement park and started working with Knott’s in the 1950s, first with a merry-go-round at the farm and then on other small-scale kiddie rides.
The Calico Mine Ride, however, would give Knott’s an attraction that could rival those of Disneyland, which opened in 1955. The ride was Hurlbut’s version of an Old West mine, complete with the sounds of dynamite exploding near its end. His instructions, in keeping with the true-to-life feel of Ghost Town, were to create a ride that overall felt realistic.
But it’s also majestic. The ride traverses underground tunnels and caverns, where one can find lakes, waterfalls and geysers. The darkened passageways at times seem to close in on us, only then to open up to deep crevasses where we can glimpse miners at work. Its most mystical scene — a suddenly appearing colorful cave with glowing water — has been described as “coming up into heaven” by Hurlbut, according to the detailed book “Knott’s Preserved.” The latter notes that the ride sold 1 million tickets in just eight months.
The Calico Mine Ride was influenced by America’s national parks. Yellowstone and the Carlsbad Caverns were visited during its creation and affected the ride’s design. In turn, the Calico Mine Ride reflects not just our past but also the majesty of nature.
![Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3e4704f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/960x1200+120+0/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7c%2F8c%2Fa9bc28324b18b76e50ada8ceb056%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-timber-mountain-log-ride-051.jpg)
2. Timber Mountain Log Ride
This 1969 original was designed by Wendell “Bud” Hurlbut, who also created the Calico Mine Ride and enjoyed a close relationship with the park. Hurlburt, according to the book “Knott’s Preserved,” originally envisioned a roller coaster, one in which vehicles would be built in troughs to look as if they were floating. But throughout the ’60s, amusement technology advanced, and a roaring, towering log flume was deemed feasible, although no one had yet themed one as Knott’s would do.
Possessing a relatively fast current, Timber Mountain careens through heavily detailed, black-lighted scenes. We see critters, we see skeletons, we see a hootenanny. For a few minutes, we feel as if we are in a campground, and the Timber Mountain Log Ride makes logging seem like a blast. There’s a couple of mini drops, a small 5-foot drop and a 15-foot drop before we reach its grand finale, a drop of around 40 feet.
One of the first major implementations of a log flume ride in a theme park, Timber Mountain would go on to influence major attractions around the world, including those at Disneyland. With its scenes inspired by the High Sierras, Timber Mountain helped prove thrill rides could be beautifully themed.
![Roller coaster tracks are silhouetted against a blue sky at a theme park.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/008d660/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4200x2800+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb3%2F5e%2Fc211a2a94ef6baeb1b4cfdd59833%2Fla-photos-1staff-636000-la-fi-theme-park-reopening-guidelines-15-ajs.jpg)
3. GhostRider
GhostRider is a behemoth of a coaster, coming in at nearly a mile long. Opened in 1998, it was also the first major addition to Knott’s Ghost Town since 1969. The ride is relatively long for a coaster, lasting about 2½ minutes. GhostRider was built with 2.5 million board-feet of yellow pine wood and 50,000 pounds of nails.
It has some light theming. Mine cars, for instance, are said to feature gold, silver or copper accents to represent different mining metals. Throughout, expect 14 hills, many of which will prompt riders to slightly lift out of their seats. GhostRider was once rickety, but a complete rehab in 2016 created a much smoother experience.
While some pieces of Knott’s history were removed for the creation of GhostRider — including a lava rock volcano — the coaster has become a sort of living billboard for the theme park, stretching from Ghost Town and through the parking lot and clearly visible from a distance.
Positioned in Ghost Town, the ride serves as a sort of bridge between Knott’s beginnings as an organic, exploratory park and its more coaster-enthusiast present.
![A view of the new ride called Knott's Betty Tales at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4b7c72c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4500x3000+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F85%2F81%2Fa5de49aa4db5b6ef292ff31ebd1c%2Fla-photos-1staff-783116-la-et-knotts-berry-farm-opening-day-public-knots-berry-tales-25-ajs.jpg)
4. Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair
With Bear-y Tales, Knott’s leaned into the park’s past, as this ride nods to a similarly named 1970s attraction. But this is an interactive dark ride that serves as a Silly Symphony-inspired sequel to the original. Here, guests are armed with jelly jar-shaped blasters that let them take virtual aim at animated foxes making off with pies.
Zaniness takes precedence over plot, and joy comes from seeing what kind of inspired interactions guests concoct by flinging virtual jelly as they traverse among screens filled with plump bears, bouncing frogs and fortune tellers. Fire away at googly eyed mushrooms, an owl apparently conjuring a spell or mystical tents and carts filled with ghosts.
The original 1970s Knott’s Bear-y Tales was overseen by Rolly Crump — known best, perhaps, for working on Disneyland attractions like It’s a Small World and the Enchanted Tiki Room — and may be the greatest theme park ride you’ve likely never been on.
Crump’s Bear-y Tales, with its sly fox selling “Weird Juice” (it will “make you feel weird!”) and its steampunk-inspired Chug-a-Chug pie-making assembly line, represented Crump’s whimsical-meets-beatnik-meets-rock ’n’ roll personality, as well as an era when theme parks were still willing to take a somewhat free-spirited approach.
The drawings today are more rounded and friendly than Crump’s originals — his mushroom would have a mustache and nearly broken glasses — but the festive absurdity, such as critters taking a bath in the aforementioned Weird Juice, remains. Between the animated scenes are practical sets, some original pieces pulled from storage and others faithful re-creations of Crump’s ride, making this a playful, slightly goofy tribute.
![A cancan girl at Howdown at Ghost Town Alive at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8ff8ef0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3300x2200+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe6%2F1d%2Fc3a1218844b29f134794b386a364%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-ghost-town-alive-021.jpg)
5. Ghost Town Alive!
There are shootouts and card games, of course, and sometimes even a donkey, but guests can also become makeshift journalists and see the stories they’re acting out printed in Calico’s newspaper. Knott’s doesn’t pass out rules or storylines, or even guarantee what sort of activities visitors may encounter. It’s solely about connecting with other guests and playing. And there’s probably going to be a hoedown at some point.
Ghost Town Alive! is rooted in centuries-old activities, but its yearly success is something of a response — or a rebuttal — to the high-tech grind of our daily lives. Inspired by a short-lived attraction in Disneyland’s Frontierland — the late, great Legends of Frontierland — Ghost Town Alive! has become a Knott’s tradition by grounding its storytelling in live, interactive theater. In one sense, it recalls the sort of backyard games many of us may have played as children, but it’s unlikely we ever had a stage as grand as Ghost Town.
![A view of the Butterfield Stagecoach.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b03dd96/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2612x3265+0+109/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F56%2F66%2F7f544c5e4992a7be6cfa09f797d9%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-butterfield-stagecoach-002.jpg)
6. Butterfield Stagecoach
There’s no such theater today, but whether sitting atop or in the stagecoach, it’s a relatively calming way to get a glimpse of what Knott’s has to offer beyond Ghost Town. The horse-led journey travels along the outskirts of the recently refreshed Fiesta Village and the kid-focused Camp Snoopy. A small incline takes it underneath the park’s centrally located coasters.
Knott’s in many ways is a tale of two parks — its roster of coasters and Ghost Town and its affiliated attractions. The area near the stagecoach is also full of gems, as one will find the park’s intimate saloon, home to boysenberry-infused beer, as well as a bottle house and a leather shop. A piece of Knott’s history, the stagecoach helps make the case that this is the rare thrill-focused park that also demands patient exploration.
![A view of Hangtime at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9d6fcc1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4050x2700+375+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe8%2F88%2F11b948d348aeb6b6b93714bfba52%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-hangtime-026.jpg)
7. HangTime
It’s also terrifying.
HangTime was a one-and-done for me, but I respect its slickness, briskness and unique design, which leaves a lasting impression. Be warned, however, that the lift is anxiety inducing. There is no standard coaster hill here; you will be completely vertical, unable to see the track, and any looks to the left or right will be disorienting, especially if dizziness sets in. Then, HangTime will toy with you, forcing you to linger at the crest of the hill for about six seconds. You will stare down at nothing, as the drop is set at 96 degrees, the steepest in California.
The free-falling sensation, a coaster careening straight toward concrete, is the sort of life experience that has me frantically wishing I were at home and cuddling with my cat. You will, no doubt, be frantically checking the coaster restraints, praising whatever feats of modern engineering are responsible for keeping you bolted in.
This is a thrill trend that isn’t going anywhere, but after the drop, HangTime settles in for a series of exuberantly spiraling inversions. They’re not exactly calming, but they’re not fear-inducing, either. HangTime, by this point, is done imprinting permanent scars on you.
![The Calico Railroad at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8e985c4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2629x3286+0+110/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F77%2F25%2Ff99326c14c2d95f246e715a50dba%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-calico-railroad-006.jpg)
8. Calico Railroad
This gave the park an authentic narrow-gauge railroad, one that, according to the book “Knott’s Preserved,” was built in 1881 and once had a 47-mile run out of Durango, Colo., where it traversed steep mountain ranges to reach the region’s gold mines.
“We felt that right then was the time to save some of this old railroad history if we were going to,” family patriarch and park founder Walter Knott, says in “Knott’s Preserved.” We thought there would be lots of kids that had never ridden on the train before and that this would be quite an addition to their education.”
The train equipment is still in operation today, although the park has swelled around it, necessitating staffers to close a pair of walkways to foot traffic to let the train pass by multiple times a day. An open-air car gives a better view of the backside of Knott’s attractions, but I prefer the enclosed train cars and their cushioned seats.
Don’t consider this leisurely train ride a skippable attraction, as Ghost Town bandits are likely to have found their way on board. While today the robbery is clearly a mock one, it wasn’t always viewed as such. As “Knott’s Preserved” notes, in the ride’s early days, Ghost Town actors could find themselves clobbered over the head with a purse or the recipients of quite a few punches.
![Xcelerator at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/89a5e4d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1000x667+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe3%2F8b%2F710c063041009633d068842822b1%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-xcelerator-the-ride-054.jpg)
9. Xcelerator the Ride
See, nothing to fear?
Noting, except, a nearly vertical 205-foot launch that sends us to a twisting crest that will propel us down a 90-degree angle. From there, it’s all speed and banked turns, as Xcelerator overall is simple and efficient. But one need not be fancy to be a highlight in the Knott’s portfolio. And Xcelerator’s hurried, hair-raising drop alone provides quite the jostle.
![The Calico River Rapids Bear and Riders at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1ea9c2c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2044x1363+0+681/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F37%2F26%2Ff77741c14ef486dca2dd89ea275c%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-calico-river-rapids-008.jpg)
10. Calico River Rapids
Yet as far as river rapid rides go, I’ve never gotten drenched on the Knott’s attraction. Without a major drop or a rough, fast-moving current, Calico River Rapids to me has always been more about the threat of getting soaked, allowing for time to enjoy the scenery, which was enhanced in 2019 with about 20 animatronic figures. The ride, formerly known as Bigfoot Rapids and dating to 1987, was then given an actual Bigfoot figure. Find him tucked into a cave.
Some of the scenes are a little head-scratching. Take the trapper, for instance, who tries to splash us by firing into the water. Others, such as the grizzly capturing a salmon, seems more lighthearted. But overall, humor and cuteness are the goals here. Tip: Be on the lookout for an early animatronic woodpecker, which just may be responsible for sending some water your way.
![The Carrusel de California at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c548673/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2945x3681+0+122/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F10%2Fbc%2F6255e54d4e9d988a04afd11440d1%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-carrusel-de-california-009.jpg)
11. Carrusel de California
The carousel was obtained by Wendell “Bud” Hurlbut, who before working closely with Knott’s had hoped to build his own park in Whittier. But with Disneyland’s looming opening in 1955 , the Knott family, according to the book “Knott’s Preserved,” began looking for ways to expand the site’s offerings. A guest survey revealed park attendees wanted more attractions, and thus park founder Walter Knott tapped Hurlbut to bring in the carousel, which had previously operated in Pennsylvania’s Hershey Park, to a growing Knott’s Berry Farm.
The addition was instrumental to Knott’s history, as it showed the family was willing to expand the park beyond its Ghost Town roots. Though surrounded by more thrilling attractions, its presence is calming. Its brown rabbits look regal, its giraffes stand stately and the aforementioned ostriches appear ready for a trot. It’s vintage amusement park art at its finest.
![A view of the Silver Bullet Roller Coaster Loop.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45d6064/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5811x3874+0+122/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F98%2F4ee282ad425e9c01c187f2638309%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-silver-bullet-043.jpg)
12. Silver Bullet
Below Silver Bullet remains a small water area, once called Reflection Lake and once home to the the faux steamboat Cordelia K, named for founder Walter Knott’s wife and dating to an era when the park was still primarily focused on creating entertainment that referenced American history. But in 2004, when Silver Bullet opened — about seven years after Knott’s had been acquired by Cedar Fair — modern audiences were seemingly demanding more thrills.
Yet while Silver Bullet encroaches on Ghost Town territory with a garish reddish orange and yellow track, it’s overall an enjoyable ride on its own merits. It is not the coaster’s fault, for instance, that it further altered the course of Knott’s history. Modern audiences, I suspect, simply appreciate its six inversions and top speed of 55 mph. I like the pacing of varied drop lengths. It crams quite a bit into its two minutes, including a zero-G roll and some heavily banked curves.
![Jaguar! at Knott's Berry Farm](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6836720/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1512x1890+0+63/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fae%2F3f%2F2d90fba649bbbdd0e2de3874b91b%2Fimg-1459.jpg)
13. Jaguar!
As coasters go, this is more house cat than wild cat on the intensity scale, but anyone with a cat knows they’re in for some unpredictability. And Jaguar! definitely succeeds on that front, as the track twists and curves in unexpected directions around the nicely designed Fiesta Village. With mini hills, quite a few curves and an extended flat section, Jaguar! skips between a trot and a gallop, reaching a top speed of 30 mph. Other coasters at Knott’s pack more thrills, but I like that this is sort of the ride equivalent of having the zoomies.
![Guests on the horse-shaped ride vehicles of Pony Express.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/39849c6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4170x2780+165+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6e%2F84%2Ff1dc29874413b44ccf34be365d4a%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-pony-express-039.jpg)
14. Pony Express
Pony Express is a bit of a trifle, but not one without some charms. After all, it does have riders straddling fiberglass horses throughout its 35 seconds. It allows us to lean forward and partake in a sort of novelty that we usually don’t get to experience on a coaster. The ride is found on the path to the Calico River Rapids, and I enjoy seeing horses speed past me as I traverse the grounds. Additionally, the short, straightforward attraction is a good starter coaster for young ’uns.
![Sierra Sidewinder at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/54978df/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7348x4899+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1b%2F7a%2Ff13763274440991fc4f8f7215b06%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-sierra-sidewinder-042.jpg)
15. Sierra Sidewinder
![Sky Cabin at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2bd09fb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x3780+0+126/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F56%2Fca%2F442059e1421aa468751afb04c38f%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-sky-cabin-044.jpg)
16. Sky Cabin
![A view of the Hat Dance at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c61b357/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2014x2518+0+84/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F36%2F2a%2F5d390b4c47e3990ecdf9f2c1daa9%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-hat-dance-028.jpg)
17. Hat Dance
Originally called the Happy Sombrero when it opened in 1969 — and who doesn’t love a chipper hat? — what would eventually become known as Hat Dance was a direct response to Disneyland’s Mad Tea Party. Famed designer Wendall “Bud” Hurlbut, who led the creation of the park’s Calico Mine Ride, crafted exquisite Mexican flowerpots that were sporting cheery sombreros. We’re the flowers, more or less, and as we spin and twist amid folkloric motifs, the vibe is all silliness and positivity. It’s in Fiesta Village, which received a makeover in 2023, and Hat Dance looks as bright and inviting as it ever has.
![A view of La Revolucion at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/041a2fa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x2016+0+664/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F74%2F5a%2F4ade61bf4e31b757a255c327caeb%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-la-revolucion-032.jpg)
18. La Revolución
![The Supreme Scream at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4e8031f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x3780+0+126/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F89%2Fe2%2F2094abf345e99dbf14b48de58e2e%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-supreme-scream-048.jpg)
19. Supreme Scream
![The Dragon Swing at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c0003f0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x3780+0+126/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F45%2F5c%2F6ff8837a48da9d84a53ce14e81f0%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-dragon-swing-017.jpg)
20. Dragon Swing
![Sol Spin at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b0d397f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x2016+0+1008/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2F92%2F9fa6ab7347ea9448377562867a1b%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-sol-spin-045.jpg)
21. Sol Spin
From an art direction standpoint, Sol Spin aligns more closely with the Mayan-influenced temple of Jaguar! than the more colorful Alebrije designs found elsewhere in the land. From a thrill standpoint, some will debate the intensity levels of Sol Spin versus that of La Revolución, as each elevates guests six stories high and then rotates them. They both lean aggressive, as Sol Spin flips us a full 360 degrees but never quite approaches the sense of weightlessness of La Revolución.
A Times reporter once compared the attraction to looking and feeling like riding on a blender blade, and that’s the imagery that’s stuck with me. Perhaps that’s why the sight of Sol Spin has me instead turning around and heading to Cantina Del Sur for a frozen, blended adult beverage, where I can enjoy views of both the attractions and the Olvera Street-inspired dining area.
![A view of Los Voladores at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a58f26d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x3780+0+126/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd0%2Fdd%2Fce46ce4b4ba49d7c78b1dca5281d%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-los-voladores-036.jpg)
22. Los Voladores
![A view of Surfside Gliders at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a0276d8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2742x1828+0+914/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F43%2F1d%2F2a32ba8d41ec869833e5c4084c58%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-surfside-gliders-049.jpg)
23. Surfside Gliders
![A view of Linus Launcher at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1a08cfe/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2651x3314+0+110/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa9%2F0a%2F1de2b85e4fa996dd93cd3d953df1%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-linus-launcher-034.jpg)
24. Linus Launcher
![A view of the Flying Ace at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eeb02f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2720x3400+0+113/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F53%2F21%2F34eba19a4754a63ff9f667de0656%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-flying-ace-019.jpg)
25. Flying Ace
Kids will hop in mini-fighter jets, which can be led up or down, and circle Snoopy while he’s caught in his imagination above his dog house. Alas, I’m too tall to experience it now — the ride has a height maximum of 54 inches — but theme parks are for dreaming, and I like that Knott’s has a kiddie ride focused on those of Snoopy. Consider it also a conversation starter, a chance to discuss those fantastical childhood fantasies.
![Balloon Race at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8ac3efd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2146x2683+0+90/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2F84%2Fed8b99734e5c8c38c8c019e298f3%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-ballon-race-055.jpg)
26. Balloon Race
![A view of the Rapid River Run at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b631d31/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2271x1514+0+1363/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F61%2Fbf%2F3e50346242718bdfdc602bf07dbb%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-rapid-river-run-041.jpg)
27. Rapid River Run
![Pig Pen's Mud Buggies at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a68e453/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x3780+0+126/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6e%2Ff9%2F62f814464ff78ff2ea5c7265e312%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-pig-pens-mud-buggies-038.jpg)
28. Pig-Pen's Mud Buggies
![A view of the Charlie Brown's Kite Flyer at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2fb1028/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x3780+0+126/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2Fd9%2F1e252db6416a9f7b899984e1312b%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-charlie-browns-kite-flyer-012.jpg)
29. Charlie Brown's Kite Flyer
![A photograph of Coast Rider at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/50536b7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2204x1469+0+735/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F0c%2Fec62ba544f43bf2b702189102a76%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-coast-rider-015.jpg)
30. Coast Rider
Sadly, it’s just not very exciting. This steel attraction — known in the industry as a “wild mouse”-style coaster, a form once popular at smaller, regional parks — features single, tight-fitting cars that hang over a track filled with a number of quick turns. Goofy’s Sky School at Disneyland is another example of the form. Both are mildly entertaining diversions where the snugness of the vehicles can turn to discomfort by ride’s end.
![A view of Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7be2e65/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1825x1217+0+591/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F90%2F601e8179400c9d3d5370e9f83d4f%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-wheeler-dealer-bumper-cars-052.jpg)
31. Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars
![A view of the Pacific Scrambler at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9f2817e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1653x2066+0+69/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2Fb4%2F9c70928a49e5adb8e18252744510%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-pacific-scrambler-037.jpg)
32. Pacific Scrambler
![A view of Wipeout at Knott's Berry Farm.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e1420cb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2835x1890+0+357/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8f%2Fef%2Fb7fa0fbf47749ce541781671442a%2Fet-every-ride-at-knotts-berry-farm-wipeout-053.jpg)
32. Wipeout
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