California Travel Tips
California Themed Attraction Birthday Celebrations
Published on: June 23, 2018
National Steinbeck Center in Salinas turned 20 in 2018. To celebrate, guests gain free admission to the museum and events June 24-30!
Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach also opened in 1998. It hosted a VIP and Charter Member anniversary party this week, and has special lectures and contests for the public to participate in.
Each of California’s theme parks and attractions is worth celebrating but none quite takes the cake like the grand opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. Among the opening day snafus:
- 100 degree temp and lack of water fountains
- food ran out
- gate crashers doubled the attendance
- 7 mile back up on Santa Ana Freeway
- many rides not open
- Mark Twain Riverboat nearly capsized
- not enough bathrooms, kids peed in parking lots
- creepy looking Mickey & Minnie Mouse costumes
- fresh asphalt on Main Street USA ensnared women’s heeled shoes
California Theme Park Openings
- 1907: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- 1915: Universal Studios Hollywood $0.05 tour | See prices now
- 1923: Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco (now part of California Academy of Sciences) | See prices
- 1923: San Diego Zoo $0.10 charged | See prices now
- 1955: Disneyland charged $1, $0.50 kid, rides $0.10 up | See prices now
- 1964: SeaWorld San Diego charged $2.25 admission | See prices now
- 1968: Knott’s Berry Farm began admission $0.25 | See prices now
- 1971: Six Flags Magic Mountain charged $5, $3.50 child | See prices now
- 1972: Wild Animal Park (now San Diego Zoo Safari Park) | See prices
- 1976: Marriott’s Great America (now California Great America)
- 1986: Marine World (now Six Flags Discovery Kingdom) in Vallejo
- 1992: Safari West in Santa Rosa opened
- 1999: Legoland California in Carlsbad | See prices
- 2001: Disney’s California Adventure opened
- 2001: Bonfante Gardens (now Gilroy Gardens) opened
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