Knott's Soak City Travel Guide

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Knott’s Soak City in Buena Park is officially open for the summer! It may not be the biggest water park in town, but it’s jammed packed with some of the best waterslides in Southern California. With the recent addition of 2 new water slide towers with 7 new water slides, visitors are bound to have fun all summer long.

Waterslides at Knott’s Soak City

In 2017, Knott’s Soak City underwent some major renovations. The theme park repainted all the existing water slides including Banzai Falls, which has 6 multi-lane speed slides where riders are dispatched head first on a mat from a platform over 41 feet high. Just watching the riders soar down Banzai Falls makes my knees shake!

The design team also gave the Laguna Watch Storm Tower a nice makeover. Look at how brightly it beams in the sun!

Next, they added 7 new water slides throughout the park. My son’s favorite ride is the “The Wedge”, a family-oriented water slide that holds up to six people at one time and descends down navigating twists and turns at a very fast pace.

Nearby is “Shore Break” which towers over 7 stories high and features 6 different thrilling water slide experiences. 4 of the slides start with guests climbing inside an Aqua-Launch chamber and waiting for the floor to drop out from underneath their feet. Eek!

My favorite part of the waterpark is the laid back atmosphere. I really enjoy spending time with my family and floating down their classic lazy river called Sunset River. At one-third mile in length, Knott’s giant figure-eight waterway is the widest and one of the longest water park lazy rivers in the world. It takes approximately 20 minutes to go around the entire river on a complimentary intertube.

Whenever we go with friends, Field Trip Girl likes to explore the Beach House with them, a hands-on water fun area that includes interactive water guns, nozzles, faucets and other surprises. But beware! Every 5 minutes the water bucket unloads 500 gallons of water on anyone below!

Knott’s Soak City Cabana Rentals

Knott’s Soak City offers plenty of private cabanas and shaded areas for their guests. First, you have make it a day in the shade with your very own semi-private cabana. Each cabana reservation comes with up to 8 non-transferrable wristbands and includes extra amenities like a table with umbrella, 4 inner tube rentals, and waiter service.

Second, if you want a good spot in the public area, you need to arrive as soon as the park opens, and bring your own umbrella to put in the grass. This way you can come and go all day from your semi-reserved spot.

Food at Knott’s Soak City

For lunch, my family and I ordered from the Cabana Menu. I especially enjoyed the moist chicken sandwich served with a tasty basket of fries and side of ranch dressing. Another place to eat is at Longboard’s Grill. Here, they offer an extensive menu of breaded chicken tenders, fish & chips, and a variety of wraps and fresh salads. On a side note, unopened water bottles, baby food and food for guests with special dietary restrictions are allowed inside the park.

Rules at Soak City

Swimwear cannot have any metal or plastic on it anywhere to go on the water rides (no buckles, plastic ring connectors, sequins, rivets, etc.).
No long pants or denim is allowed in the water areas.
Personal flotation devices and other water gear are not allowed in the park. However, you can rent an intertube at the park for $10 for the day.
Outside food and beverages, coolers or picnic baskets are not allowed in the park, with the exception of water and sports drinks in plastic bottles, which can be carried in a small hand-held cooler.
Those with special dietary needs may bring in their own food into the park if they ask an attendant at the gate ahead of time.

Knott’s Soak City Discount Tickets

Like most water parks, the hotter the weather, the more crowded it is. To avoid long lines, get there as soon as the park opens, especially on weekends. The best deal for tickets to the waterpark is to purchase a Knott’s Berry Farm Season Pass. This way you can visit the park all year long with no black out dates. You can also purchase single day Knott’s Soak City discount tickets on Goldstar.com for only $32.00 per person!

Knott’s Soak City is open now through Labor Day weekend.

Happy Field Tripping!

Jilleen