Special Features: From the Archives: Kyle L does Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Posted at 12:13 PM EST (1713 GMT)

Nov. 11th, 2007 -- So you think you're a park connoisseur. You wake up early, get a good parking space, slap on the sunscreen and prepare for a long day at the amusement park. What if I told you there's a different version over here in sunny California? What about waking up late-way late-grabbing your surfboard, hopping on the bike, and cruising down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk? Santa Cruz has a living historic landmark, the Beach Boardwalk. Home to a large collection of flat rides, the oldest operating roller coaster on the west coast, and an arcade large enough to drain all the quarters you can ever carry. The Beach Boardwalk has enough fun for many generations to come, and much more. One visit and you'll be hooked!

The Beach Boardwalk is unlike anything you have ever been to. You can get a hotel room closer to the Boardwalk than a parking spot, and stroll on down on a warm evening. With free admission, you can go anytime of the day, giving you the freedom to leisurely enjoy the Boardwalk. With many pricing options, the all-ride wristband can sometimes be bought at a ridiculously low price of seven dollars. Or, you could do it the old fashioned way and just buy a big strand of tickets, and spend the day debating what rides you want to conquer!

One of the newest attractions at the Boardwalk debuted this year. The Double Shot is brand new, and is taking the Boardwalk by storm. Standing 125 feet tall, the Double Shot launches riders up, and then catches them off-guard by launching them downwards. The cycle is repeated twice for two times the thrills! One of the greatest things about Double Shot is its pristine location. Right along the Boardwalk, and sitting against the beach, the Double Shot will provide you views you will remember forever.

Perhaps the one reason why a coaster enthusiast would visit the Boardwalk in the first place is the historic landmark: The Giant Dipper. Built in 1924, the Giant Dipper is an instant classic for any coaster enthusiast. Over 50 million riders can't be wrong, the Giant Dipper is an exciting, and fun ride for the entire family.

The Giant Dipper isn't exactly the tallest or fastest, but with its compact design, whippy turns, and wealth of airtime, the Giant Dipper thrills even the most hardcore coaster enthusiasts. With no seatbelts, a two passenger lap-bar, and large bucket seats, the Giant Dipper definitely provides a classic feel.

If you are a flat ride junkie, and love to be spun around into oblivion, then the Beach Boardwalk has everything you are looking for. With all the rides that flip you, twist you, and make you lose your sense of direction, the Boardwalk boasts a fantastic collection of flat rides. If you're looking for classic flat rides and old school fun, the Boardwalk hosts a classic Carousel, with a "Band-in-a-box" instrumental system, as well as a ring toss game integrated into the ride. Riders pick up rings from a reel near the outside of the carousel, and attempt to throw them into a hole in the wall painted as the clown's mouth. The carousel might not be something to scream over, but it is definitely classic fun.

The Boardwalk has the most unique atmosphere you will ever encounter. With a warm, sunny beach right next to world class old school thrills, who needs more? Sure it's not an amusement park with 400 foot coasters, or the most rides in one park, but what other amusement park allows you to surf, and then ride the oldest coaster on the Pacific coast? The relaxed, laid back feel of the Boardwalk can make anyone feel like a kid, and why not? A huge arcade, classic rides, an old coaster, and some of the newest thrills all packed onto a beach….I'm in heaven.

To view the video, follow the link here.

About the video: The video was made by me (Kyle L), and I want you to enjoy it. The video is about 8.5MB and requires Quicktime to view. Comments are appreciated, enjoy!

ThrillNetwork brings you news and information about amusement parks, theme parks, roller coasters and thrill rides. Here you will find up-to-date news and travel discounts on your favorite parks including, Six Flags, Cedar Point, Cedar Fair, Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Paramount Parks.