Down at the Boardwalk

Growing up in Los Gatos, CA, we kids spent many lazy, summer days at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk was a real boardwalk, complete with old concrete walkways and carnival rides! Okay, not so very many rides, but all the important ones for that day..... a genuine carousel with rings to pull and toss into the clowns mouth as as the carousel turned, for a 'free ride' ticket win! It was cool! Really cool. It also sported a small wooden roller coaster, and some carnival game tosses. Then there were the hours spent lazing in the sun, building sand castles and splashing in the ocean waves. Man, oh man. Those were the grand old days, alright. Awesome memories.My mom snapped this photograph of my brother Kenny, sister Ginny and myself with Mrs. Garland and her two daughters, Jeannie and Jan. They must have been our tag-a-longs for this special day. Mom always brought friends along. No matter where we went or what we did. I think she enjoyed people and gallivanting around, and we kids reaped the benefits of many fun summer days with a variety of friends. Oh for those problem-free days of ease.....


I love this boardwalk, even if it is one of the 'board-less' varieties. Actually, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk refers to both the seaside amusement park and the concrete path that runs through it. Here, find everything from a classic wooden roller coaster, a 1911 carousel, arcade and video games and an extra-wide beach with volleyball nets to free concerts, great surfing and windsurfing and a half-mile-long pier lined with seafood restaurants. Coastal nirvana. ~Steve Millburg