The boardwalk extends along the coast of the Monterey Bay, from just east of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River. At the western edge of the park lies a large building originally known as The Plunge, now Neptune's Kingdom, a pirate-themed recreation center which contains a video arcade and an indoor miniature golf course. Next to this is the Casino Fun Center which includes a laser tag arena and next to that is the Cocoanut Grove banquet room and conference center. A Laffing Sal automated character, from San Francisco's Playland, is viewable near the miniature golf course.
Fred W. Swanton formed the Santa Cruz Beach, Cottage, and Tent City Corporation in 1903 and the following year, the City of Santa Cruz granted permission for commercial buildings to be built. On 14 June 1904, the Neptune Casino opened with an arcade, grill and dining room, and a theater.
As of 2011[update], the park is headed by Charles Canfield, the son of Laurence Canfield, the president of the park from the 1950s until the early 1980s. It has won the Best Seaside Amusement Park Award from Amusement Today every year since 2007 except for 2015.[6] Although there is no admission and the beach is public, parking is charged a fee when the rides are open. Season or day passes can be purchased or tickets for $1; each ride costs between 3 and 7 tickets.[7][8]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the park shut down in mid-March 2020. The park reopened on November 7, 2020.[9] The park then subsequently shut down on November 10, 2020, due to Santa Cruz County re-entering the Substantial tier of the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The park then re-opened select rides to California residents on April 1, 2021.[10]
Boardwalk's Cocoanut Grove
The Boardwalk's Cocoanut Grove conference center includes banquet rooms and a performing arts venue. Food, drink, and theater were profitable aspects of the resort since the original Casino of Swanton in 1904. Although gambling was never legal, it was generally known that guests could take boats from the "pleasure pier" to a ship in the harbor to play games of chance in the early days. During Prohibition from 1920 to 1933, serving alcoholic drinks was also outlawed and the casino changed its name to Cocoanut Grove. The name includes an old spelling of Coconut, Cocos nucifera, which was used in the popular Marx Brothers movie The Cocoanuts of 1929. The name was also used by a number of popular nightclubs of the era, including one in The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California.[11]
Today, Cocoanut Grove rarely hosts musical acts. It is a venue for weddings, banquets, school formal occasions and reunions, and corporate events. The Grand Ballroom and Sun Room complexes include over 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) of space and commercial kitchens.[11]
santa, cruz, beach, boardwalk, oceanfront, amusement, park, santa, cruz, california, founded, 1907, california, oldest, surviving, amusement, park, seaside, parks, west, coast, united, states, locationsanta, cruz, california, united, statescoordinates36, 96417. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an oceanfront amusement park in Santa Cruz California Founded in 1907 it is California s oldest surviving amusement park 1 and one of the few seaside parks on the West Coast of the United States Santa Cruz Beach BoardwalkLocationSanta Cruz California United StatesCoordinates36 57 51 N 122 01 04 W 36 96417 N 122 01778 W 36 96417 122 01778 Coordinates 36 57 51 N 122 01 04 W 36 96417 N 122 01778 W 36 96417 122 01778Opened1907OwnerSanta Cruz Seaside CompanyOperating seasonYear round limited operation November early February AttractionsTotal35Roller coasters3Water rides1Websitebeachboardwalk wbr comCalifornia Historical LandmarkReference no 983 Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Boardwalk s Cocoanut Grove 4 Rides 4 1 Current roller coasters 4 2 Thrill rides 4 3 Family rides 4 4 Kiddie rides 5 Former rides 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksDescription EditThe boardwalk extends along the coast of the Monterey Bay from just east of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River At the western edge of the park lies a large building originally known as The Plunge now Neptune s Kingdom a pirate themed recreation center which contains a video arcade and an indoor miniature golf course Next to this is the Casino Fun Center which includes a laser tag arena and next to that is the Cocoanut Grove banquet room and conference center A Laffing Sal automated character from San Francisco s Playland is viewable near the miniature golf course The main beach and boardwalk East of the casino the boardwalk portion of the park stretches along a wide sandy Main Beach visitors can access easily from the park The eastern end of the boardwalk is dominated by the Giant Dipper a wooden roller coaster that is one of the most visible landmarks in Santa Cruz The Dipper and the Looff Carousel which still contains its original 342 pipe organ built in 1894 are both on the US National Register of Historic Places They were together declared to be a National Historic Landmark in 1987 2 and the park is California Historical Landmark number 983 3 There are old fashioned carnival games and snack booths throughout the 24 acre 9 7 hectare park It is located at 400 Beach Street in Santa Cruz 36 57 51 N 122 01 04 W 36 96417 N 122 01778 W 36 96417 122 01778 south of the Ocean Street exit of California State Route 1 which is the southern terminus of California State Route 17 History Edit Santa Cruz Swimming Baths at the Boardwalk Pacific Novelty Company Postcards circa 1910 Fred W Swanton formed the Santa Cruz Beach Cottage and Tent City Corporation in 1903 and the following year the City of Santa Cruz granted permission for commercial buildings to be built On 14 June 1904 the Neptune Casino opened with an arcade grill and dining room and a theater The beach was a destination for railroads and trolleys from 1875 From 1927 to 1959 Southern Pacific Railroad ran Suntan Special excursion trains to the beach from San Francisco Oakland and San Jose every summer Sunday and holiday 4 A short passenger service to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park was restored in 1985 The Santa Cruz Big Trees and Pacific Railway stops in front of the park 5 As of 2011 update the park is headed by Charles Canfield the son of Laurence Canfield the president of the park from the 1950s until the early 1980s It has won the Best Seaside Amusement Park Award from Amusement Today every year since 2007 except for 2015 6 Although there is no admission and the beach is public parking is charged a fee when the rides are open Season or day passes can be purchased or tickets for 1 each ride costs between 3 and 7 tickets 7 8 Due to the COVID 19 pandemic the park shut down in mid March 2020 The park reopened on November 7 2020 9 The park then subsequently shut down on November 10 2020 due to Santa Cruz County re entering the Substantial tier of the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy The park then re opened select rides to California residents on April 1 2021 10 Boardwalk s Cocoanut Grove EditThe Boardwalk s Cocoanut Grove conference center includes banquet rooms and a performing arts venue Food drink and theater were profitable aspects of the resort since the original Casino of Swanton in 1904 Although gambling was never legal it was generally known that guests could take boats from the pleasure pier to a ship in the harbor to play games of chance in the early days During Prohibition from 1920 to 1933 serving alcoholic drinks was also outlawed and the casino changed its name to Cocoanut Grove The name includes an old spelling of Coconut Cocos nucifera which was used in the popular Marx Brothers movie The Cocoanuts of 1929 The name was also used by a number of popular nightclubs of the era including one in The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles California 11 In the 1930s and 1940s Cocoanut Grove was a popular spot for major big band acts including Stan Kenton Benny Goodman Lionel Hampton and Tommy Dorsey 12 Today Cocoanut Grove rarely hosts musical acts It is a venue for weddings banquets school formal occasions and reunions and corporate events The Grand Ballroom and Sun Room complexes include over 20 000 square feet 1 900 m2 of space and commercial kitchens 11 Rides EditCurrent roller coasters Edit Coaster Opened Manufacturer ModelGiant Dipper 1924 Prior amp Church Wooden Roller CoasterSea Serpent 2000 E amp F Miler Industries Family CoasterUndertow 2013 Maurer Sohne Spinning CoasterThrill rides Edit Ride Opened Manufacturer ModelCliffhanger 2003 Battech Enterprises CliffhangerCrazy Surf 1998 Wisdom Rides GenesisCyclone 2004 Hrubetz Round UpDouble Shot 2005 S amp S Worldwide 125 foot tall Double Shot drop towerFireball 2007 KMG Revolution 20Rock O Plane 1954 Eyerly Rock O PlaneShockwave 2017 Zamperla Disk oTyphoon 2017 ARM Rides TyphoonWipeOut 1998 HUSS BreakdanceFamily rides Edit Ride Opened Manufacturer ModelCave Train 1961 Arrow Development 13 Cave TrainFreefall 2002 Moser FreefallGhost Blasters 2001 Sally Corporation Shooting Dark RideHaunted Castle 2010 Sally Corporation Dark RideLighthouse Lift Off 2021 Sunkid Lift TowerLogger s Revenge 1977 Arrow Development Log FlumeLooff Carousel 1911 Looff CarouselPirate Ship 1984 Chance Rides Pirate ShipRiptide 1993 Larson International Tilt A WhirlRock amp Roll 2002 Bertazzon MatterhornSea Swings 2008 Bertazzon Swing CarouselSky Glider 1967 Universal Mobility ChairliftSpace Race 2000 Space Race Inc Space RaceSpeed Bumps 1996 Majestic Manufacturing Bumper CarsTornado 2000 Wisdom Rides TornadoTsunami 1999 Moser Music ExpressTwirlin Teacups 2019 Mack Rides TeacupsWave Rider 2021 Battech Enterprises Permanent Dry SlideKiddie rides Edit Ride Opened Manufacturer ModelBeach Swing 2013 Zamperla Happy SwingBouncin Buggies 2016 Zamperla Jump AroundBulgy the Whale 1960 Eyerly Bulgy the WhaleConvoy 2000 Zamperla ConvoyJet Copters 1990 Zamperla Helicopter rideSea Dragons 1976 Zamperla Sea DragonSpeed Boats 1960 Venture Speed BoatsSpeedway 2002 Zamperla SpeedwayFormer rides EditHurricane replaced by Undertow Videostorm replaced by Tsunami Whirlwind Chaos Paratrooper Wave Jammer opened 1986 replaced by Rock amp Roll Bermuda Triangle Scrambler Spider Spin Out Tea Cups Artic Flyer opened 1973 replaced by Videostorm Wild Mouse closed 1975 replaced by Logger s Revenge Crazy Surf KMG X Factory Sold to UK showman Joseph Manning in October 2018 converted from park to travelling model by Eagle Fabrications 14 References Edit Santa Cruz Booardwalk class amusement park www californiadaytrips com Retrieved 2016 05 25 NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS PROGRAM PDF www nps gov Retrieved 2016 05 25 Santa Cruz County California Historical Landmark web site State of California Office of Historic Preservation Retrieved June 11 2010 SP and the Suntan Special PDF History of in Santa Cruz County Retrieved 18 August 2019 Roaring Camp Railroads Santa Cruz Beach Train official web site Santa Cruz Big Trees and Pacific Railway Retrieved May 2 2015 All time Winners By Category Golden Ticket Awards Amusement Today 8 January 2014 Retrieved 30 January 2018 Ticket Information Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk web site Santa Cruz Seaside Company Archived from the original on June 8 2010 Retrieved June 12 2010 beachboardwalk com www bizjournals com https www bizjournals com sanjose news 2020 11 04 santa cruz beach boardwalk reopening covid html Retrieved 2020 11 09 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty title help Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to reopen rides on April 1 SFGATE March 29 2021 Retrieved April 5 2021 a b Frequently Asked Questions about the historic Cocoanut Grove Cocoanut Grove website Retrieved June 10 2010 Valerie Gladstone May 14 2000 DANCE They Come to the Dance Floor Bearing a Gift Jazz New York Times Retrieved June 10 2010 The Dawn of the Cave Train The Legacy of the Wild Mouse Lives On Further reading EditSanta Cruz Seaside Company April 1 2007 The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk A Century by the Sea Ten Speed Press ISBN 978 1 58008 814 5 External links Edit California portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Official web site Cocoanut Grove Official site Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk at the Roller Coaster DataBase Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amp oldid 1114843599, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
