Over 400 years ago, entertainers and vendors were drawing large crowds to a natural spring area known as Dyrehavenbakken in Denmark, about 10 km north of Copenhagen.

Although not open continuously to the general public, the park known now as Bakken began to grow to what it is today. This included Cabarets in the latter 1800s and moving rides into the 1900s.

Now Bakken has 6 roller coasters, including a classic wooden roller coaster that opened in 1932. The park has 2 dozen other rides and shows, as well as 9 children’s rides. I found the park to be a cross between a country fair, Joyland (the local amusement park in Wichita, Kansas where I grew up), and Elitch Gardens of the Six Flags style (where I now live near Denver, Colorado).

There are plenty of on-sight food places to eat, from sit-down buffets and restaurants to various street food vendors. And there are a number of bars and lounges to indulge in some great Danish beer.

Although there is no fee to enter the park, rides and attractions do require payment in the form of purchased coupons, wristbands, or season passes. Plan ahead though, because Bakken is only open daily from the end of March through the end of August. The amusement park is situated in the beautiful Dyrehaven Deer Forest, noted for its ancient oak trees and large populations of red, fallow, and sika deer. You can get to the park using the Copenhagen Card and taking the train to Klampenborg Station (line C).  After you exit out past the backside of the train station, take a left and walk for about 10 minutes through the forest along the pathway until you come to the Bakken entrance.

If you go right out from the train station, within 5 minutes you can be at the beach.