I always like to preface my reviews with the fact that I grew up in the Bay Area, San Jose born and…read moreraised, and I'm an elder millennial, which means I remember life here before all the tech people invaded our Valley of the Heart's Delight. That said, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is STILL pure California magic, even if it's now overcrowded and overpriced. There's something so special about this place, from the old school rides like the Pirate Ship, the Giant Dipper, the arcade aka Casino, to the beach, the food, and that perfect mix of nostalgia and fun. It somehow still feels like stepping back in time, and experiencing it with my toddler recently made it even more memorable. We had the BEST day and will absolutely be back. My one complaint, aside from too many people: HOW are the Boardwalk and surrounding merch shops not fully stocked with The Lost Boys gear?! This is literally Santa Carla! Give us the T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, posters--all of it. The movie is such an iconic part of Santa Cruz pop culture, and they are seriously missing an opportunity here. What are you guys thinking at The Walk?! Otherwise, such a fantastic, nostalgic California experience.

Whenever I hear the name "Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk", the thought of the warm California sun,…read moreocean waves, deep-fried food, and happy kids on all the thrill rides enters my mind. This is not just an all-year amusement park; this place is an institution that is permanently part of the Santa Cruz culture and history. Since I spent my entire childhood as a kid growing up in the Bay Area, I frequented this place on multiple occasions. Ever since its historic grand opening back in 1907, it is currently California's oldest surviving amusement park and has undergone numerous changes over the decades. Getting here is fairly simple as it runs parallel to Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) as well as Highway 9 and the more heavily traveled Highway 17. It is roughly 45 min to an hour south of San Jose and about an hour north of Monterey. Entrance into the boardwalk itself does not cost anything. However, parking rates range anywhere from $15 to $35 depending on the day of the week and time of year you plan on visiting. The boardwalk itself stretches roughly 1-mile long over 24 acres complete with 3 different rollercoasters (with the biggest being the Giant Dipper), a dedicated water ride, a merry-go-round, a ferris wheel, and a ton of rides for children younger than 12 years old. In addition to all the ride attractions, there are a ton of various food vendors. Everything ranging from hot dogs, burgers, seafood, Mexican food, and a ton of dessert stands. My lady and I decided on indulging in some smashburgers with fries & a drink which kept us full throughout the day (as we were here in between 11am-2:30pm on Saturday 9/5/2026). I think there's something special about enjoying comfort food and taking it down to the beach area while soaking up the sun. It absolutely brought back childhood memories for both of us. Some of the other major attractions include an arcade, bowling alley, and Cocoanut Grove which was a non-gambling casino back in the early 20th century. During the non-summer months, the boardwalk also hosts themed events for Halloween and Christmas. Additionally, they also show movies and even live music. Finally, they have a ton of vendors that sell merchandise (hats, t-shirts, magnets, bags, etc.) related to the boardwalk, Santa Cruz, and everything in between. And if you live close to here or plan on coming frequently, they sell season passes as well as wristbands for unlimited rides. My recommendation is when arriving here, dress accordingly. Santa Cruz has a climate where it could be 70°F, sunny and balmy in the middle of winter or 55°F, foggy and cold in the middle of summer. That's why bring a sweatshirt of flip-flops. And if you dare to go in the Pacific Ocean (which can be freezing), pack some swim attire. All in all, the "Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk" definitely has that nostalgic vibe to it; no matter what age you are. It may not be the prettiest place since it has shown its age, but it has a lot of charm. My rating, an above average four stars.

For some reason, none of the operators of this ride can operate the trains at a constant speed. I'm…read morenot sure if something is wrong with the trains or if the drivers are just really bad at measuring their speed, but they go back and fourth between going really fast and then going incredibly slow. And the times that they go fast vs slow is different each ride. I should be able to enjoy each set equally. However, putting the speed problem aside, the ride still looks pretty good.

Fun and fancy harmless joyful ride of train transporting through the barriers of time into the fun…read moreloving days of the caveman meets dinosaur. Florescent colored scenery marks everything with a certain pizzazz. Not too long.

Very cool boardwalk area and the Giant Dipper was a must. Built in 1924, it reminded me a lot of…read moreour Wildcat back home at Lake Compounce, built just three years later in 1927. Two old-school wooden coasters still doing their thing almost 100 years later. The Giant Dipper is loud, fast and has that classic wooden coaster feel, but having it right on the beach surrounded by the Santa Cruz Boardwalk makes the whole experience. Very cool piece of history.

My favorite ride at the boardwalk! When my cousins and I came here for a day trip, we rode this…read morelike eight times back to back! It was a slightly rainy day so there were no lines for a while. The ride may not seem like it's that exciting, but it definitely whips you around and if you ride it enough you will feel dizzy. Wouldn't recommend for super small kids or anyone with physical ailments or feeling already unwell.

Sixteen huge motorized inner tubes, each controlled by two side-mounted levers in a fiberglass…read morecockpit, all housed in a square enclosure entirely too small for the traffic...yet somehow it all works. Not only does it work, it vies with Speed Bumps bumper cars as Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk's hotspot where students, blue- and white-collars of all ages flirt with adding a cervical collar--maybe not that drastic, but Space Race's thrill quotient surpasses Speed Bumps' because head-on bumping is definitely allowed, and you can drive backward. The lack of a steering wheel might confuse the first-timer, but it doesn't take long to learn which direction the various lever positions will steer the car. The easiest are both levers forward for forward, and both pulled in for reverse. From there, you'll absorb how to turn without spinning (and being a sitting duck), and how to turn in reverse. New this year beneath the cars are colorful LED rings that reflect on the stainless steel floor, and day-glo art on the enclosure walls that comes alive when the ride starts, the house lights go off and the blacklights take over--a delightful setting in which to wreak havoc. I don't know how many years I have left to ride Space Race. Not because of the impact, but the contortions necessary with barking knees to get seated in the car--you're literally a low-rider--and even worse, jockeying my way out. A man's GOT to know his limitations. On our last of five go-rounds, we had four fellow seniors enter the ride, a first for the day. We had a nice convo with one of them several hours later when we crossed paths on the midway. Daredevil codgers GOT to stick together.

For anyone that is a fan of visual anomalies that simply defy the laws of physics and gravity, I…read morewould definitely put the "Mystery Spot" in Santa Cruz, CA on anyone's bucket list of quirky and interesting things to do. I am a science enthusiast as this attraction has been on my radar for quite some time. Located in a secluded redwood forest amongst the beautiful Santa Cruz mountains, this very popular tourist destination was discovered back in 1939 while being officially opened to the general public in 1940. Since then, this wildly popular destination has brought thousands of people over the years while it officially became a designated a California Historical Landmark in 2014. After making reservations online through their website, https://www.mysteryspot.com (which is highly recommended), I came here during the afternoon on Friday 9/4/2026 for a 12:00pm reservation. The drive in was absolutely breathtaking, serene, and tranquil as the bright sun was shining through the redwoods. In case you're wondering, it is about a 40-minute drive (roughly 30 miles) south from San Jose as you can arrive here north from Granite Creek Rd or south from Branciforte Dr. The signs leading here are clearly visible while the dedicated parking lot makes it simple for anyone who's never ventured here before. My lady and I arrived around 11:45am as we were able to park, take some photos of the exterior grounds, and even checked out their gift shop. If you do plan on purchasing same day tickets, they sell for $12 (as of late-2026) and are available in the gift shop. In addition to the tickets, this is where you can purchase Mystery Spot clothing, mugs, magnets, keychains, books, and other various gifts. If you do plan on arriving extra early, there is also a 30-minute self-guided hiking trail where you can see the vast plant and animal life. While on the trail, you are gifted with a variety of beautiful redwood, oak, and eucalyptus trees. Best of all, this trail is opened year-round and even better, dogs are welcome as much of the trail is fairly simple. When our tour officially began, a group of about 20 of us were all greeted by Bonnie, one of the staff members that told us about the history behind the Mystery Spot. We walked up a fairly steep trail while demonstrating visual illusions that included balls rolling uphill, water pouring at an upward angle and people leaning farther than normally possible without falling down. Once we made our way into the actual Mystery Spot house, we all tested ourselves on a balancing beam when visually, we were leaning forward when in reality, we were on a leveled surface. All in all, the "Mystery Spot" is absolutely worth checking out if you're into science and how visually distorted illusions are represented. Especially when our senses feel more heavy and weighed down. To be honest, I haven't been to a place like this since I was a kid visiting the Exploratorium in San Francisco. For some, this is something I do not recommend for the more sensitive groups that suffer from vertigo and dizziness. However, my experience was one that was absolutely fascinating. With the overall experience, amazing tour (which lasted around 45 minutes), and enjoying this history of this, I am giving the "Mystery Spot" in Santa Cruz a perfect five-star rating.

We visited during covid times and had made reservations in advance, it was fun to check out and…read morewalk the area plus hike nearby! if you wait the day of, it may be hard to get in as this place has gotten popular over the decades. Good for everyone to check out as its a fun little spot plenty of parking

I think I really would have enjoyed this more if there had been some sort of glowing arrows on the…read morefloor to let you know where you were going. As someone with relatively low vision in the dark it was just TOO dark to even enjoy the scares. Mostly I got hissing fog machines in my ears and running into black plastic drapes. Felt like I was going through a dark car wash. Ducked out halfway through and felt pretty annoyed about it. Is it scary? If you can actually see the attractions like my husband can, he would've rated it 5/5 stars, very scary. For me? I just wish I could've seen where I was going.

Very cool little haunted house....might be scary for little kids...it has a few very innovative…read moreparts that are really neat....definitely worth the time....

Saw the Circus in Portland. Fantastic. So much fun. Loved the beautiful tent. Food was good,…read moreportable toilets appeared brand new, everyone was appropriate, lots of families with kids having so much fun (and we enjoyed watching them). Perfect evening. And the price was great. All of the seats are excellent. Can't wait to go next year, too!

The performers were incredibly talented, and the show itself was fun and entertaining…read more Unfortunately, the seating setup made it difficult to fully enjoy the experience. All the seats were on one level, making it hard to see the acts, and a tent pole partially blocked our view. We also asked about upgrading to premium seating and received two different prices from two employees, which made it seem like there was some confusion about the pricing. Overall, the performers did a great job, but the seating and customer service issues took away from the experience. If we had been able to see the show better, it would have been much more enjoyable.

My favorite & Awesome Rides ~ Amazing Santa Cruz Boardwalk across Stunning Pacific Coast views …read more #'s Fun rides from starter to Thrill Rollercoasters . Ticket Booth Entry Ride Bands or singular tickets . Family Rides , Shopping , Bowling , Arcade , Great Food & Drinks . Best to make Advance Hotel Reservations esp. Sold ~ Out during SummerBreak & XMas Winter Holidays . PS. Unable to load Haunted House Video due length.

This is about what you would expect for a haunted house ride as it pretty much feels like a better…read morelonger version of a what you find at your local carnival. I'm not really going to give away all the details of the ride but let's just say that it was your typical cheesy haunted ride with a car on a track where not so scary things try to scare you in between the broken story line of the horror concept they tried to create. Overall this was a decent ride that I didn't feel like it was worth what we payed for it but overall it was fun and long enough to make it worth a ride again perhaps if I were to get one of the wristbands.

My husband brought us here. We loved our time. So great that…read morethey sold cold water !!! We enjoyed the train ride so nice and we were the only ones since we came in a week day! I'm looking forward to coming back and bringing more family. Great photos and the ride is definitely worth the price.

Came here on a Saturday morning around 11am. Tickets for train and carousel is $5 per person and…read morefree for kids 2 and under. The train ride is less than 10 minutes with no cover so we brought our hats. It's a quick ride and you pass by the parking lot and a park. My girls enjoyed it. After we played by the nearby park. There is a bathroom close to the train ticket booth and lots of tables to enjoy a snack or even lunch. They were just starting the grill to cook the food for lunch but our girls were hungry so we left to get food elsewhere.