When is the best time to visit Knott’s Berry Farm?
Dubbed “America’s First Theme Park,” Knott’s is just a few minutes away from Disneyland and is one of the most popular destinations in Orange County, California, with more than 3 million visitors every year. The park, which opened in 1940, is open year-round and features over 40 rides, including 10 roller coasters.
So, when is Knott’s Berry Farm least crowded? Here are some of the best and worst times of the year to visit the park.
January
New Year’s Day – Some of the holiday season crowds are still around during the first week of the new year. After that though, crowds are very light on weekdays and weekends aren’t too bad either.
MLK Weekend – The park gets busier on the Saturday and Sunday of the 3-day holiday weekend. Crowds on Martin Luther King Jr. Day itself are usually manageable.
February
Presidents Day – Crowds traditionally pick up for the holiday weekend. The rest of February is pretty quiet, especially weekdays. Attendance is usually highest on Saturdays.
March – April
Spring Break – Knott’s gets crowded for Spring Break on the last week of March, as well as the week before Easter and the week of Easter. That’s when many schools in the area are off, so be prepared for it to be busier during these times.
May
Memorial Day Weekend – The holiday weekend marks the start of the summer season as schools start to get out. That Saturday and Sunday is usually very busy.
June
Summer Season – Aim for going on the first couple weeks of June if you can, as crowds are usually manageable early in the month. By mid-June, most schools are out for the summer and it starts to get crowded even on weekdays.
July
4th of July Weekend – The summer crowds are out in full force in all of July. Knott’s Berry Farm is typically crowded throughout the month, including on the 4th of July. Weekdays would be your best bet for shorter lines.
August
Summer Season – The summer crowds start to die down in August. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are still busy early in the month. Weekdays on the last two weeks of August is one of the best times of the year to go, as hours are still extended, but most of the summer crowds are gone.
September
Labor Day Weekend – The crowds are back on the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. Labor Day itself typically isn’t too crowded.
October
Halloween Haunt – Shorter hours for the Haunt event in the evening mean minimal crowds during the day. Crowds on the weekdays are very light.
Check out our Knott’s Scary Farm guide for the best days to go to Halloween Haunt.
November
Veterans Day Weekend – Crowds pick up for the holiday weekend. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (Veterans Day) are usually packed.
Thanksgiving Week – The bulk of the Thanksgiving crowds arrive after the holiday, on Black Friday and Saturday. The days before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Day itself are usually manageable.
December
Holiday Season – Be prepared for the park to get busier on the last two weeks of December, as the big holiday season crowds arrive on the week of Christmas through New Year’s Eve. Christmas Eve is usually manageable, though. Knott’s is closed on Christmas Day.
New Year’s Eve – Knott’s is traditionally packed for New Year’s Eve, so try to get there early.
For crowd predictions of upcoming dates, as well as historical crowd ratings, check out the Knott’s Berry Farm Crowd Calendar.
For live crowd updates and conditions at the park, check out the Knott’s Berry Farm Crowd Tracker.
When do you think is the best time of the year to go to Knott’s Berry Farm? How crowded was it when you visited?
Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Weekdays during Knott;s Scary Farm are usually very quiet. Best time to go! I usually do the park during the day and come back at night for the event. But I was able to do both Haunt and all rides early one night. But it must be one of the first nights of Haunt like a Wed or Thu.
Will Knotts be very crowded on June 21, 2014? and what about on Monday the 23?
I’d be prepared for Knott’s to be very busy on June 21 since it’s a Saturday. Monday should be more manageable.
Will knotts be packed on Thursday the 3rd?
I’d be prepared for it to be crowded. The summer crowds should be out on weekdays. Get there early!
Ok thanks! I’m going with my friend and her brother. We wanted to be prepared. Thanks again!
will knotts be crowded on july 16? what about 18?
I think it will be busy on those days since it’s still the summer season. It should definitely be more manageable than the weekends though. Get there early!
We plan to visit Knotts on Tuesday July 22nd. Would it be a good idea to buy Fast Lane passes or should the crowds be bearable on that day?
The summer crowds should still be out next week, so I’d be prepared for it to be busy. It might be bearable though since it’s a weekday, so I’d just wait until you get there to see what the lines are like before buying Fast Lane or not.