Building on Boysenberry: America’s First Theme Park Started as a Farm
- Vanessa Orr
- Jul 31
- 4 min read
When Walter and Cordelia Knott first moved their family to the Southern California town of Buena Park in 1920, they opened a small farm stand to sell rhubarb, asparagus, and berry preserves and pies to their neighbors. As they developed a local following, the couple added fried chicken to the menu—and the lines got a lot longer. To keep customers amused, they opened a “ghost town” on their property… and today, their “farm” attracts more than 5 million people a year.
Known as America’s first theme park, Knott’s Berry Farm welcomes families from around the world to enjoy its rides, nostalgic charm, and—of course—fried chicken and boysenberry products. The 57-acre property has also grown to include the seasonal Knott’s Soak City Waterpark and Knott’s Hotel.
Walking through the park, it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular place. There’s something for everyone in its four themed areas—whether you want a gentle hug from your favorite Peanuts character or want to hang on for dear life while flying upside down on a roller coaster!
Camp Snoopy, the first-ever theme park area designed just for kids, is home to Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts characters and mimics a day at summer camp in the California High Sierras. Kids and parents can ride a family-friendly roller coaster, swing on a giant swing, and become full-fledged Beagle Scouts while hanging out with their favorite life-sized fuzzy characters.
For those looking for a bigger thrill, the Boardwalk area is home to California’s first dive coaster, HangTime, and the Xcelerator, which goes from zero to 80 m.p.h. in just 2.3 seconds. The area is also filled with games of skill, tasty places to eat, and cool nostalgic buildings that pay tribute to the Southern California beach lifestyle. Photo ops abound for those wanting to “hang ten” in front of a 1950s-style gas station or pose under an Art Deco marquee.
Fiesta Village pays tribute to California’s Hispanic roots through its Mexican-style architecture, food, and impressive works of art. Thrill-seekers will appreciate Montezooma’s Revenge®, a shuttle coaster that sends riders forward and backward through a looped track; La Revolución, which swings riders 64 feet in the air; and Sol Spin, which rotates guests in all directions in one of six spinning, floorless gondolas. (Probably best to wait to enjoy the funnel cakes and birria tacos until after experiencing those rides.)
The park is still home to an authentic 1800s Ghost Town, which features old-timey amusements. Families can take an ore car through the cavernous Calico Mine or hop on the Rio Grande Southern steam engine for a tour of the park. The Ghost Town also includes a working saloon and a pastry-filled bakery for parents who may need a little pick-me-up during the day.
Speaking of food and drink, my recent trip to the park introduced me to a truly unique part of its history that is still showcased today. While Cordelia Knott was renowned for her fruit-filled pies, the boysenberry fruit itself was developed by her husband, Walter—and every boysenberry in the world can be traced back to the couple’s berry farm.
A cross between a red raspberry, blackberry, and loganberry, the boysenberry was first propagated by Rudolph Boysen (thus the name), who later abandoned his creation. Knott started growing the fruit, and by 1934, the berries proved more popular than anything he’d grown before. People came from across the country to try the unique fruit.
Today, there is no shortage of opportunities to sample boysenberries at the park, as it comes in almost every form imaginable. A group of us enjoyed everything from boysenberry margaritas from Cantina del Sur in Fiesta Village to boysenberry cream soda from the Calico Saloon, boysenberry-stuffed churros, boysenberry cookiewiches from ICEE Mix-It-Up & Ice Cream, boysenberry caramels from Ghost Town Candy, and boysenberry fruit tarts from Ghost Town Bakery. Needless to say, we chose not to go on some of the park’s more stomach-churning rides after eating!
This boysenberry theme is carried throughout the park’s other properties as well. Waking up in the Knott’s Hotel, guests can enjoy a shower with boysenberry shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Lunch or dinner at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant not only offers massive servings of this Southern favorite, but also boysenberry martinis, spritzers, mojitos, mimosas, and old-fashioneds. The park’s California Marketplace offers many opportunities to buy boysenberry products, and there’s even a month-long Boysenberry Festival, now celebrating its 10th year.
Despite enjoying so much boysenberry deliciousness, a stay in Buena Park calls for at least one more stop for food outside of the farm: the insanely popular Porto’s Bakery & Café on Beach Blvd. Don’t be afraid of the lines out front—the bakery’s super-efficient staff keeps it moving, and there’s even a person inside directing visitors since there are so many options!
This beloved restaurant has six locations in California, and it’s no surprise that it’s a Golden State favorite. The bakery was started by Rosa and Raul Porto, Sr., who emigrated from Cuba in 1971 with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Rosa began selling cakes out of their home while Raul Sr. worked at a bakery; by 1976, the couple owned their first storefront, and their three children also became part of the business.
Voted number one on Yelp’s “Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S.,” the bakery is known for Cuban cakes and pastries, as well as its signature cheese rolls, refugiados (guava and cheese strudels), and the famous Potato Ball®, among many other international sweet and savory items. The good news? Even if you’re not visiting California anytime soon, you can still order from the restaurant—they ship nationwide.
To learn more about Buena Park, CA, and all things boysenberry, check out www.visitbuenapark.com.