Off To Santa Cruz, CA and Boardwalk

ThatGuy

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In the morning my family and I are off for our annual summer vacation to Santa Cruz, CA. I have many fond memories of playing the classic arcades growing up there. My dad once said that he got so sick of hearing "body blow, body blow" from Punch Out! that it almost drove him crazy.

The Boardwalk still has a "Classic Corner" with about 20 or so games. Last year the condition on these games were pretty poor.

I can just hear my wife now as I'm about to enter the arcade -- "Paul, why would you want to play these games when you have a whole room full of them at home." "Well honey, I don't have ALL of them" will be my reply with fingers crossed.
 
I lived about a half mile from the SC Boardwalk back in the late 80s/early 90s. Used to play Arch Rivals and Mad Dog McCree like crazy. I go back about every other year and still have a blast.
Like you said, those classics are in pretty bad shape, and most of them appear to be easy fixes - loose joysticks, grinding spinners, a color missing. It's all about the pins there now for me - they have a great collection, about 30 I'd say, and all in pretty nice shape.

Have fun!

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Classics in the arcade annex area, not the main room:
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make sure to get in a round of mini-golf!
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I went there every summer for a few years when I was a kid. I remember playing an old World Series pin the most. Have fun, Paul!
 
I know this is an arcade site, but please tell me you're going to ride the coaster while you're there. I've ridden 130 coasters and that's one of my favorites. Easily top 5. Especially at night.
Jayme
 
I know this is an arcade site, but please tell me you're going to ride the coaster while you're there. I've ridden 130 coasters and that's one of my favorites. Easily top 5. Especially at night.
Jayme

The Giant Dipper was the first roller coaster I ever rode, and my Mom gave me $20 to go on it with her when I was 6 :) An awesome ride for sure. Man, I love the Boardwalk. I need to get my ass back out there. I havent been in probably 15 years.
 
Excellent!

I spent a lot of time there in the late 80's and early 90's when I worked for Santa Cruz County, brings back some great memories :)
 
love the santa cruz boardwalk!

we stopped on the way up to cax this year.

the arcade classic corner wasnt too shabby.... most of the games needed work done, the vectors were having some montior issues, the tron was in real piss poor shape. sadly, the edot is gone.

there was a couple good rows of pins. tons of stern games... a theatre of magic, spiderman, batman, t3, csi, lord of the rings, a beat up addams family, sipmsons, austin powers. they have a episode1, revenge from mars, and a funhouse in the smaller arcade room over by that cool pirate themed golf room.

the old school merry go round still has the brass "ring" game where you grab a ring and toss into the clown's mouth. very cool.
 
Got back yesterday from Santa Cruz. Fun trip overall. Had only about 30 min in the arcade and that was spent playing skee-ball and other stupid redemption games with my young daughters. Blasphemy I know.

And I predicted the quote from my wife -- "You have all these games at home. Why do you want to play them here." I had no comeback for that.

The classic games were in adequate shape I suppose. I did put in a token for a game of Marble Madness on my way back from "the bathroom" (I figured that could get me 5 mintues playing a game) and the track-ball didn't even go right.
 
I know this is an arcade site, but please tell me you're going to ride the coaster while you're there. I've ridden 130 coasters and that's one of my favorites. Easily top 5. Especially at night.
Jayme

Sad story on the Giant Dipper. My oldest daughter, Georgie, is a big-time thrill seeker/roller coaster rider. I had been pumping her up for a full year because I thought for sure that she would meet the height requirement and we'd get to ride on it together. We measured her at home and she stood 49 inches. As were getting in line the sign says 50 inches. What???!!! She can do all the rides at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm but not this one?

I think I heard her say "That's what you said last year" 789 times when I told her that next year she would be able to ride it.
 
Well, tomorrow is our annual family trip to Santa Cruz. My girls (aged 8,6,4) are getting to the age where it's going to be lots of fun. Despite thunderstorm predictions we plan on spending most of the day at the boardwalk. This is a much deserved vacation and we are all pretty excited. Details and hopefully pics when we return late Thursday.
 
Well, tomorrow is our annual family trip to Santa Cruz. My girls (aged 8,6,4) are getting to the age where it's going to be lots of fun. Despite thunderstorm predictions we plan on spending most of the day at the boardwalk. This is a much deserved vacation and we are all pretty excited. Details and hopefully pics when we return late Thursday.
So is your daughter tall enough to ride the coaster yet?
 
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