CENTRAL COASTING: History of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Coney Island Boardwalk in New York may be older, but the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk gets a full four stars on Yelp. The Boardwalk is really old by California standards that means it has some special challenges. KION took an inside look at the history behind the Beach Boardwalk.

The beach front amusement park opened 109 years ago. Many of the original structures still stand and it still manages to look fresh with pops of color, thrill rides and a place for families to make memories.

“It’s really hard to integrate our unique history into the modern day boardwalk experience so throughout the park you’ll see historical images you’ll see things that pay tribute and homage to our history and we really work hard to integrate the old with the new. We call it keeping the nostalgia current,” said Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk spokesperson, Kris Reyes.

The Loof Carousel has been in the same spot since 1911 and to this day pulling rings and chucking them at the big clown mouth is still a hit.

“I like the fact that everyone can come here and that you’re allowed to shoot things at the clown because I honestly hate clowns so much,” said, Hannah Hredcastle of Madera.

Keeping up with the generation of extreme rides is part of the formula to draw people to the amusement park. The park has more than 30 rides including double shot, the pirate ship, and then there’s the bumper cars. Of all the thrill seeker rides, the infamous Giant Dipper is at the top of most peoples must ride list. The wooden coaster opened in 1924 and riders can’t get enough of it or its one of a kind views.

“That is why I like when we fall down really fast and go up and down and stuff,” said Jackson Zimmer.

Nearly three million people visit the boardwalk every year which makes it one of the most visited parks in California. Officials said parking for the big crowds has been one of their greatest challenges.

“We’ve been really creative with parking, to make sure we have enough we do valet parking we do remote parking with shuttles, we’re opening the park earlier than we use to. Every year we are working to make the boardwalk a little more fun. A little more special a little more vibrant for our guests that visit here sometimes it’s making sure all the paints nice and fresh sometimes it’s new rides new games new foods,” said Reyes.

The Boardwalk also puts on free Friday night entertainment. Folks can enjoy 12 concerts each summer.

“We are a nostalgic band park when we are booking for the band series we are looking for nostalgic type bands that will when you close your eyes at the concert you’ll remember back when you were in high school or junior high,” said Director of boardwalk promotions and entertainment, Karley Pope.

Pope said, “There’s nothing really like watching a movie with your toes in the sand with the boardwalk and all the smells, cotton candy kettle corn.”

The beach boardwalks sites, smells and the sound all things that really take people back to memory lane.

“My favorite memory is probably the first time I was big enough to ride the Giant Dipper. Riding the dipper your first time was a rite of passage for young kids in Santa Cruz when you got big enough to ride the dipper then you knew you moved from being a little kid to a big kid,” said Historian Geoffrey Dunn.

Guests who come to the boardwalk said a lot has changed yet so much is still the same and that’s what makes it so special.

“They’ve always respected the historic nature of the place and they’re always innovating. There is always new things going on here. Every time I come down here there is something a little new a little different a little exciting,” said Dunn.