Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

They don’t make amusement parks like this anymore. Oh, sure, there are modern theme parks with scarier rides, but the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has charm, history, a huge beach and a unique mix of rides and attractions for all ages—even hard-to-please kids who are too old for the kiddie rides and too young for thrill rides.

The final proof can be seen in the crowds. Summer weekends are nuts, with half the families in San Jose (or so it seems) driving over the hill to take over the Boardwalk, shoulder to shoulder. That’s why it’s best to come on a weekday or in the fall or spring, when you and the kids won’t have to wait in achingly long lines for their favorite rides.

Many of the 35 rides have been fixtures for decades, like the 1924 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, a National Historic Landmark. Its 55 mph top speed still elicits screams of delight from thrill seekers, who will also like the Hurricane, Tornado, Wipeout, Tsunami and Double Shot (a 125-foot tower plunge). Kids not ready for “scream” rides will enjoy classics like the Pirate Ship, Rock-O-Plane, Cave Train, Rugged Buggies and Sky Glider (which drifts slowly over the length of the Boardwalk). The ride the very youngest Boardwalk visitors can enjoy with their parents is also the oldest, a 1911 Looff Carousel complete with a brass ring toss.

If you plan to spend the day, an Unlimited Ride Pass ($30) is worthwhile, since individual rides cost $3 to $5. But the Boardwalk is much more than rides. Separate “Attractions” (most for $5) include a haunted house, laser maze, laser tag, mini golf, a climbing wall, bowling and a huge arcade. There’s also a maze of carnival games, most requiring the tossing of objects like dimes, darts or balls.

If you’re able to pull your kids away from the Boardwalk (good luck with that), take a break on the long, wide beach a few steps away to watch the surfers or build a sandcastle, or walk down to one of the many nearby restaurants, such as the excellent seafood restaurants on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.

HelloMetro Tip: You may save a bundle on ride tickets by checking the “Coupons & Discounts” and “Concerts & Events” sections of the website in advance of your next visit.

- by Bob Cooper, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Bob Cooper

Bob Cooper is a full-time freelance writer (www.bob-cooper.com) who writes about travel, outdoor sports and health. He is a monthly contributor to Runner's World and has written recent articles for other national magazines such as Continental, Ladies' Home Journal and Inc.