Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Ages: 2 and up
Cost: no admission, but rides require ticket or wristband purchase
Parking: Yes - lots adjacent ($6 - $12); metered parking on surrounding streets
Features: Picnic Area, Outside Food Allowed, Snack Stand, Restrooms, Lockers, Handicap Accessible, First aid station, Family Friendly, Discounts, Changing Table
With over 100 years of history, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is the last remaining seaside amusement park on the West Coast. A summer trip to the area wouldn't be complete without a stop at the Boardwalk.
The admission-free boardwalk boasts a number of free activities: enjoy the FREE Friday Night Bands on the Beach concert series; Wednesday nights in the summer months mean FREE Movies on the Beach; take a self-guided historic walking tour after downloading this brochure for FREE.
If thrill rides are what visitors are after, the Boardwalk offers a number of high-speed, dizzying options, including the original 1924 wooden coaster, Giant Dipper. There are many family-friendly and toddler-appropriate rides, as well.
Information regarding ticket requirements, costs, and more, click here. There are discounts to be had, depending on the day of visit.
While summer months are the park's busiest, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is open during the off-season, with limited rides and attractions open. For more information regarding hours of operation, please see the park's calendar.
A number of other attractions are located at the Boardwalk, including a large game arcade, mini golf, laser tag, and a nearby bowling alley. Click here for more attraction information.1 Reviews
missbirdie
Reviewed on 07/16/2012
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is filled with fun memories for me and my family, and has for years.
The Boardwalk is packed on peak days and nights (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), and lines can be long, but in recent years, it seems that the wait times have decreased, even for the more thrilling rides. Before having kids in school, I would often wait until September or October to venture to the Boardwalk, when the weather is...more