Few rides anywhere have a résumé like the Giant Dipper's. The wooden roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk opened on May 17, 1924. It has appeared in films including "Sudden Impact," "The Lost Boys" and "Dangerous Minds," and it has carried more than 68 million riders. Its first drop also comes with what the Boardwalk calls a "million-dollar ocean view."

Built in 47 days

The Dipper replaced Thompson's Scenic Railway, which had opened at the Boardwalk in 1908 as the longest roller coaster in the United States. In 1923, manager R.L. Cardiff and Walter Looff decided to replace it. The permit went to Arthur Looff in January 1924. He wanted a ride with "the thrill of a plunge down a mine shaft, a balloon ascent, a parachute jump, airplane acrobatics, a cyclone, a toboggan ride, and a ship in a storm."

Frank Prior and Frederick Church designed it. Construction took just 47 days, though the full project, including tearing down the old ride, took five months. It used 327,000 feet of lumber, 743,000 nails and 24,000 bolts and cost $50,000. The 70-horsepower motor supplied by Santa Cruz Electric is still in use. The coaster is 70 feet tall and reaches a top speed of 55 mph.

Surviving Loma Prieta

The Dipper came through the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake almost untouched. It was closed for about a month for inspection, and the park held a benefit for earthquake victims. The ride celebrated its 50 millionth rider in 2002 and its 60 millionth on July 27, 2012. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. American Coaster Enthusiasts gave it an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark designation in 2007, and it regularly ranks among the top 50 wooden coasters in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.

Riding it now

A ride costs $8 (8 points on a MyBoardwalk Card), or you can use an All-Day Rides Wristband. On-ride photos are available through the park's MyBoardwalk Photos pass. Rides operate on a seasonal schedule and the Boardwalk's ride hours show as closed on some fall weekdays, so check the park's hours page before making the drive. The arcade and bowling alley keep longer hours.