Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Winter Wonderland

If you are looking for a festive and fun holiday tradition, it is time to visit the Beach Boardwalk for Winter Wonderland. With shorter lines and less crowds than the summer, it is the perfect way to celebrate the season with friends and family of all ages. The Boardwalk is decorated for the holidays, and you can even catch Santa for a photo or find him singing up on stage. When the sun goes down, the Boardwalk lights up and sparkles with all of the lights. Starting at 5, there is a light show that includes snow that happens every 15 minutes.

As always, entry to the Beach Boardwalk is free. Parking is $15 for the entire day. Rides are running from 12-7PM, and starting at 5 they are just $2 per ride! If you plan to come for the day, make sure to purchase a wristband online (and a day in advance) to save 10%. If you plan to come closer to 5, load up a My Boardwalk card and pay by the ride. When you add $50, get 5 bonus points. When you add $100, get 15 bonus points. My Boardwalk cards can be used across the Boardwalk for rides, food, or holiday shopping. Right now, there are a lot of festive treats like hot chocolate and peppermint ice cream. S’mores kits are available starting at 5PM, and there are fire pits that are first come, first served.

Winter Wonderland will be open daily from December 20 through January 4. There are limited rides open at this time of the year, find a full list online for more info: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Winter Wonderland