Summer, Sand, And Sea:. There is something about growing up in…
By: Lisa Holliday
Tags: Amusement Parks, Family Travel, Business, Nostalgia, Santa Cruz

The Beach Boardwalk

Photo Credit Daniel J Schwarz/Unsplash

There is something about growing up in Santa Cruz, Ca. that is magical. You have the best of both worlds at your fingertips. You have the majestic redwood forest, where you can roam the big trees and creeks and make those childhood memories that are full of make-believe. You also have the ocean, which can wear you out, with the rushing waves and the building of sandcastles. I learned early on, no matter what issues I was facing; If I went and stood by the ocean, every problem felt small. The sea always seemed to put things into perspective. How lucky was I that at any given moment, I could ride my bike and go to the lovely Pacific Ocean?

My parents, divorced and both remarried, and with these remarriages, my life doubled down with coolness. My dad and stepmom lived in the redwoods, and my backyard was a forest. I had fantastic tree forts, where I could host sleepovers, and we had our campground a half-mile away from our house on our property, with a fireplace.

When my mom married my stepdad, we became part of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk empire. What did that mean? Free tickets to the Boardwalk, unlimited cotton candy, and ice cream, it said that we had it made.

On any given summer day, when you went to the Boardwalk, the smell of the sea salt, sand, along with the sweet aromas of cotton candy and chocolate-dipped cones in air, it would let you know that it was summer vacation and it was time for fun.

The Boardwalk itself has held onto its roots, based in nostalgia. When you walk the Boardwalk, you feel transported to another time. The older rides, like the scrambler or the oldest wooden roller coaster in the country, all feel like they are from yesteryear, which you won’t see at your big name amusement parks. The Boardwalk almost has a glorified county fair feel.

Well, leave it to a 15-year-old kid to not appreciate growing up on the Boardwalk like I did when I was younger. When my dad came home to tell me I would start working there that summer, I was more than ungrateful. All of the kids in the family worked at the Boardwalk, and it was a right of passage. I, however, was indignant and thought I would be embarrassed when my friends were there for fun, and I was working.

I didn’t end up being embarrassed working at the Boardwalk. My friends would say hi to me as they passed by to ride the rides. They would also wait for me to get off of work, so we could all enjoy the Boardwalk together. There were things that I enjoyed working at the Boardwalk, like a messed up chocolate-dipped cone, that you would then get to eat yourself. I enjoyed the other kids working alongside me. The summer romances that would start and end every summer, when the season came to an end. I look back on my days working at the Boardwalk, and can’t help but smile. The only thing that I am embarrassed about was the way I reacted when my dad got me the job.

When I started taking my kids to the Boardwalk, I got to relive the excitement I remembered having as a kid. When my stepson started working at the Boardwalk, I felt the pride that my dad probably felt when my sister and I started working there. The next generation was enjoying stomping grounds of all of the ages before them, and it still was a place of joy, that time couldn’t seem to tarnish.

Now I will start taking my granddaughter to the Boardwalk, and maybe one day, she will work there too. I am looking forward to seeing the Boardwalk all over again through her darling little eyes, as she rides the whales and the boats and the cave train. Maybe the cave train will scare her silly like it did when I was a little girl.