Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - Fun in the Sun
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been a popular destination for more than 100 years. There are a variety of rides to enjoy. Take a thrill ride on the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster built in 1924, it helped make the Boardwalk famous! There are also a variety of games to play, and many places to get a bite to eat. Salt water taffy is made right in the window of Marini's Candy Store. The movie "Lost Boys" was filmed here, as well as scenes from many other Hollywood movies including Sudden Impact, Dangerous Minds, Harold & Maude, and The Sting 2.
Take the Sky Glider ride that runs from end to end and take in the beautiful views of Monterey Bay. The Boardwalk can become crowded during summer weekends, so it’s best to arrive early or avoid weekends in the summer if you want to skip the crowds. Admission to the Boardwalk is free, and it's open year-round, although many rides are not open in the winter months.
Free entertainment such as Cirque Magnifique acrobats perform Sunday thru Thursday till Aug. 20, 2009 and there are Free Friday Night Concerts on the Beach Bandstand every Friday during the summer months with bands such as Eddie Money, The Tubes, Loverboy, The Fixx and many others. Two shows each Friday with the same band playing two 45 min sets. One at 6:30p and one at 8:30p.