Los Angeles Area Theme Park Adventures

Wooden Rollercoaster Standing Tall1

The Los Angeles area is scattered with fun-filled theme parks ideal for every age. There are four main parks in the area, all within fairly close proximity to Los Angeles itself. Disneyland Park, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain are jam-packed with excitment and adventure. From their towering and spine-tingling rollercoasters, to their eye-popping 3D shows and rip-roaring water rides, visitors will surely be captivated by the numerous attractions within each unique theme park.

DISNEYLAND PARK

Introduction
Disneyland Park opened its doors to the public in 1955 and to this day it continues to be a hot spot for tourists. Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company, this magical 55-acre (22.3-hectares) amusement park located within Disneyland Resort has attracted hundreds of millions of guests, making it the most-visited park in the world. With over 57 rides, countless dining destinations, shopping areas and accommodations, Disneyland Park is not only great for children, but an entertaining experience at anyage.

Attractions
Disneyland is divided into two different theme parks—the first is the original Disney theme park and the second is its sister park, Disney's California Adventure, which opened in February 2001. The two are further divided into several themed areas.The two parks and their feature areas are listed below with some of the exciting rides located within.

Accommodation
Travellers do not have to search far and wide for a place to rest overnight here. Located at the end of Downtown Disney and throughout The Disneyland Resort are sleeping accommodations like The Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.

Getting Here
The park is located in Anaheim, California, approximately 27 mi (43.5 km) from downtown Los Angeles. Disneyland is within driving distance of several Southern California airports. John Wayne Orange County Airport is the closest and has direct bus service to Disneyland. Local trains and buses also have routes to the park and usually prove to be a cheaper method of transportation due to high parking fees at the park.

Keep In Mind
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays tend to be the less busy days to visit. Also, late winter and early spring can be a good time to head to the park for those hoping to avoid the long lineups and crowds that pervade on weekends and during the summer months.

KNOTT'S BERRY FARM

Introduction
Knott's Berry Farm is the oldest theme park in North America, having opened its doors to the public in 1952. It started off, as the name suggests, as a berry farm, and grew into a well-acclaimed 160-acre (64.8-hectare) amusement park. There are plenty of things to see and do, including experiencing the rip-roaring rollercoasters, wet water rides and scenic railroads, or enjoying live entertainment, shopping or dining.

Attractions
The park consists of six different theme areas: The Boardwalk, Camp Snoopy, Fiesta Village, Ghost Town, Wild Water Wilderness and Indian Trails.

The Boardwalk
This section features the park's major thrill rides such as the Xcelerator, Riptide and Supreme Scream. The Supreme Scream, standing at 312 ft (95.1 m), is the tallest structure in all of Orange County.

Camp Snoopy
Camp Snoopy is based on the Peanut's comic strip and is aimed for younger audiences. Many of the rides are built specifically for children.

Fiesta Village
The Fiesta Village area features thrilling rides with Spanish California flair. Jump aboard the swaying Dragon Swing for an exciting voyage or hop on Jaguar!, a popular family rollercoaster. Other attractions include the Montezooma's Revenge thrill loop, a Hat Dance spin ride, lively music and authentic foods.

	Perilous Plunge at Knott's Berry Farm2

Ghost Town
Featuring 1880's Western memorabilia complete with cowboys, gunfights, a steam train and log fume, this section was once a real ghost town. It has now become a bustling Western adventure.

Wild Water Wilderness
Wild Water Wilderness visitors can get soaked on the Bigfoot Rapids ride. While aboard this fun-filled attraction, passengers race down man-made whitewater rapids.

Indian Trails
The Indian Trails area does not have any rides but entertainment and other attractions make this cultured theme area a fun learning experience. Visitors can enjoy impressive performances from First Nations dancers, view authentic shelters, shop for exquisite hand-made crafts or sample First Nations food like Navajo tacos and ears of corn roasted to perfection.

Accommodation
Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel is located on-site, making it a convenient place to stay for visitors who want to tour the park for more than one day. This hotel is also situated just 6 mi (9.7 km) north of Disneyland.

Getting Here
Situated in Buena Park on Beach Boulevard, Knott's is located just 30 minutes away from downtown Los Angeles. It is also only 10 minutes away from Disneyland Park.

Keep In Mind
Parking at Knott's will cost visitors an additional fee. However, there is free parking when visiting Chicken Dinner Restaurant, Knott's Market Place, Independence Hall and T.G.I. Fridays. Also keep in mind that for some outdoor water fun, Knott's Soak City is located just across Beach Boulevard.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Introduction
Universal Studios brings movies to life. Not only does it grab visitors attention with thrilling rides based on famous movies, but is also the largest motion picture studio in the world.

	An Encounter with Famous King Kong3

Attractions
There are countless exciting rides to board while visiting at Universal Studios. Jurassic Park: The Ride is a wild and thrilling water adventure. Passengers sit back and are surprised with raptors, spitters and a towering 70 ft (21.3 m) T-rex. For something equally exciting, there is Revenge of the Mommy: The Ride, a psychologically-thrilling rollercoaster that is complete with electrifying, hair-raising special effects and chilling twists.

The Shrek attraction offers fans an eye-popping, 4D adventure with effects so real it makes an encounter with the characters seem like the real thing. Animal lovers can take a look at Universal's Animal Actors, in which talented, furry-friends put on crowd-pleasing shows. There is also the Special Effects Stage for behind the scene secrets to famous movies like King Kong, The Mummy and The Klumps.

Accommodation
The Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City and the Sheraton University Hotel are both located within walking distance of the park.

Getting Here
Universal Studios is located between Los Angeles and Burbank in the unincorporated area of Universal City. The Metro Red Line train from downtown Los Angeles or Hollywood stops at Universal City. A complimentary shuttle, located across from the Metro station and bus stop, is provided for transportation to the Universal Studios. The shuttle runs every 10 to 15 minutes. Those traveling by car can take the Hollywood (101) Freeway north to the Universal Studios Boulevard off-ramp. Follow the signs up to the parking lot.

SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN

Introduction
This 260-acre (105.2 hectares) amusement park, which opened in 1971, features excitment for the whole family. There are over 100 rides, including fifteen thrilling roller coasters, four water rides and entertainment that will satisfy every age.

	Aboard a Racing Adventure4

Attractions
Magic Mountain features thrill rides, family rides and kids' rides. Rollercoasters such as Batman: The Ride, Tatsu, X, and Goliath will surely satisfy those who can handle the breakneck speeds and soaring heights. The tallest and fastest attraction in the world, Superman-The Escape is also located here.

Family fun rides include Roaring Rapids, Atom Smasher, Log Jammer, Sandblasters, Grinder Gearworks and plenty more. Magic Mountain also has many rides designed especially for children. These include a mini version of the popular rollercoaster Goliath, the Looney Tunes Lodge, Tweety's Escape, Granny Gran Pix and several others.

Accommodation
There are no accommodations situated in Six Flags Magic Mountain, however there are some that are within close range. The Hilton Garden Inn Valencia Six Flags is the closest, and the Best Western Valencia Inn and Courtyard Santa Clarita are located a few miles away from the park.

Getting here
Six Flags Magic Mountain is located in Valencia, California, about 30 mi (48.3 km) northwest of Los Angeles. The park is situated within driving distance of the Santa Clarita Station on Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line. A bus service is also available for transportation between the station and the park.

Keep In Mind
In addition to the rides, there is a wide variety of entertainment at the theme park, ranging from concerts and shows to street performers and parades.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

1. Wooden Rollercoaster Standing Tall
2. Perious Plunge at Knott's Berry Farm; Buena Park; CA
3. An Encounter with Famous King Kong; Universal Studios; CA
4. Aboard a Racing Adventure