Complete Guide to Planning Your Visit to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

My husband and I celebrated the 4th of July weekend down at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, Ca. The weather was sunny and perfect for a good ole American carnival. We rode classic rides like the Ferris wheel and frolicked in the waves on the beach. It was definitely a day for making memories and capturing some great photos!

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has it all including rides, warm sands, beachy vibes, good food and music. Sounds like the perfect summer day, right? For thrill seekers, the epic amusement park rides include the iconic 1924 wooden roller coaster the Giant Dipper and The Looff Carousel and the popular Cave Train. From the boardwalk and onboard all the rides you can see panoramic views of the beach.

So, are you ready to get an adrenaline rush at the world’s best seaside park? This blog post was written for you! Check out a few tips to make your trip more memorable at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

What is the best time of year to visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?

The weather in Santa Cruz is generally mild with sunny summers and fall season, while the winters are overcast and foggy with temperatures in the 60’s. So there’s never really a bad time to visit the Santa Cruz coast. There are occasional rainy days in the winter and early spring.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is open year-round but the rides are not always open. Particularly the rides can be closed during the weekdays. Before you plan the dates for your trip, check the calendar here to make sure the rides will be open. This calendar will also let you know when the arcades are open.

How to Avoid the Crowds at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?

All of the pictures you see in this blog post were taken during the 4th of July weekend. You can clearly see the mass crowds of people on the rides and on the beach during a summer holiday weekend.

The best way to attend the boardwalk without a lot of crowds is to come on a weekday. The rides are open usually Thursday and Friday on the weekday (always check the calendar). Fair warning that not all rides will open during the weekday.

If you go on a weekend, make sure you are the first amongst the few to reach there in the morning to avoid the throng. It will be simple to locate parking, easier to wander about and comfortable inside a restaurant to sit in and dine in.

I suggest arriving right at 9am for breakfast at the Barbary Coast Restaurant on the on the Colonnade. You can catch some views at breakfast and then head into the park at 10am. On busy days despite all the activity, the lines for most rides are shorter and tend to move quickly.

Visiting the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk During the Off Season

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is the epitome of summer, with its sunny seaside location, fully accessible roller coasters, and the never-ending procession of frosty delicacies. But it does not imply that the good times stop when the children are back at school. The boardwalk is active all year, and calmer months promise better discounts and fewer customers.

Another way to try and avoid crowds is skipping the summer season and going to the boardwalk during the months of October - February.

How much is the admission price to enter the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?

To enter the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk or go to the beach is free - there’s no admission price for entering. If you’re not a person who enjoys rollercoasters or rides, you can walk around and enjoy the scenery and grab a bite to eat. You can also set up a picnic on the beach with the boardwalk in the background.

It’s when you want to ride the rollercoasters is where it gets expensive.

Are season passes to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk worth it?

The ideal time to purchase a boardwalk season pass is during the off-season at the beginning of the year so that you can maximize your usage. If you buy a season pass today for $89.95, you will have unlimited rides until the end of 2022. As a bonus, you'll get no blackout dates as well as a brochure including bargains on food, drink and arcade play.

Given that daily ride passes cost $29.95 – $59.95 for unlimited rides through a wristband, the yearly pass proves to be a steal. In 3 visits you’ve made your money back! If you live within an hour driving distance then it could be worth it to have a pass.

Also, the MyBoardwalk is a cashless card, making it handy for you to charge up and pay for individual rides, attractions, arcades, and midway games as you choose, with $1 per point.

I wasn’t able to find pricing to ride just a couple rides and pay per ride. If anyone knows please leave it in the comments below!

Can toddlers and little kids ride the rollercoasters at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has done a great job of making the amusement park friendly for families with children of all ages. However, you need to follow certain height criteria while enjoying roller coaster rides. Of course all of the big rollercoasters are for older children and adults, but they do have small rides and games for toddlers. There’s 3 rides with no height requirement at all, and many others are under 34” okay with a chaperone.

See the complete chart with height requirements for rides on their official website.

When it comes to pushing babies around in strollers, I would say to make sure your stroller provides shade and you don’t overheat. There’s not a ton of shade on the boardwalk and beach. It can also be crowded and difficult to push a stroller during peak times. For additional baby-friendly things to do in Santa Cruz, see our Complete Guide to Exploring Santa Cruz With a Baby.

Is Parking Free at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?

Unfortunately is parking not free, and it’s actually pretty expensive. And to make matters worse, on the busy weekends they run out of parking and you have to take a shuttle from an off-site parking lot. Keep reading to get the details.

As of 2022, here’s the breakdown of how paid parking works at the boardwalk:

All day parking on the weekends costs $25.
All day parking on the week days costs $20.
For Limited Ride Days parking costs $15 for the day.
On the days when rides are completely closed it only costs $5 for the day.
Check the calendar for Limited Ride Days and days when the rides as closed.
Street parking is very limited and subject to hourly limits and fees. I would not depend on street parking to be available.

Busy Weekends at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Overflow Parking

On peak season days the parking lot located adjacent to the boardwalk will fill up and you’ll have to park off-site and take a free shuttle to the amusement park. The good news is that it only costs $10 for the day to park at the offsite parking lot.

Here’s all the details you need to know:

This service only runs for peaks days. For 2022 the dates are May 28-30, July weekends 2-4, 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, 30-31 and Sept. 3-5. See full list of dates here.
The offsite parking lot is located at: Government Center at 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz. If you’re staying at the Hotel Paradox it’s right across the street.
The shuttle departs every 25 minutes starting at 10:30am. The last return shuttle departs from the Boardwalk 20 minutes after the scheduled Boardwalk closing time.
Parking at the Government Center is with credit card only.

Tips to Score a Parking Spot at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The early bird catches the worm, or in this case the parking spot! The earlier you can arrive, the better your chances of getting a parking spot in the lot. I also suggest avoiding peak weekends in the summertime and try for the slow season or a weekday.

As you can see from the photos in this blog post, the 4th of July weekend at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk was super busy and crowded with visitors. The best trick to avoid dealing with parking drama is to actually book a hotel within walking distance.

My top favorite hotels that are less than a 10 minute walk to the boardwalk are the Dream Inn, Aqua Breeze Inn and La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Santa Cruz. This also means that they are super close to the beach!

What to Eat at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Calling all foodies, there are delicacies that await you at the Boardwalk! Believe it or not, the food selection at the Boardwalk goes beyond your traditional carnival and amusement park fried foods. There really is something for everyone’s individual tastes and dietary restrictions.

Top Restaurants To Try at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk:

Barbary Coast Restaurant - Adult fans of local craft beers can pick one up here alongside burgers, hot dogs and turkey legs.
Surf City Grill - This popular foodie spot serves french-fried artichoke hearts, clam chowder bread bowls, chili cheese or nacho cheese fries, Texas-sized donuts and BBQ. They also have vegetarian entrees including vegetarian corn dogs and garden burgers.
Cruzin’ Crêpes featuring Boba Tea - Sweet and savory crepes and boba tea.
Pizza Now! - Classic cheese and pepperoni pizza with craft beers.
Señor Ted’s - Tacos, burrito bowls and nachos supreme.
Dipper Diner - Along with typical diner food they have Beyond Burgers, vegetarian samosas, salads and more. For dessert try the deep-friend cheesecake.
BoardWok - Find your favorite Asian foods including Sriracha Tots, Teriyaki chicken rice bowls, orange chicken and spicy Thai peanut wraps.
Barnacle Bill’s - Mix things up with a cajun boil lunch and a freshly made Michelada adult beverage.
World Grill & Beer Garden - Pick from gyros, Philly cheesesteaks, vegetarian falafel in a pita and grilled chicken paninis. For dessert freshly cut caramel apple chips.

There’s a lengthy list of desserts and hard-to-find snacks available on the Boardwalk including:

Chocolate covered bacon
Saltwater taffy
Caramel apples
Root beer floats
Ice cream sundaes
Chocolate-dipped bananas
Churros
Kettlekorn
Cotton candy
Cookies ‘n’ Cream cotton candy
Dippin’ Dots
Casino Dots
Funnel Cakes
Original ice cream sandwich “The SANDae”
Malts
Deep-fried Twinkies
Deep fried Oreos
Deep fried Smucker’s Uncrustable peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Dipped soft-serve ice cream cones
Ice cream sandwiches
Dairy-free Pineapple Soft Serve Ice Cream
Italian ice
Monkey bread
Tostilocos - a popular spicy and savory street food
Mangonadas
Acai bowls

More Things To Do at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

If you happen to go to the Boardwalk on a day when there’s limited or no rides (or you just don’t like rollercoasters), there’s still plenty of things to do.

Apart from thrill rides, family rides and small kiddie rides, you can opt for some games at Boardwalk Bowl, Buccaneer Bay Mini Golf, Casino Arcade, Neptune’s Kingdom, Laser Tag and Fright Walk. You can also enjoy family activities at The Vault Laser Maze Challenge and Cali Caricature. Additionally there's face painting and henna designs for kids and adults.

Shopping at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The local people of Santa Cruz have a signature surfer style and you can shop their favorite hoodies and sweatshirts in the stores located on the Boardwalk. There’s even an O’Neil Surf Shop on the Boardwalk. And of course there’s plenty of souvenirs and branded goods to remember your trip.

One shopping spot very unique to the Boardwalk is the NEST upcycled and local goods store. They carry trendy and artisan made items such as pottery, home decor, potted plants, local honey, candles, soaps, jewelry, kitchen sundries, art prints and spices.

If you’ve arrived at the Boardwalk and found you’re missing something important, they also have stores that carry necessities such as portable strollers, sandals, sun hats, sunglasses, beach towels, sunscreen and beach umbrellas.

One important thing to mention, most of the shops at the Boardwalk only accept cashless payments.

Planning Your Beach Picnic at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

One of the most unique features of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is that there’s both an amusement park and a world-famous beach sitting side by side. My advice is to split your day between riding the rides on the Boardwalk and then having a relaxing second half on the beach. I strongly advise that you do it in that order because you’ll be covered in sand after a beach picnic and that’s no fun while you’re standing in line for rides.

If you drove your car to the Boardwalk then pack it up with beach towels, a beach umbrella, sunscreen and beach toys for kids. I would also pack non-perishable snacks and drinks so you don’t have to fully rely on the Boardwalk food for your entire stay. The sunset is always the best part but pack clothing layers in case the temperature drops as the sun goes down. Santa Cruz hoodies are a must!

More Tips for Visiting the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Sunscreen is a Must

The shade is very limited at the Boardwalk and you’ll find yourself standing exposed to direct sunlight for several hours. The UV sun rays will creep up on and before you know it you’ve got a nasty sunburn. Be prepared and apply sunscreen before you arrive and re-apply at least once. If you go into the water at the beach then make sure you’ve got water resistant sunscreen that’s at least 50 SPF.

Keep Yourself and Your Children Hydrated

With the sun shining bright and the day full of running around the Boardwalk, it is easy to find yourself feeling the negative effects of dehydration. Make a conscious effort to drink water throughout the day and make sure you’re offering some to your children.

If you’re an adult enjoying some alcoholic day drinking, take extra care to hydrate between boozy beverages. You’ll thank me later!

Can You Bring Dogs to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?

Dogs are not allowed on the Boardwalk or at the Santa Cruz Main Beach next to the Boardwalk (even if you have them on a leash). Please never leave your dog locked in a car for long hours.

If you’re traveling with your dog in Santa Cruz and want to know what beaches do allow dogs, you can get the info here.

What Should You Wear in Santa Cruz?

No matter what time of year you are visiting Santa Cruz, the answer to this question is always layers. I grew up in Half Moon Bay which is another beach town an hour drive north up the coast. Both coastal cities have similar weather phenomenons known as marine layers which means random foggy days with sudden chilly temperatures.

Although Santa Cruz has considerably more sunny days than San Francisco and Half Moon Bay, you should come prepared with a sweatshirt or hoodie and even possibly long pants as a backup. This is especially true if you plan on attending earlier in the day or staying until sundown.

Insta-Worthy Spots Inside the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a must-visit for anyone who enjoys posting cute pics on Instagram and TikTok. This spot is a golden opportunity for you to click an insta-worthy picture of film a short TikTok video. You’ve got the ferris wheel which works as both a cool background and you can take fun skyline photos and vides of the beach and boardwalk while onboard. Sunset beach photos are always winners too!

For additional photo spots in Santa Cruz, see my complete Instagram guide to Santa Cruz!

More Family-Friendly Things To Do Near Santa Cruz

If you’re planning an extended stay in Santa Cruz, I’ve listed a few day trip ideas to further explore Northern California.

Capitola

When you’re driving down Highway 1 along the Pacific Ocean Coastline, Capitola is just 10 minutes south of Santa Cruz. The most popular destination for visitors is Capitola Beach with white sand and calm waves. Adjacent you’ll see brightly colored and whimsical Venetian Seaside Cottages in Capitola Village. There’s beachside restaurants and shopping also in Capitola Village.

Strawberry Picking in Davenport

Growing up on the coast we went strawberry and berry picking in the summers in Davenport which is a 15 minute drive from Santa Cruz. It’s really fun to be on the farm and pick the fresh fruit directly from the vine. Swanton Berry Farm has u-pick olallieberries and strawberries in the summer months and kiwis in the winter months. See photos and info from our berry picking trip.

Day Trip to Half Moon Bay

I mentioned above that Half Moon Bay is my hometown and it’s located an hour north on the coast. Similar to Santa Cruz there’s beaches and beautiful scenery. On the blog I have my dog-friendly guide to Half Moon Bay and Instagrammable places in Half Moon Bay.

Half Moon Bay is especially popular for visitors during the fall season because they a huge Pumpkin Festival and many pumpkin patches to visit. You can eat all foods made with pumpkins and enjoy autumn activities.

Carmel-By-the-Sea

Continuing south down the Pacific Coast Highway you’ll hit Carmel-by-the-Sea after driving for about an hour from Santa Cruz. This little beach town is full of charm with fairytale cottage houses and cobblestone streets. There’s world class dining and white sand beaches in Carmel.

Los Gatos

Heading 30 minutes inland from Santa Cruz, Los Gatos is another delightful small town. There’s a bustling downtown with lots of dining and shopping, kid-friendly attractions, quaint Victorian houses and wineries for the adults.

San Jose

You may be surprised to learn that the urban city of San Jose is only a 40 minute drive from Santa Cruz (assuming there’s no traffic). If you’re looking for big city things to do you can find big shopping malls and popular neighborhoods with all kinds of dining.

Road Trip Down the Pacific Coast Highway

If your plans include driving the open road and sightseeing along the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California, I’ve got a complete guide with many noteworthy places to stop and explore very close to Highway 1. You can check it out here!