Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is California's oldest surviving amusement park. Whether that's true or not, that's what they claim. And it's been a fact that was burned into my brain as a young child. Being local, we visited the Boardwalk at least a few times a year. Not much has changed, except that what was once timely is now vintage - and still in vogue. From the kitschy carnival games to the snack booths adorned in bright, primary colors, stepping onto the Boardwalk is like stepping back in time for some good ol' fashioned fun.

Add a Comment

If you could take just one photo: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

A giant monument made of wood and metal stands between the crashing waves of the magnificent Pacific Ocean and the majestic green and brown towering redwood trees. The screams of brave passengers riding The Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk intermingle with cries from seagulls flying overhead. As the rollercoaster’s train reaches its peak before the drop, riders have a breathtaking view of the wide expanse of endless water to their right and a forest of giant redwoods to their left. Surrounded with nature’s greatest wonders, passengers soak in the twists, turns and dips of man’s most nostalgic creation.

Add a Comment

After a long day warming in the sun, splashing in the surf, and speeding through the beach breeze on the Big Dipper roller coaster, wipe the sand off your feet and taste the sweet (and salty) bliss of childhood by stopping for a candy apple or salt water taffy at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Forget the diet and give in to tempatation - nothing caps off a nostalgic day on the coast like enjoying a classic old-fashioned treat with a world-class view of the California coast.

Add a Comment

My stomach lurched as the old wooden roller coaster clattered and clanked. It labored to the top of its highest curve, climbing into the blue autumn sky. Then its chains and brakes loosened, plunging my car down the step slope amidst the delighted screams of its passengers. I shrieked aloong with the others as the roller coaster dropped to the bottom of its track, then twisted to the left in a tight, fast arc. I could see only the bright blurred forms of other Saturday afternoon partiers on the boardwalk: young families with a kid or two; happy couples; groups of sullen teens playing it cool. The boys strutted and showed off while their girls, pretending they were above it all, didn't shout or screech. Drawing a breath, I smelled corn dogs, French fries, cotton candy, all borne on the fresh ocean breeze.

Add a Comment

It is 10:30 AM, you stand on the wet packed shore contemplating a pebble tossed past the ebbing and flowing surf. Eleven O’clock grows nigh, few souls are yet around. The familiar groove of The B-52’s “Channel Z” sparks abruptly from the PA speaker atop a 25 foot pole at the crowning of the stairs. Kate Pierson sings “I know I feel a change is happening…”. Her lyrics shatter the relative silence of the nearby sea. You are lured from the quiet rapture of the ocean by the Boardwalk, cotton candy crackling electric. You step from fluid sand onto static wood. The fog begins to lift and you hear metal carnival doors sliding from their bottoms up. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is coming to life.

Add a Comment

Walking through the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is like surfing back in time. For over 100 years the oceanfront amusement park has entertained thousands of visitors each summer. Today, organ music from a colorful carousel mixes with screams from the wooden roller coaster, setting the stage for timeless fun; there are rides for toddlers to thrill-seekers. Classic carnival games give friends a chance to outshine each other or “beat the house” for prizes. A massive arcade hosts the newest video games while dozens of food stands and gift shops interspersed through the park offer guests respite from the rides. Admission is free for all ages; visitors purchase tickets for individual rides or an unlimited-ride pass. Bonus: the Pacific Ocean is just a minute’s walk across the beach, promising warm sand, cold water, and spectacular sunsets.

Add a Comment

If you're lucky enough to visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on a bright winter day, when Monterey Bay sparkles like the Mediterranean and most tourists have left town, you might find an artist at work in the carousel building. Called a hippodrome when it first opened in 1911, the carousel is a local treasure and National Historic Landmark. Each hand-carved steed was created by Charles Looff in the days when amusement park rides were tamer and artistic appreciation greater. The Boardwalk's antique horses receive their annual offseason grooming by an experienced artist, who lovingly restores their scratched saddles and shoe-scuffed flanks. The artist often works with the wide ocean-front door rolled all the way up to enjoy the million dollar view.

Add a Comment

This nostalgic beachfront playground in the sleepy oasis of Santa Cruz comes to life with carnival colors and enticing whiffs of corn dogs, garlic fries, and caramel apples. Its 85-year-old, white-and-cherry red Giant Dipper rollercoaster dominates the landscape, while the classic Looff Carousel, built in 1911, spins to the sounds of a rare antique organ. Riders flail their arms as they drop down a water chute on the Logger's Revenge in the distance. Kids lick powdered sugar from a funnel cake off their fingers. Riding the Sky Glider above the Boardwalk—and dangling your feet—is particularly fun. This place is old school—it photographs like a true California dream—and even when crowded, the aerial view is calming. Nearby taquerias, funky motels, and a mix of city folk, daytripping families, UCSC students, and Middle America creates an eclectic vibe. If you've never visited, you haven't experienced the quirky coastal culture of the Bay’s most laid-back town.

Add a Comment