Surfing Lessons, Kayaking Trips, Attraction Tickets Available On-Line
Contact: Christina Glynn, Communications Director/Film Commissioner
Phone: 831-429-7281, ext. 112, email: cglynn@santacruz.org
June 25, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SURFING LESSONS , KAYAKING TRIPS, ATTRACTIONS, AND PERFORMANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE ON-LINE
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – These days, researching and planning a vacation to Santa Cruz County using www.santacruzcounty.travel is easy. An array of lodging and dining options, maps and things to do and see are easily found. But did you know that you can also save time by purchasing tickets to performances, activities and attractions on-line also? According to the U.S. Travel Association, Travelers tend to be quite computer savvy, with two thirds (65%) of the 98.3 million travelers who are online – 63.8 million – using the Internet to make travel plans in 2004. Among online frequent travelers, 70 percent use the Internet for travel planning. Visitors can purchase tickets to the following attractions and events prior to their arrival, at www.santacruzcounty.travel:
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The legendary Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is celebrating the 85th birthday of the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster this season! The Giant Dipper is the oldest roller coaster on the west coast of the United States; the 5th oldest in the country, and the 9th oldest in the entire world. It has operated continuously in its original location on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk since 1924. More than 55 million riders have enjoyed a bone-shaking ride on the classic wooden coaster which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Beach Boardwalk is also hosting Free Friday night summertime con¬certs through September 4th. And Sundays through Thursdays from July 12 – August 20, Cirque Magnifique offers two free daily shows featuring an array of gravity-defying acrobatics.
Roaring Camp Railroads
Roaring Camp’s steam engines date from 1890 and are among the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines providing regularly scheduled passenger service in America. Once used to haul giant redwood logs out of the mountains, today Roaring Camp brings the Enjoy an hour-long train ride over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest.
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Visit this ocean science laboratory, on an ocean bluff. Explore exhibit halls, aquarium, touch tank, Ocean Discovery Shop, and unsurpassed vistas of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Dedicated to ocean science and conservation, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center’s aquarium and exhibits feature the everyday tools of ocean exploration and focus on research conducted by scientists on site and around the world. The Seymour Center offers tours, hands-on programs, and spectacular views available every day.
Kayaking on the Monterey Bay
Explore the wonders of our nation’s second largest national marine sanctuary in a kayak. Opt for a tour taking you past sea otters, harbor seals and sea lions while paddling through kelp bed forests. Or head out for a sunset paddle in the company of otters, seals, herons and pelicans to watch the sky turn pink as the sun sets. Want some space? Rent a half day kayak and tour the Monterey Bay on your own.
Surfing Lessons
Surfers have been riding the waves in Santa Cruz since 1885. But while Santa Cruz has long been legendary among surfers, few people know that it’s also the best place on the West Coast to learn to surf. If you’ve ever wanted to feel the rush of riding a wave, Santa Cruz is the place to try it. To capture the surfing spirit, visitors can now try their skill with a surf lesson, provided by Santa Cruz’s Club Ed surf school. Club Ed teaches ocean and wave safety, surfing etiquette, paddling skills and other techniques for catching the perfect wave.
Live Theater
Kicking off its 2009 summer season, Cabrillo Stage presents I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (June 26 – July 26, 2009) and The Wizard of Oz (July 17 – August 16, 2009). Each summer since 1981, this non-profit, non-union professional musical theatre company has presented full-scale Broadway musicals to the greater Monterey Bay Area. Cabrillo Stage is recognized as one of the three major annual performing arts events in Santa Cruz County.
For more information on these tickets, packages, and specials visit www.santacruzcounty.travel