Cave Train

The Cave Train is a nostalgic ride that takes visitors to the Santa Cruz boardwalk deep into the outer reaches of a fake cave. The train has been redone and is more modern than the ride of yesteryear, but many riders still consider it a fun thrill. Some of the original paraphanalia from the former cave is a part of the new ride, but for the most part it has been modernized. Riders who were familiar with the older version prefer the original, acknowledging its kitsch factor was what made it great. The ride has steal-coast style mechanics and takes riders through a blackened area with voices and singing. There is some fluorescent lighting that highlights some of the scenes throughout the train. The animatronics are less than what you might find at a more well-known theme park, but riders still enjoy the sights. Some riders feel there are too many "behind the scenes" components visible for the experience to be truly realistic and spooky, but as is usually the case, little kids rarely notice anything but what they are meant to see. Inside the cave you will see a variety of things including dinosaurs, bears, other animals, and maybe even a cave men. There are a few other rides in the area, but most visitors to the boardwalk proclaim the Cave Train the best.