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Nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains about a forty five minute drive south of California's Great America is our second park of the day.



Gilroy Gardens is one of the most magnificently gorgeous amusement parks that I have ever visited.



Gilroy Gardens is a labor of love that took decades before opening to the public.



The elaborately landscaped park began as a side project for Michael and Claudia Bonfante; who owned the Nob Hill Foods chain of supermarkets. 



We will get into the history of Gilroy Gardens a little later but the park is owned by the city of Gilroy and it is managed by Cedar Fair parks.  With Cedar fair managing Gilroy Gardens  is that if you have a Cedar Fair platinum pass and happen to be in the area you can use your pass to get into Gilroy Gardens...you just have to pay $20 for parking.

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Paul B. Drabek