The bayfront Santa Cruz Boardwalk should really be your main stop; besides the dozens of thrill rides and midway games, it boasts the art deco Cocoanut Grove ballroom, where throughout the summer swing bands still play the sounds of the 1930s and 1940s, and two rides that are such classics of the genre they’ve been listed as National Historic Landmarks. The biggest thrill is the Giant Dipper roller coaster, open since 1924, a senior citizen compared to modern rides but still one of the Top 10 coasters in the country—the clattering, half-mile-long tracks make it seem far faster than the 40 mph maximum it reaches. Near the roller coaster is the beautiful Charles Looff carousel, one of only six left in the country, with 70 hand-carved wooden horses doing the same circuit they’ve followed since 1911; grab for the brass rings while listening to music pumped out by the 342-pipe organ, imported from Germany and over 100 years old.
Along with these and many other vintage arcade attractions, the amusement park also features a log flume ride, a sky ride, a two-story miniature-golf course installed inside the old bathhouse, plus a bowling alley and all the shooting galleries, laser tag, and virtual reality machines you could want. The Boardwalk, which has been paved but retains a great deal of charm and character, is open daily in summer, and weekends only during the rest of the year. Admission is free and individual rides vary in cost, with the Giant Dipper costing about $4 a trip and all-day passes priced about $25. For more information, call 831/423-5590.
