Giant Dipper, Wooden roller coaster at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, US
The Giant Dipper stretches 2,640 feet along the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, reaching heights of 70 feet and speeds of 55 miles per hour.
Built in 1924 at a cost of $50,000, this wooden roller coaster required 327,000 feet of lumber, 743,000 nails, and 24,000 bolts during its 47-day construction.
The Giant Dipper represents early 20th-century entertainment engineering and appears in multiple films, including The Lost Boys and Dangerous Minds.
Visitors can purchase tickets at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk entrance, with the roller coaster operating seasonally from spring through fall.
The structure withstood the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake without damage, demonstrating the durability of its wooden construction methods.
Location: Santa Cruz
Inception: 1924
Made from material: wood
Part of: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Website: http://beachboardwalk.com/giantdipper
GPS coordinates: 36.96470,-122.01500
Latest update: May 27, 2025 10:02
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