Knott’s Berry Farm is America’s very first theme park. Today, guests enjoy dozens of rides, shows, and attractions in four themed areas that include Old West Ghost Town and the beloved Camp Snoopy.

All ages love this Buena Park attraction, and discount Knott’s Berry Farm tickets leaves more space in the wallet to enjoy the famous boysenberry pie. I’ll share the best places to buy them along with other very important tips for your visit.

Knott’s Berry Farm Ticket & Entry Tips

Please note the below before buying Knott’s Berry Farm tickets — especially the new chaperone policy.

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CHECK KNOTT’S BERRY FARM HOURS

Before you visit Knott’s Berry Farm, check open dates and hours.

Knott’s Berry Farm is open year-round except on Christmas Day. Knott’s Soak City Water Park is open seasonally. Hours of operation at both parks can vary.

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KNOTT’S BERRY FARM PRICES AT THE GATE

At-the-gate ticket pricing varies by the day of the year. Knotts Berry Farm gate prices are often around $99, however, this price can change depending on the date. Knott’s Soak City gate prices are typically around $70 at the gate.

For Knotts Scary Farm, gate prices average around $109.99 per person.

You may also buy a “Fast Lane” wristband online starting at $74, separately from an admission ticket. You may also buy a Season Pass Fast Lane for the 2024 season starting at $675.

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READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Read all terms and conditions before purchasing Knott’s Berry Farm tickets. Ensure they do not expire before your visit, and check refund or transfer policies.

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NO KNOTT’S BERRY FARM RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED

You no longer need to make Knott’s Berry Farm reservations before arriving at the park. However, tickets purchased through Knotts.com and other authorized ticket sellers are date-specific. So, you’ll need to know when you are going, depending on who you purchase from. However, if using option #1 below on our list of discounted ticket options, you can go any day within a year of purchasing the ticket.

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Knott’s Berry Farm Parking Price

Note that when purchased online, Knott’s parking price is currently $30 per car. If you are driving a bus or RV, parking costs $35. And it’s $50 per car for preferred parking. Parking lots open one hour before the park opens.

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Included annual events

Knott’s Berry Farm hosts several annual events that are included in the price of admission.

  • Peanuts Celebration
  • Boysenberry Festival
  • Summer at Knott’s (including Knott’s Summer Nights on select dates)
  • Knott’s Spooky Farm
  • Knott’s Merry Farm

Knott’s Scary Farm requires a separate ticket, which can also be purchased at a discount.

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Only Cashless Transactions

The only modes of payment accepted are cashless, such as Apple Pay and credit cards. If you bring cash, you must use one of their onsite kiosks to convert it to cashless.

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Chaperone Policy

A new chaperone policy is in effect until further notice (and is subject to change). The park may add other weekdays as necessary. You can keep up with the details, but here is the gist.

  • All guests aged 15 and older must be accompanied by a chaperone of at least 21 years old to be admitted to the park.
  • The chaperone must present a valid photo ID showing the date of birth.
  • One chaperone can accompany no more than ten guests ages 15 or younger per day.
  • Chaperones must be with their group during entry and stay inside the park during their entire visit.
  • Chaperones must be available by phone throughout their stay.
  • Guests ages 15 years old or younger who are found inside the park unaccompanied by a chaperone will be subject to ejection.

These rules apply to all Knott’s Berry Farm, Knott’s Scary Farm, and Soak City Waterpark ticket and season pass holders.

A tame Camp Snoopy ride kids can enjoy with Knott's Berry Farm discount tickets.
Photo courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm

Through my affiliations, you can save on tickets, tours, and hotels. I may be compensated if you purchase through some links in this post—our editorial guidelines.

1. Knott’s Berry Farm Discount Tickets: 1-Day & 2-Day

aRes Travel is a San Diego-based, authorized ticket seller to major California attractions. They offer a myriad of ways to buy Knott’s Berry Farm discount tickets and tickets to other famous attractions such as San Diego Zoo, LEGOLAND California (promo code LEGO), and Disneyland (promo code SAVE5 on multi-day tickets).

aRes Travel charges a $2 convenience fee per ticket, but you will still likely come out ahead. When it comes to Knott’s Berry Farm and other Cedar Fair parks, we now have to send you the discounted price and purchasing instructions by text or email going forward. Trust me, it will be worth the extra step to save BIG.


2. Knott’s Berry Farm Vacation Packages

You can bundle tickets and a hotel stay in a vacation package to save up to 20%. Look out for price drop alerts that offer extra savings.


3. Go City San Diego Sightseeing Pass

The Go City San Diego pass saves up to 50% off of admission to nearly 45 top San Diego attractions and other Southern California attractions, including Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City, in three simple steps:

  1. Choose the pass option that best suits you (you can buy an All-inclusive pass or Explorer pass) and buy your pass in advance.
  2. Get your pass on a mobile device or print it at home.
  3. Show the pass at any eligible attraction, and you’re in for free.

The passes are available in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7-day options, each at different prices. Make sure the attractions you’d like to visit are listed on the option you buy.

This is by far the most popular discounted, bundled San Diego attractions pass as it does include a couple of Orange County and Los Angeles attractions, too.

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TWO WAYS TO SAVE ON GO CITY SAN DIEGO

Use promo code LAJOLLAMOM10 to apply an extra 10% off ALL Go San Diego sightseeing passes when you buy through Go City through April 30, 2024! This discount stacks on top of sale rates! Also, check aResTravel, where All-Inclusive and Explorer Passes are currently cheaper.

(Pass has limited value for families at many attractions during Kids Free October in San Diego — we recommend individual tickets during this timeframe instead.)


4. Go City Los Angeles Sightseeing Pass

The Go Los Angeles pass works like the Go San Diego pass mentioned above. This pass, however, includes some famous theme parks in Orange County and San Diego, too.

Go Los Angeles All-Inclusive Pass Theme Parks

  • Knott’s Berry Farm
  • Universal Studios Hollywood (3, 4, 5, 7-day pass only)
  • Six Flags Magic Mountain
  • San Diego Zoo
  • LEGOLAND California

Take advantage of my extra 5% discount on this pass as well!

EXCLUSIVE LA JOLLA MOM DISCOUNT

Use promo code GOLA5LJM to apply an extra 5% off ALL Go City Los Angeles sightseeing passes! This discount stacks on top of sale rates!

(Pass has limited value for families in San Diego during Kids Free October — we recommend individual tickets instead during this timeframe. See promotional terms and conditions.)

See also: 9 Go Los Angeles Pass Benefits For Sightseeing

Guests ride the Ghost Rider roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm.
Photo courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm

5. Knott’s Berry Farm Bring a Friend Tickets

Know a Seasons Passholder? Season Passholders can buy up to 4 Bring-A-Friend tickets for a discounted rate starting at $49.99 and receive 1 FREE Bring-A-Friend pass (restrictions apply).

Typically, these Bring-A-Friend Days happen every year and are announced in advance.


6. Military Discounts Every Day

United States Servicemen and women with valid military IDs may purchase Knott’s Berry Farm Regular admission tickets online, starting at $58.99.

Note that the aRes Travel discount tickets will cost less money on peak dates.

In the past, the park has also scheduled Military Tribute Days, offering admission at an even lower price for military families. Keep an eye out for these events.


7. Costco Discount Tickets

Costco used to sell discounted tickets for Knott’s Berry Farm and other theme parks but has since transitioned to theme park vacation packages. At this time, we do not see any packages for Buena Park.

However, it doesn’t hurt to check your local Costco store to see if they’re selling tickets or gift cards that may cover some or all of the cost of your visit. I check mine all the time, and I haven’t seen any recently.


8. AAA Knott’s Berry Farm Discount

Occasionally, Knott’s Berry Farm tickets will be sold through AAA at a discounted rate. Check with your local AAA to see if there are discounts available. Or check online through Knotts directly to receive discounts on regular admission tickets and a discount on regular admission tickets at Knott’s Soak City Waterpark.

Use cheap Knott's Berry Farm tickets to enjoy roller coasters like the group in this photo.
Photo courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm

9. Group Discounts (Online Only)

Single-day admission discounted tickets for groups of 15 or more are available for purchase on the Knott’s Berry Farm website (online only), starting at $61.99 (Depending on the day you choose to go as a group, aRes Travel’s discount is lower). Special Groups Birthday Packages start at $79.99, Knott’s Soak City group prices start at $47.99, and Knott’s Scary Farm Group Group Admission started at $54.99 in 2023.


10. Knott’s Berry Farm Annual Pass Options

How much is a season pass to Knott’s Berry Farm? Annual passes to Knott’s Berry Farm for the 2024 season are:

  • $130 for the regular Season Pass
  • $155 for the Gold Season Pass (includes Knott’s Soak City Waterpark)
  • $399 for the Platinum Season Pass (entitles the pass holder to free parking and access to other Cedar Fair parks across the country)

You may also add on All Season Dining, Drink Plan, FunPix, Parking, Locker Rentals, and Seasons Pass Fast Lane.

Season passes may be an attractive option even for Los Angeles or San Diego residents who intend to visit the park multiple times yearly. It’s estimated that you need to visit the park twice to get your money’s worth.

I have not seen a Knott’s Berry Farm season pass promo code, but if one becomes available, I will let you know.


See also: How to Buy San Diego Zoo Safari Park Discount Tickets

Knott’s Berry Farm Fast Lane Tickets (Skip Lines)

If you take advantage of the Knott’s Berry Farm Fast Lane pass, you’ll need to buy it online to add to your admission ticket, starting at $74. Knott’s also sells Fast Lane Season Passes. You can now purchase them for 2024 at $675.

A Fast Lane wristband gives you priority boarding on select rides, including GhostRider, Timber Mountain Log Ride, Voyage to the Iron Reef, Silver Bullet, and more.

It is not available every day, so be sure to check the Fast Lane calendar. You’ll need an admission pass in addition to the Fast Lane pass.


Knott’s Berry Farm History

As someone who grew up going to this California theme park, I believe its start is part of what makes it unique. Walter and Cordelia Knott moved to Buena Park in the 1920s to farm 20 acres of rented land. Through ups and downs that included crops ruined by frost and the Great Depression, by 1928, they built a tea room, grocery, and nursery—on 20 acres of land that the family eventually could purchase.

Anaheim Parks Superintendent Rudolph Boysen created a new strain of berry, but the plants kept dying on the vine. Walter rejuvenated the struggling plants and named the new berry—a cross between a loganberry, red raspberry, and blackberry—after Boysen. This means that all boysenberries can trace their roots to Knott’s Berry Farm.

Cordelia began selling jams and jellies from the boysenberries, eventually leading to home-baked pies, hot biscuits, and sandwiches. Then, on a night in June 1934, Cordelia served eight fried chicken dinners on her wedding china. The cost was 65 cents each, and the world’s largest chicken dinner restaurant was born. You can still dine at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant inside Knott’s Berry Farm, which serves more than 1.5 million guests annually.

By 1940, the restaurant served as many as 4,000 dinners on Sunday evenings. To give customers something to do, Walter built a Ghost Town (one of the current Knott’s Berry Farm-themed areas) by bringing in other buildings from deserted ghost towns. Over the years, more themed areas and rides were added.

Following the passing of founders Walter and Cordelia Knott, their children sold the park in the 1990s to current owners, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, which operates amusement parks across the country. In 1999, Cedar Fair expanded Knott’s Berry Farm by adding a water park called Knott’s Soak City.

A staff member in costume in the Ghost Town role plays with a little girl in a cowboy hat at Knott's Berry Farm.
Ghost Town Alive (Photo courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm)

FAQs About Visiting Knott’s Berry Farm

What city is Knott’s Berry Farm located in?

The amusement park is located in Buena Park in Orange County, California.

How much does a regular day ticket cost at Knott’s Berry Farm?

A regular single-day pass for adults costs $99 at the gate. For juniors and seniors, the gate price of a regular day ticket costs the same at the time of this writing. This price applies to ages 3+.

What other kinds of tickets are available at Knott’s Berry Farm?

Aside from general admission, you can add All Day Dining and Fast Lane to your tickets. Season passes are available, too. 

Where can I find the Knott’s Berry Farm Bring-A-Friend Day calendar?

Knott’s Season Passholders could bring a friend at a discounted price, starting at $49.99 per person (for up to four people). Select days may apply!

How much does parking cost?

Knott’s Berry Farm parking costs $30 for regular cars and motorcycles. Parking for buses and RVs costs $35. Preferred parking is $50 per vehicle. You can purchase your parking pass online in advance. Prices for event parking may differ.

What time does Knott’s Berry Farm open?

The park usually opens at 9 or 10 a.m., but Knott’s Berry Farm hours vary according to the time of year. Check the calendar before you go.

What time does the park close? 

The park has different closing hours depending on the season and holidays. In the height of summer, during July and August, the park usually stays open until 10 or 11 p.m., and during certain holidays like Halloween, the park will stay open as late as 2 a.m. During certain times of the year or week, the park sometimes closes on the earlier side, such as 5 or 6 pm. Check the park’s calendar for exact details. 

Can you bring food into the park? 

No. The park does not admit food from outside unless it is unopened water, baby food, or meals for guests with special dietary restrictions.  

Can you bring a backpack to the park?

Yes, backpacks are allowed but may be subject to search. The park also offers lockers for rent in the Ghost Town section of the park. 

Is the park accessible?

Yes, the park has several features to help guests with varying needs. The park offers a Boarding Pass Program, which allows guests with mobility restrictions or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to access rides safely.

The park also has manual and electric wheelchairs available for rental. Service animals are allowed in the park but not on most rides or in the water park. 

What are some things to do at Knott’s Berry Farm?

The 160-acre park has four themed areas with rides and attractions galore. There are thrill rides for the adventure seekers in the family and kiddie rides for younger guests.

The park also features classic rides and attractions, including a Ferris wheel, swings, bumper cars, and a merry-go-round — perfect for the whole family to enjoy. 

GhostRider is a favorite at the park, as it’s the fastest and tallest wooden coaster on the West Coast. Then there’s the fastest ride at the park, Xcelerator The Ride®, which rockets you from 0 to 82 mph in just 2.3 seconds.

The Timber Mountain Log Ride and Calico Mine Ride are family-friendly favorites, while the rides in Snoopy Camp are great for the little ones. 

What kind of eateries are at Knott’s Berry Farm?

The theme park offers more than 50 dining options. Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant is easily the most popular eatery at the park, where you can order a classic chicken dinner with boysenberry pie or sherbet for dessert.

The park also offers various eateries serving anything from pizza and burgers to hot dogs and barbecue. You will also find food stands with sweet treats like funnel cakes, pies, ice cream, and more. 

What is Knott’s Scary Farm?

Knott’s Scary Farm is a Halloween event that transforms Knott’s Berry Farm into a spooky haunted park with scare zones and mazes.

The rides are decked out in hair-raising themes while the park staff roams around dressed as monsters. It’s considered one of the longest-running Halloween events at a theme park. I went every season as a teenager!

When does Knott’s Scary Farm start?

Knott’s Scary Farm begins in mid-September and goes through early November. The attraction is usually open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. 

What is Knott’s Soak City Water Park?

Soak City is the 15-acre water park next to Knott’s Berry Farm. It has 23 water slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, and a three-story beach house. Visitors will need to purchase separate admission to visit this attraction. 

When does Knott’s Soak City open for the season?

Soak City is open seasonally from mid-May to mid-September. 

What are some things to do near Knott’s Berry Farm? 

If you’re looking for more family fun, you’ll find Disneyland Resort just minutes away. There are also exciting dinner theaters nearby, such as Medieval Times, which takes place in a castle-themed arena, and Pirates Dinner Adventure, which plays out on a replica 18th-century ship. 

How far is Knott’s Berry Farm from San Diego?

Knott’s Berry Farm is 100 miles from San Diego (downtown). Without traffic, the drive should take about 90 minutes.

You can also take the 2.5-hour Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train from San Diego to Anaheim Artic Station. Then, hop into an Uber for the 15-minute ride to the park.

How far is Knott’s Berry Farm from Disneyland?

Knott’s Berry Farm is less than 7 miles from Disneyland. The drive is completely on surface streets and should take less than 10 minutes. This is why many families traveling to California visit both theme parks on the same trip.

Is there a Knott’s Scary Farm Discount?

Those looking to attend Knott’s Scary Farm, Southern California’s largest (and scariest) Halloween Event, can buy tickets online to save on front gate prices. There are also military discounts available for active members and veterans.

In the past, these special military discounts have allowed American heroes to save up to $44 on Knott’s Scary Farm tickets. Season Passholders can save an extra $5 by purchasing tickets online. 

For guests wanting to extend their stay at this popular fright-fest, numerous special offers and hotel packages are available to make your visit as convenient, cheap, and stress-free as possible. 

Is there a Knott’s Berry Farm Student Discount?

Knott’s Berry Farm is not currently offering student discounts to students looking to purchase individual tickets to the theme park. However, there are student and youth program packages available that are perfect for field trips or school-led trips to the park.

If you are looking for learning experiences outside of the classroom, Knott’s Berry Farm offers educational field trips that coincide with a state-approved curriculum. 

Is there a Knott’s Berry Farm Teacher Discount?

Although no regular teacher discount is available on the Knott’s Berry Farm website, visitors should regularly check back in for updated discounts and deals. 

Can I Use American Express Membership Rewards to Buy Tickets?

I am an AMEX platinum cardholder. Other sites advertise this, but I have never personally seen the ability to buy Knott’s Berry Farm tickets through Membership Rewards or other cheap theme park tickets.

I also check Chase Ultimate Rewards periodically and have not seen any Knott’s Berry Farm ticket deals there either.

See also how to buy discounted tickets to:

How do you buy Knott’s Berry Farm discount tickets?

Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).

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6 Comments

  1. Would love Knott’s Berry Farm Discount link for single day tickets. Not sure how to text you. Can’t find your number.