The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk was founded in 1907, it is an oceanfront amusement park and is California’s oldest surviving amusement park, as well as one of the few seaside parks on the United States West Coast.
The boardwalk stretches along the Monterey Bay coast from the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River. A large building on the park’s western edge, formerly known as The Plunge, is now Neptune’s Kingdom, a pirate-themed recreation center with a video arcade and an indoor miniature golf course.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is widely regarded as the world’s best seaside park.
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The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk runs along a mile-long public beach that borders the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The entertainment complex includes 36 rides and attractions, as well as 26 midway games, two large video game arcades, an 18-hole indoor mini-golf course, a laser tag arena, 31 restaurants, food outlets, and much more.
One cannot think about an amusement park without rides, and the Boardwalk has a great selection of both vintage and newer rides for both cautious young children and their daring older siblings.
The Giant Dipper, built in 1924, is a wooden-track roller coaster that would be impressive in any decade. Over 60 million people have ridden the Big Dipper since it opened, and once you ride it, you’ll understand why it’s a must-do.
Twisty-turny rides like the Fireball will get your heart rate up in no time, and the Fright Walk will have you screaming more than you have in years. Rides like the serene Sky Glider and the heart-pounding Double Shot, as well as the Sea Swings, provide excellent views of the city and the ocean.
The Boardwalk has an entire section dedicated to smaller rides for Kids and children, such as the Rugged Buggy and the Speed Boats.
Everyone enjoys playing their favourite boardwalk game, which may include ring toss, basketball shot, candy wheels, whack-a-mole, or frog bog.
Only cashless payment is accepted at all attractions, including MyBoardwalk Cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Mastercard, Visa, and Discover. Only MyBoardwalk Cards are accepted in arcade games.
The boardwalk offers a variety of game options, including traditional fairway carnival games like Break-a-Plate and skee ball as well as an arcade with miniature golf, laser tag, and video games.
A few outdoor games offer prizes for participation, but not all do, and arcade games give out tickets that can be saved up for significant prizes.
Miniature golf is an activity the whole family can enjoy doing together if you’re bringing kids and trying to avoid disappointment or throwing away too much money.
If you enjoy food, Boardwalk offers a wide selection of exciting and delicious options for takeout, indoor dining, and outdoor dining.
The Boardwalk offers traditional fare like corn dogs and deep-fried desserts in addition to treats with a Californian flair like garlic fries and seafood. Marini’s fudge is a difficult dessert to beat unless it’s hot outside and you’d prefer a Santa Cruz Sno Cone.
On the Wharf, there are many high-quality eateries serving Mexican, Italian, and fresh seafood. The Picnic Basket, a sister establishment of the Penny Ice Creamery, also offers delicious artisan sandwiches and salads for lunch in addition to their well-known ice cream.
Numerous Santa Cruz hotels are located close to the Boardwalk, some just across the street and others only a short bike ride, stroll, trolley ride, or car drive away.
The majority of visitors advise trying tasty rolls, lawar, and laing. A great place to find delicious ice cream, funnel cakes, and chocolate custard is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. You can indulge in some delectable beer, wine, or liqueur after a long workweek. The best beverages to order include a great americano, tea, or lemonade.
There are numerous more affordable lodging options close to the Boardwalk; to name just a few, the Aqua Breeze, Comfort Inn, Casablanca, and West Cliff Inn frequently have special offers on hotel websites.
Whoever wants to get together to enjoy the Boardwalk, an amusement park with personality and a lot to offer, can do so regardless of where they choose to stay or whether they enjoy living in Santa Cruz all the time.
On Thursdays and Fridays throughout the summer, Colonnade, which is situated by Neptune’s Kingdom’s beach, will host FREE entertainment.
There is live entertainment on the Boardwalk even though there aren’t costumed performers everywhere you look like at Disneyland. From June through August, there is live music every Friday night, including many well-known performers from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
Admission to the Boardwalk is free. Even when the rides aren’t operating, anyone can stroll around and take in the vibrant oceanfront scenery for free. If you decide to go on a few rides, you can buy individual ride tickets or a ride wristband that allows you to ride all day.
Just south of the city’s center, there is a mile-long boardwalk and amusement park called the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The Looff Carousel and the Giant Dipper are two rides on the boardwalk that have been in operation for more than a century and are National Historic Landmarks, respectively.
Valet parking is not free for Disney guests, but self-parking is. It’s also crucial to remember that visitors cannot park at the Disney Boardwalk without a confirmed hotel reservation or dining reservation at a Disney restaurant.
There are more than 40 rides and attractions on the Boardwalk, as well as 26 midway games, 2 sizable video game arcades, an 18-hole indoor mini-golf course, a laser tag arena, 31 dining establishments, 8 beachwear, gift, and specialty shops, and a family bowling alley.
Hourly parking in the garage costs $1.25 per hour with a $10 daily maximum. The charge is applied every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Keep track of your space number and pay at any pay station or with Parkmobile over the phone.
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