Negative-G - Knoebels Amusement Resort 2014

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Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pennsylvania

Knoebels Amusement Resort is Elysburg, Pennsylvania is one of my favorite places on the planet. Unfortunately when we moved back to Illinois the park is too far away for a weekend trip. As a result it has been a decade since this park last saw our shadows. While planning our trip east this year to attend a wedding in Montreal and spending half a week out in Connecticut visiting a friend it was easy to work a stop over at Knoebels on the way back home.

Knoebels is like stepping back in time to 1960. There is no gate, no admission cost. Instead you pay for rides with tickets, unless you visit early in the season like we did when Knoebels offers a pay one price wristband. The park is full of classic rides, wonderful atmosphere and they have no problem running up the flag and showing their pride in this country and all of those who have served. Knoebels is an awesome sliver of Americana and a great place to spend a day.

As a place for people to have fun, Knoebels roots goes back to a simple swimming hole that locals used to spend hot summer days at. In 1926 due to the popularity of their property the Knoebel family added a restaurant, a carousel and a concrete swimming hole and what would eventually become heaven to classic ride enthusiasts was born. Today the Crystal Pool carries on Knoebels swimming hole tradition.

I have to say that as my first non-fall visit to Knoebels I was looking forward to taking a dip but with a really cool spring we decided to skip the swimming. As you can see we were not the only ones who thought it too cold to go for a swim.

The sound of running water is really relaxing and with Roaring Creek running through Knoebels you can't go far without hearing its mesmerizing tone.

In this part of Pennsylvania covered bridges dot the landscape and Knoebels is no exception. There are several covered bridges on site including this one in the center of the park which has beams that date back to 1865. The historian and engineer in me really appreciates anything that was built almost a century and a half earlier that still functions today. If you are going to build something you might as well build it right. Sadly in this day and age of everything is disposable what is going to still be operating in a century?