Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk has enjoyed a long history of attracting beach goers and tourists. In the late 1860's, the development of summer cottages, hotels, and bathhouses established Santa Cruz as a tourist destination. In 1904 Fred Swanton designed a casino and boardwalk resembling Coney Island. Two years later a fire destroyed the casino, but a new one was promptly built in it's place.

Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk

Today the mile long sandy beach continues to be a favorite of swimmers and is the location for many beach related activities, including professional competitions for beach volleyball. The Boardwalk was one of the first amusement parks constructed on a beach and is still popular with fun seekers of all ages. The Big Dipper is on the National Historic Record as one of the original wooden roller coasters still in existance. One of the newest attractions is a Haunted House in operation around Holloween.

For more information, call (831) 423-5590.

Directions:

• From the Silicon Valley, take Hwy 17 into Santa Cruz and follow the signs along Ocean St.
• From north or south of Sant Cruz, take the Ocean street exit off of Hwy 1, and follow the signs.