Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

I must admit, I have been going to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for over 65 years and it is still a fun and nostalgic experience. It has always been free to visit if you want to just stroll and look at all the sights. Tickets to the rides are affordable, especially if you get the day pass or the season pass.

As a child, we would spend the entire day going between the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and jumping in the waves on the one-mile-long clean sandy beach. Playing in the surf where the San Lorenzo River meets the ocean is great fun for older kids. There are surfing lessons at Cowell beach and Indicator beach. Further out is the point break called Steamer Lane, known for larger and thicker waves.

In the good-ol-days you could actually go “Under the Board Walk” as the song goes. The Carousel (merry-go-round) is a classic historical landmark as is the wooden roller coaster called the “Big Dipper”. It’s not as fast as the modern marvels, but the old rickety wood construction will scare the heebie-jeebies out of you. If you are a history buff, you can take the historical walking tour for free. There are rides for both toddlers, teens, and adults.