Ah, the fourth of July, the most American of holidays. I use the term "holiday" in it's secular form. This day isn't really "holy" it's much more important than that. This is the day designated as our country's birthday. The day the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.
My part of the Sherer family had to cancel larger vacation plans this summer due some other commitments, but I couldn't let Independence Day pass without celebrating. We chose to visit two amusement parks and take-in the day with tens-of-thousands of other Americans.
For those of you unfamiliar with it, Knott's Berry Farm is an amusement park. I guess it evolved from a working farm into a major park. It is famous for "inventing" the Boysenberry and for their fried-chicken (very crunchy, greasy, and delicious!). Like Disneyland or Magic Mountain, there are lots of exciting rides, but there are some notable differences. Knott's has it's own unique feel. There are more arcade booths, old-west style buildings and activities. And since it's not as well-known around the world, it attracts more local people than you might find at the other area parks.
You'll never see everything in one day, but if that's all you've got, don't be afraid to check-out this place. We liked the "Jaguar" which is a moderate roller-coaster that the whole family could ride. Years ago, when Ashton was five years old, we took her to Knott's and she really loved the "Camp Snoopy" section. It's completely designed for children. All sorts of rides and things that are just for them. They can pet animals, ride a pony, jump in a giant "Snoopy" or get lost in a huge ball-pit. There's a small ferris wheel and rides that are tot-friendly. This year, Ash felt too grown-up for some of the stuff, and she was too tall for the balls. But it's nice to have things to do that are designed for kids instead of just "acceptable" for kids.
But this wasn't all they had. There is a new wooden beast called "Ghost Rider" that every coaster-fan should ride. It's wicked-fast. And the curves are so tight and fast you'll feel like you're on the edge of flying off. There are several other coasters and big-kid rides, including one I'll never go near "Supreme Scream." This looks like a cross between a gravity drop and a bungie-jump. They take you up what looks like about a mile in the air and PUSH YOU DOWN (gravity wasn't enough!) Just before you splatter into the ground, the bungies kick in and you rocket back (and forth) into the air. UGH! Not for me, thanks. We were pleasantly surprised with the "Snoopy on Ice" performance and the "Totally Live" skateboard/bike/roller-blade exhibition. We didn't know about them in advance but they were both outstanding and shouldn't be missed. I was glad to see that they did away with the dolphin show. I get queasy seeing mammals perform in small shows like they used to have. It's better to see the dolphins in the ocean.
And then there's the fireworks. It was the fourth, so they put on a good show. It started late, nearly 10:30pm. At first, it was slow and not really choreographed to the music. They seemed to be shooting-off two of everything. But as the show went on, the number of effects increased and I'm not sure I've ever seen a bigger finale. Much fun. Very American.
Geez, I didn't write this as a promotion for Knott's, even though it sounds that way. We were looking for a way to have some fun, see some fireworks and be out and about. The Anaheim Angels were off in Oakland, so this seemed like a good idea. I think it was. If you have an extra day to spend in L.A. you should consider Knott's It's a couple of miles North of Disneyland, but a much different sort of adventure. Oh, by the way, we went to Disneyland too, see my next "thought" for that review.
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