Welcome!

Hello, family, friends, and anyone out there who loves the amusement parks of Northeastern Pennsylvania!

My name is Jessica. I have wanted to start a blog for awhile now, but the right topic never quite fell into my lap. I have many, many interests, but I wasn't sure if I was enough of an expert in any of them to blog about them. I also have a job that I love and am very good at, but, let's face it, I'd like this blog to be about something different than what brings in the bacon. I wanted this blog to be about something really FUN that I also consider myself an expert at. Then, finally, it hit me--what is my number one favorite thing to do that is nothing but pure fun? Going to the amusement parks of NEPA--Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Hersheypark and Knoebels.

I have been going to all three of these parks since I was a very young girl. The first one I attended was Hersheypark at the age of four, waaaay back in the year of 1989! Hersheypark is, naturally, located in Hershey, PA, and is only about twenty minutes from the state capital of Harrisburg. Back in 1989, Hersheypark had only three roller coasters. Today, the park boasts ELEVEN coasters, and has greatly expanded from it's beginnings in 1907, when it opened as a recreational area for Milton S. Hershey's chcolate factory workers. Going to the park at least once a year as a child--and multiple times a year as I grew into an adult--I watched as it became the park it is today. Despite all the changes, Hersheypark remains a great blend of heart-stopping rides and family favorites, and unique ambiance mixed with everything you'd normally expect from a typical amusement park. It is, and always will be, one of my favorites.

Not to say that I don't enjoy Knoebels Amusement Resort, as well! Knoebels, located in Elysburg, PA, was the second amusement park I ever attended. Sadly, I don't remember the exact year I first visited Knoebels, even though I know I was quite young. What I do remember is a small yet beautiful park that seemed to have sprung from the farmland and forest that it started as. Knoebels is privately owned, and has less attractions than your typical major theme park. However, Knoebels more than makes up for that with unique ambiance--a rustic, relaxed feeling that differs from any other amusement park I have ever been to. Just becasuse Knoebels is low-key, however, doesn't mean it doesn't pack in the screams! Knoebels has two major coasters that are both fairly famous, and a unique Haunted Mansion that has won several awards. Also, the food at Knoebels is regularly claimed to be the best amusement park food--in the COUNTRY. I will always have a soft spot for Knoebels!

I didn't go to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom until I was a little older. However, the park, which is located in Allentown, PA, immediately became a must-visit place every year. The park has had a long string of owners, but upon being bought by Cedar Fair several years back (that's the people who brought you Cedar Point, the roller coaster lovers' place of dreams come true), it really became a major player in the NEPA amusement park industry. Dorney Park smacks you with typical amusement park rides the second you walk in. It is filled with rip-roaring coasters and tons of mdiway rides. It also hosts many family rides, but the focus is really on the sceam-rippers here. Wildwater Kingdom is the water park that is included in Dorney's one-price plan, and it does not disappoint, putting many other local water attractions to shame. Dorney is a fast-paced rush of fun, and I feel empty if I don't visit it at least once a year.

Obviosuly, every one of these parks is different, and they all have their ups and downs, as well. I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to describing all that the amusement parks of NEPA have to see and do. However, keep reading this blog, and little by little, I will draw you into the heart of these parks. My goal is, with each enty, to take one aspect that all three parks share and tell you how they compare and contrast. I plan to cover everything, from rides to admission to the parks' restrooms! So sit back and get ready to delve deep into the heart of Dorney, Hershey and Knoebels...

...when I choose to write again.

Until then!