Yearly summer family vacation, 2019
My kids and I look forward to this place every year! I live on meager means as a Nutrition Food Service Worker for the school district. But I always save
Two Eight-Year-Olds on the Boardwalk , 1973
My family would go to the Boardwalk for a day of fun every year. This particular year my friend Lisa and I were allowed to go off by ourselves and
Me and My Girl, 2018
West Coast road trip with my husband. We stopped in Santa Cruz because it snows in Yosemite National Park! (And of course our last name is Croes same as Cruz.)
Boardwalk’s First Ride “Hostess” , 1972
I started working at the Boardwalk taking tickets. Girls were not allowed to operate the rides. That did not sit well with me and I started bugging management. I remember
Inside Cocoanut Grove Then and Now, 1947
The Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove Ballroom maintains its classic charm after more than 100+ years of fashionable dances, popular concerts and must-attend events. Today it’s used for a variety of occasions—bustling
Bands on the Beach
Here’s a fun photo of the beach bandstand back in the 1970s. It sure has changed a lot over the years!
Sky Glider Then and Now, 1967
A photo of our Sky Glider back in 1967 (the year it was first introduced) with a photo of how it looks today.
Giant Dipper Then and Now, 1924
A photo of construction workers on the Giant Dipper back in 1924, with how it looks today.
Shoot the Chutes, 1928
Ray O’Reilly and his girlfriend Victoria in the 1920s. The unusual structure behind the couple has been identified as a rare photograph of the Boardwalk’s “Shoot the Chutes” ride which
My Grandparents on Vacation, 1915
My Grandparents and great grandparents spent 1 month every summer in Santa Cruz. They sometimes stayed at La Playa Cottages. They’d pack their trunk and board the train in Oakland.
Outside Cocoanut Grove Then and Now, 1938
The Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove has gone through many changes over the years, but its function as an entertainment center has remained about the same. Here’s a photo combining a 1938
Mural with a History, 1973
Next time you’re passing “Bay Brews” (near Logger’s Revenge), take a peek inside to check out a mural you may not have noticed before. The 40-foot painting captures the full
The Crazy Day
The Crazy Dazy entertained Boardwalk visitors back in the 1960s before it moved to a new home in South Africa. Did you know we’re getting a sweet new “Twirlin’ Teacups”
Easter Egg Hunt, 1947
Hundreds of kids racing to find tiny hidden treasures in the sand during an Easter Egg Hunt at the Boardwalk back in 1947.
The Giant Mola Mola, 1927
When local fishermen captured a Giant Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) and a twelve-foot Monster Octopus way back in 1927, it called for a special exhibit of the two rarities.
Bayview Rooom Then and Now, 1907
Have you ever partied in the Bayview Room inside the Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove? This #ThenandNow shows you how it’s changed since 1907. Back in the day, it was a fancy
