The Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, opened in 1924, is among the world’s oldest operating wooden roller coasters and a rare survivor of America’s early coaster boom. Built in 47 days to replace Thompson’s Scenic Railway, it was designed by Frank Prior and Frederick Church and became the boardwalk’s signature attraction. Standing 70 feet tall, it still uses its original 1924 motor and remains closely inspected and maintained. Despite changing tastes, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and fatal accidents that prompted safety changes, it endured. Its preservation brought National Historic Landmark recognition in 1987, and by 2025 it had carried more than 68 million riders.