If you are on a budget (and what family isn’t on a budget these days) then a great idea for a family vacation is Knoebel’s Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA. It is the country’s largest free admission amusement park and is a very cost effective way to bring your family to an amusement park.

Just because the park is a free admission park doesn’t mean it has boring rides. On the contrary, some of the best amusement park rides in the country can be found at Knoebel’s. The Phoenix is a wooden roller coaster that has been featured in television shows on the best roller coasters in the country. The Haunted Mansion (or Haunted House) has been named as one of the best dark rides in the country for years. The Bumper Cars were recognized as the best in the country several years back in Parade magazine. And the food at the park is award winning.

You have two options for paying to ride the rides. You can purchase a hand stamp (available most weekdays) where you can ride the rides as many times as you want or you can purchase tickets and pay for each ride as you go. Each ride has a value – the children’s rides are cheaper than the roller coasters, for example. No matter what option you pick, if you want to go on the skyride, use the pool or go into the Haunted Mansion you must pay for those attractions with tickets.

You can bring food to picnic at the park because there are many different picnic pavilions where you can eat. You don’t have to sneak your food into the park here – many families bring their coolers with them in wagons to save money.

Knoebel’s is located in Elysburg, PA. It is about 2.75 hours away from Philadelphia, 3 hours from New York City and 4.25 hours from Pittsburgh.