Family Day in Santa Cruz
4 hours of family fun! Beach, boardwalk, playground, and kid-friendly dining. Perfect for all ages.
Perfect Family Day
Beach Boardwalk Fun
Start with California's classic seaside amusement park. Rides for all ages, arcade games, and beach access.
Little Kids (2-7)
- • Looff Carousel (historic, beautiful)
- • Mini Golf
- • Bulgy the Whale ride
- • Pirate Ship (mild)
- • Kiddie rides area
Big Kids (8+)
- • Giant Dipper (classic coaster)
- • Logger's Revenge (water ride)
- • Sea Swings
- • Arcade (tons of games)
- • Beach volleyball
- • All-day wristband: $45-65 (best value for 2+ hours)
- • Individual rides: $5-10 each (if doing just a few)
- • FREE: Walking boardwalk, beach access, watching rides
- • Tip: Eat before/after, boardwalk food is pricey
Main Beach Play
Let kids run and play on the sand! Wide beach right next to Boardwalk.
Beach Activities:
- • Sandcastle building — Bring bucket & shovel or buy at boardwalk
- • Wade in water — Supervised, waves can be strong
- • Flying kites — Boardwalk shops sell them
- • Beach volleyball — Courts available, free
Family-Friendly Lunch
Kid-approved restaurants near the beach with quick service and reasonable prices.
Betty Burgers
Gourmet burgers kids love, fries, shakes. Quick service, casual. $10-15/person
Distance: 5 min walk from boardwalk
Pizza My Heart
Huge slices, quick, affordable. Kids menu. $8-12/person
Distance: Downtown, 10 min drive
Picnic Basket
Sandwiches, salads, healthy options. Quick takeout, eat at park. $10-15/person
Distance: Downtown, 10 min drive
Boardwalk Food (Quick Option)
Corn dogs, fries, pizza slices. Expensive but convenient. $10-15/person
Distance: Right there!
Playground or Learning Time
End with play time at a great playground OR educational fun at a museum.
Option A: Park Playground
Large playground, multiple structures, swings, picnic tables. FREE!
Distance: Downtown, 10 min drive
Huge playground, skate park nearby, open space. FREE!
Distance: Westside, 10 min drive
Option B: Museum
Touch pools, marine science, whale skeleton. $10/adult, $7/kids
Distance: Westside, 15 min drive
Local wildlife, Native American history, hands-on. $5/person
Distance: Downtown, 5 min drive
Budget Breakdown (Family of 4)
Budget option: Skip wristbands, do 5-10 rides + free beach/playground = $120-150 total
👨👩👧👦 Family Tips
- 🎫Wristband Strategy: If kids want 5+ rides, wristband pays off. Under 5 rides? Individual tickets cheaper. Height restrictions apply to some rides.
- ☀️Sun Protection: Bring sunscreen, hats, sunglasses. Reapply every 2 hours. Boardwalk has some shade but beach is full sun.
- 🎒What to Bring: Water bottles (refill at fountains), snacks (save money), change of clothes (beach gets wet!), towels, zip-lock bags for phones.
- 🚻Bathrooms: Boardwalk has clean facilities. Public restrooms on beach. Museums and restaurants have family bathrooms.
- ⏰Best Time: Weekday mornings (fewer crowds). Avoid peak summer weekends (very crowded). Arrive early (9-10am) for best parking.