All Memories
The Sun Tan Special
The Sun Tan Special brought summer visitors from the Bay Area to the Boardwalk for more than 30 years.
Pleasure Pier and the Wharf
The Boardwalk’s Pleasure Pier once jutted out towards the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, featuring speedboat rides and pleasant strolling.
Walt Disney at the Boardwalk, 1963
Walt Disney visited the Boardwalk in 1963 to study one of our rides. Can you recognize Walt? It was a BIG day in Boardwalk history.
The Cave Train
The Cave Train almost closed in the 1990s, but today it’s one of our most popular family rides.
Fascinating Fascination
What’s so fascinating about Fascination? Played like bingo, the game mesmerized visitors from 1944-2008! A rubber handball was rolled down a wooden table, as the ball dropped into a hole,
Changing Bandstands
Our beach bandstand sure has changed a lot over the years!
Santa Cruz Lifeguards in WWII Jeep, 1946
Santa Cruz lifeguards got their first motorized equipment in 1946, a World War II Jeep. Bill Lidderdale, at the wheel with Princess in his lap, trained many local guards.
Boardwalk Then and Now, 1967
This artsy “then and now” photo blends a 1967 black-and-white image from our archives with a present-day photo taken from the same location. Kudos to Boardwalk photographer WQ and Boardwalk
The Palace of Fun, 1925
The Boardwalk’s Fun House opened in 1925. You could pay-and-stay as long as you wanted! The “Palace of Fun” included a tall slide, an “ocean waves” undulating walkway, a large
Carousel Then and Now, 1968
Today’s “then and now” photo shows how our Looff Carousel looked in 1968 and how it looks today.
Clint Eastwood filming Sudden Impact, 1983
Here’s Clint Eastwood at the Boardwalk when he directed and starred in the 1983 thriller, Sudden Impact.
Speedboat Rides from Pleasure Pier
Speedboat rides were an exciting way for Boardwalk visitors to get out on the water in the ’40s, ’50s, and early ’60s. Local captains offered excursions from the Boardwalk’s old
The Entertainer
The Boardwalk has attracted Hollywood for decades. One movie production stands out in particular, The Entertainer.
The Boardwalk Archives History
Ever wonder how the Boardwalk Archives got started? Warren “Skip” Littlefield began with the Seaside Company as a lifeguard in 1926. He had a passion for history and began documenting
Archiving the Boardwalk
Our company archivist has a super-fun job organizing the Boardwalk’s extensive collection of old photos and cool artifacts. Discover how Jessie landed her role and what it takes to preserve
Entrance #1 Then and Now, 1938
This Then and Now photo shows Boardwalk “Entrance #1” in 1938. The entrance was used for over 70 years before being replaced in the 1980s by the Cocoanut Grove Sun
