Santa Cruz Pier
Nothing can burn a whole day with kids like a beach. Luckily this weekend we were close to Santa Cruz and so, with grandparents, we headed to the sand. Santa Cruz is well-known for its boardwalk. Frankly with young kids who likely don’t meet the height requirement for any ride there, I was hesitant to go within viewing distance of any roller coaster. There are other beaches to choose from, but since our needs also required wheelchair accessibility, we decided the pier would be the best bet. To either side of the pier are great options for plopping down sand gear near ramps or decks. There are also restaurants nearby that offer indoor, outdoor, or to-go lunches. So you really don’t need to move much from your beach blanket, and with all the gear and toys that comes with kids, this is a feature worth mentioning.
If you do venture away from the sand, the pier is a really nice place to stroll. On the left side of the pier (as you face the ocean) are some stairs that lead to a great place to view resting sea lions. Another great place to shop is Marinis, a candy shop that makes its own salt water taffy. I have to say the taffy is incredibly good.
One ride I wouldn’t mind taking some time is the beach train that rides from the boardwalk up to Henry Cowell redwood forests of Felton. A round trip excursion takes about 3 hours, but you can easily make a whole day event by using that as your transportation to two nice destinations. Guess I need to leave something for next time.
I definitely recommend the train ride. You get on the train in front of the pier. It’s a beautiful ride through the forest up the hill to a small train station. Make a short hike to see the great redwoods. Then go back on the train. My kids loved it.