Knott's Berry Farm

Knott's Berry Farm is the oldest theme park in the United States, and the only major American park that began as an actual farm. The Ghost Town section, built in the 1940s with relocated buildings from genuine California mining towns, is still the heart of the place and worth a visit even for people who don't ride coasters. Pan for fool's gold, watch the staged stagecoach robbery, and ride the narrow-gauge train pulled by restored 1880s steam locomotives.

For thrill-seekers, the park has one of the best collections of roller coasters on the west coast: Silver Bullet, GhostRider (a wooden coaster), Xcelerator (0 to 82 mph in 2.3 seconds), and HangTime among them. Camp Snoopy caters to younger children, and the seasonal Knott's Scary Farm in October is one of the largest Halloween events in the country. The park is open year-round; arrive early on weekends to beat the queues.

things to do sight
A story
Walter Knott started selling boysenberry pies and fried chicken dinners from a roadside stand in the 1920s. The line to eat at his wife Cordelia's restaurant grew so long during the Depression that he built a fake Ghost Town next door to entertain the waiting customers — and accidentally invented the modern American theme park.