The iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is something you just can’t miss if you’re visiting Santa Cruz. Since 1907, this seaside attraction has offered rides for all ages, food, an arcade, a bowling alley, and so much more. For example, the famous roller coaster the Giant Dipper has been thrilling folks since 1927!
Although most rides are for kids and adults who are at least 48” tall, many allow shorter riders to enjoy them with a chaperone. We decided to take our two kids to the Boardwalk one winter weekend in February. At that time, our kids were 4 years and 18 months old.
Our preschooler’s eyes glowed as she took in the sights, smells, and sounds of kids yelling with delight, rides whizzing past, the aromas of fried foods wafting overhead, and lights flashing all around. Our toddler, on the other hand, was not as amused and was too small to enjoy the rides or fried foods.
If you plan to add the Boardwalk to your list of activities as you visit Santa Cruz, here is what I would suggest:
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is located on the stolen lands of the Awaswas Ohlone people
Before you go:
- We recommend visiting the Boardwalk for the rides and attractions when your kid is at least two years old. The beach, on the other hand, can be enjoyed at any age.
- Buy your ride tickets in advance online
- Decide where you want to park. Your options are the designated adjacent lot ($20-$30), downtown where you can catch a shuttle to the Boardwalk, $10, or on one of the side streets where you might score free parking along East Cliff Dr.
- Plan ahead by checking the event schedule.
What to pack for a day at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk:
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Beach gear (toys, towels, change of clothes)
- Bagged lunch or lunch money
- Sunscreen and hats
- Stroller or wagon
- Baby carrier
Arrive at the Boardwalk Early
Crowds build fast, especially on weekends. The more crowded the Boardwalk is, the longer the lines for rides and food, and the harder it is to wander through the Boardwalk with kids in tow.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk hours change depending on the season. Check the website to see the current hours of operation. In the winter when we visited, rides were only open from 12-5 p.m. on weekends.
Here are our favorite rides for young kids (under 34" in height and up) at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The kiddie rides at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk are super fun and enough to keep any toddler or preschooler entertained all day.
Our favorite kiddie rides at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk are:
- Bouncin’ Buggies: A 4 seater car that fits kids under 34″ up to adults on a bouncing ride that makes everyone laugh. 5 points
- Convoy: Parents can ride with kids as they drive their own trucks around a track. Kids under 36″ must have a chaperone. 5 points
- Jet Copters: A two-seater helicopter ride that can go up or down as controlled by the child. Max height 56″. 5 points
Rides that allow kids of all heights work better for our family since we have an older and a younger child. Check out this interactive table on the Boardwalk website to find which rides are available for your kids by height.
Santa Cruz Boardwalk ticket prices - buy in advance
If you plan to go on rides, purchase your tickets in advance to save yourself time at the Boardwalk.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk tickets cost $1 each, and most rides take 5-6 tickets. If you budget for at least four rides in an afternoon, that is already $20 or more—per person!
Here are the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk ticket prices and how to get the most for your money:
- Less than 5 rides/day = buy individual $1 tickets
- 6+ rides/day for whole family = buy a MyBoardwalk Card that can be shared. Get 5 extra tickets for every $50 spent
- 6+ rides/day for more than one person = buy a wristband ($39.95-$74.95) for unlimited rides. Cannot be shared
- Consider a season pass if your family will ride 6+ rides for more than one day. Will pay for itself after two visits ($89.95-$149.95)
Food options at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
If you’re into fried foods, the Boardwalk has some delicious options, such as corn dogs, hot dogs, pizza, fish and chips, fried potato rings, funnel cakes, deep-fried twinkies or oreos, and garlic fries.
The problem is that the lines to order food are so long!
We learned this the hard way. We had promised our kiddo a fried snack and then realized we didn’t have enough time to sit in a food line that was longer than the helicopter ride line. Sorry kiddo—no food at the Boardwalk is worth an hour wait.
We were happy to find that the Dole Whip stand’s line was not long at all. Dole Whip is made from pineapples—a “healthy” snack, right? Ha!
Make sure to pack snacks to enjoy while waiting in long ride lines and while walking between rides.
Bring a stroller or wagon for little kids to the Boardwalk
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a mile long and can be really crowded. Depending on where you park, you may end up walking two miles round-trip to reach all your desired attractions.
It is much easier to trek the distance—and keep track of your kids in the crowds—if your kids are riding in a stroller or wagon.
There are not many stroller parking options, so keep in mind that if you have only one grown-up and are riding rides with your child(ren) you may be leaving your stroller/wagon unattended.
Play on the beach at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk sits directly on the beach.
The beach is wide and a far distance to the water from the Boardwalk itself. This is actually perfect if you don’t want your kids to get wet!
The Boardwalk was crowded when we visited. We decided to pull out the picnic blanket and relax on the beach just steps from the Boardwalk. Good timing, too: my baby wanted to nurse, and my kiddo wanted to eat!
Walking on the beach would be challenging if you have a stroller, so if you’re planning to play on the beach awhile you may want to bring a wagon or baby carrier instead.
Walk along the pedestrian bridge
If you park along East Cliff Drive, you can walk to the Boardwalk over the pedestrian bridge that crosses the San Lorenzo River.
Not only do you get free parking (check the signs), but you get an opportunity to walk next to an old and picturesque railroad bridge that crosses the river!
Be sure to check the signs on street parking before you park in the neighborhoods near the boardwalk. At the time of this writing, there were restrictions on evening parking in the summer months of May-September.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s walking tour features historic pictures of the Boardwalk over the years. I couldn’t help but notice the lack of families of color in the posters of the Boardwalk’s history. Although our family was one of many BIPOC families enjoying the Boardwalk during our visit, it still made me wonder how accessible this beachside attraction was for my parents or grandparents.
Even so, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will always hold a special place in my heart. I spent many summers there as a child, and many high school band competitions marching along the Santa Cruz strip (yup, I’m a band nerd).
Our recent trip to the Boardwalk was my first time visiting with kids of my own and I was excited to make new memories here as a parent. Our toddler and preschooler were both in awe of the sights, sounds, and smells of the Boardwalk.
However, I wouldn’t recommend the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with a child under 2. The noises were overwhelming, there were few rides our 18-month-old could do on her own because she was too scared, and it was way too crowded to let her walk around.
It turned out to be a really fun place for our preschooler to explore. Next time, my plan is to divide and conquer—one parent on the beach with the baby, and one on the rides with the preschooler.
How do you visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with kids of different ages? Share in the comments below.
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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