Knoebels: A free-admission amusement park for the family
Learn more about Knoebels Amusement Resort, the independent, family-owned Pennsylvania park celebrating 100 years of free admission, classic rides and family traditions.
First opened in 1926, Knoebels Amusement Resort is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. The independent, family-owned Pennsylvania destination is the largest free-admission amusement park in the United States, allowing guests to enter without purchasing a traditional park ticket and pay only for the rides they choose.
Free parking, outside food and a mix of historic attractions add to its unusual appeal. With more than 100 rides and attractions, including more than 60 rides, Knoebels has grown into a nationally recognized destination while retaining the relaxed atmosphere of a traditional amusement grove.
The resort features a water park, a golf course, a campsite, and an amusement park with six roller coasters. Despite a humble entrance gate and gravel lot-style area to walk through, the park boasts more than 1 million visitors per year.
Photo courtesy of Knoebels Amusement Resort
Originally published April 2025, updated by Dani Meyering July 2026.
Rides at Knoebels
Individual rides generally cost between $2 and $6, with guests paying through ticket books. The park offers attractions for a wide range of ages and thrill levels, although height and accessibility requirements vary by ride.
The park is perhaps best known among amusement park enthusiasts for its older and more unique selection of rides, including a trackless wooden bobsled coaster (Flying Turns), a “hamster wheel” flat ride (Looper), an extra-large centrifuge (Super Round-Up), and a carousel with a mid-ride ring toss element (Grand Carousel).
Photo courtesy of Knoebels Amusement Resort
The most famous of the park’s coasters, however, is Phoenix. A wooden coaster built in Texas in 1947, it was relocated to Pennsylvania and refurbished in 1985. Phoenix won a #1 Wooden Coaster award from Amusement Today in 2018, and remains one of the best wooden coasters for airtime in existence.
Other attractions
Knoebels also includes multiple walkthrough attractions, including a carousel museum, a mining museum, and a park history museum, which includes old ride memorabilia and the history of the park’s land going back to 1828.
Photo courtesy of Knoebels Amusement Resort
Knoebels is located in Elysburg, Penn., about an hour north of Harrisburg. It is the largest attraction in the area, and is neatly settled in the mountains along with its connected park sections.
Knoebels mourns longtime leader Dick Knoebel
Knoebels Amusement Resort is mourning the death of Richard “Dick” Knoebel, the third-generation family leader who helped shape the Pennsylvania park into the destination guests know today. Knoebel, who was 87, served as park president from 1988 until becoming president emeritus in 2025.
During nearly four decades of leadership, Knoebel guided significant growth while protecting the traditions that distinguish the family-owned resort, including free admission, free parking and its collection of historic attractions. His legacy includes landmark projects such as the Phoenix wooden roller coaster and the ambitious Flying Turns, reflecting what the park described as his refusal to accept that something could not be done.
His death comes as Knoebels celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026. The park remains the largest free-admission amusement park in the United States, serving as a lasting reflection of Knoebel’s commitment to preserving its history while finding new ways for families to make memories.
To learn more about Knoebels or to check the park’s schedule, visit its website.
Check out the video below to learn more about Holiday World, another independent park like Knoebels.
More Attractions Magazine stories:
Follow us:
No matter where you want to go, our trusted partner MEI-Travel will handle the planning so you can focus on the memories. They offer free vacation-planning services and have nearly 20 years of experience creating memorable vacations. Visit MEI-Travel for a fee-free, no-obligation quote today.
