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High Tech or High Fun?
Ways to Play in San Jose, California
By Amy Carey Bowman
offers children's musical theater, theatrical dance troops and Broadway musicals all year round.
Through the Santa Cruz mountains, about 30 minutes from San Jose, is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, located just steps from the Pacific Ocean. The 97-year-old boardwalk is home to two national historic landmarks (a 1911 Looff Carousel and 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster). This family amusement park is right out of the movies, with a colorful, carnival-like atmosphere, arcade games, rides and plenty of greasy food. The sandy beach itself is a great place to hang out and have a picnic while watching the ocean's tremendous waves. If you're visiting in the winter or spring, keep in mind that the boardwalk may only be open on weekends and holidays.
Not into the beach? Go over the hill anyway and stop in Felton, where the Roaring Camp Railroads can be heard puffing through the redwoods. Roaring Camp boasts an 1890 steam engine and has been carrying passengers to see the enormous trees for decades. You can visit the park to view the trains and memorabilia at no cost. Bring a picnic or buy a hot dog on site. If you decide to buy a ticket to ride the steam train, plan to spend over an hour with no potty breaks or places to get off.
Also in the Santa Cruz mountains is beautiful Big Basin Redwoods State Park. A breathtaking ride through the mountains leads you into the heavy shade of the redwoods, where you'll find a quaint camp store for lunch, supplies and trinkets, as well as a small museum with information about the park and maps to the 80 miles of trails on the park's grounds. Even small children can hike the park's short Redwood Loop trail, a stroller-accessible, educational walk through some of the more magnifient trees in Big Basin. Families with older kids might hike to some of the waterfalls or try to join in on the Junior Rangers program.