Knott's Berry Farm started because Cordelia Knott was a good a cook. When she started selling her fried chicken to supplement the Knotts family income in 1934, it was an instant success. The next thing they knew, customers were standing in line outside their door. Walter Knott wanted to entertain them, so he added a few Old West-themed attractions. Over the next 60 years, the park grew, and in 1997, the family sold out to Cedar Fair, a theme park management company. The Knotts would hardly recognize their place today, with over 165 rides and some of the wildest thrill rides on the West Coast.

Knott's Berry Farm is divided into six themed areas spread over 150 acres, and size that's easily walkable. You'll find 38 major rides at the park. Seven are extreme thrill rides, most of them in the Boardwalk area. They include GhostRider, with the longest banked wooden coaster drop in the Western United States. Camp Snoopy is the place to go with smaller children, but you'll find things they like in other areas, too.