Wonderland Amusement Park (San Diego) facts for kids

Wonderland was a fun amusement park right on the beach in Ocean Beach, San Diego, California. It was the very first amusement park in San Diego!

This 8-acre park was built by Herbert P. Snow and his son, Bert Snow. It opened on July 4, 1913, and more than 20,000 people came to visit on its first day.

Wonderland had the biggest roller coaster on the West Coast, called the Blue Streak Racer. It also had a carousel, a water slide, and lots of carnival games. The park even had a mini-zoo with lions, bears, and many different kinds of monkeys!

Other fun things to do included a dance hall, a bowling alley, and a roller skating rink. There was also a big pool for swimming in salt water. At night, the park looked amazing with 22,000 bright lights. Its entrance gate had tall, fancy towers.

How Wonderland Changed Ocean Beach

Wonderland helped make Ocean Beach a popular spot for people in San Diego. Before the park, getting to the beach from central San Diego took about two and a half hours.

But in 1909, a new trolley line was built. This made the trip much faster, only about 40 minutes. This easier travel helped more people visit Ocean Beach and the new amusement park.

Why Wonderland Closed

The park was very popular for its first two years. But in 1915, fewer people visited. This was because a huge event called the Panama–California Exposition opened in Balboa Park. Many people went to the Exposition instead of Wonderland.

The park faced money problems and was sold in March 1915. Then, in January 1916, big storms hit the coast. The waves damaged the roller coaster, so it had to close. It was taken apart and later moved to Santa Monica's Pleasure Pier. The rest of Wonderland was also destroyed by the winter storms and eventually torn down.

Wonderland's Lasting Impact

Even though Wonderland closed, parts of it lived on. The animals from the park's mini-zoo were rented to the Panama–California Exposition. After the Exposition, these animals were sold to the new San Diego Zoo.

A TV show about San Diego's history is named Wonderland after the old amusement park. This show helps people remember the park.

In 2013, Ocean Beach celebrated the park's 100th anniversary. The yearly Ocean Beach Street Fair had a "Wonderland" theme. A new restaurant also opened in Ocean Beach called "Wonderland," and it has decorations that show the area's history.