![giant_dipper2[1]](https://cisl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/giant_dipper213-150x150.jpg "giant_dipper2[1]")
When I first got off from the bus in Mission Boulevard my attention was captured by the huge Roller Coaster located few steps from the coast. What I didn’t know was that the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster is just one of the several rides you can find in Belmont Park. Belmont Park is San Diego’s beachfront amusement park & entertainment center located on the surf and sand in Mission Beach. Visitors can enjoy traditional and contemporary park rides, ride the waves in the Wave House, play mini golf and much more. The “Giant Dipper” is one of two original oceanfront roller coasters still operating on the west coast. It was built in the 1925 and has been restored for all to experience the excitement of its quick drops, steep hills, sharp curves and high speeds. Instead the “Beach Bluster” is the newest ride which swings passengers 60 feet in the air to 120 degrees in both directions. “Chaos” takes passengers on a spinning, upside down, three-dimensional adventure and there are a lot of supplementary rides that you have to try personally.
If you don’t like rides but you are a surf lover or simply you love water and you are ready to live a different experience the Wave House is your place. Here you can find wave 
machines, wave pools and surf machines whose purpose is to recreate the thrills and challenge of the ocean. Contrariwise if for you it’s not the right day to experience something new and you simply want to relax you can swim in the swimming pool present in the park. Apart from the Wave House one of my favourite attractions is the Laser Maze. Inside this maze you have to navigate through a web of lasers going over and down them as quickly as possible to arrive to the end of the maze without being hit. It’s a perfect game to challenge friends. The convenient thing about Belmont Park is that you can decide to buy a ticket for all the attractions ( if you want to try all) or to buy just the tickets for the attractions you are interested in, it’s your choice. Outside the park you can lie down in the sun, drink or eat something in the numerous places situated near the beach or decide to practise some activities.
If it’s a beautiful day you can rent a bicycle or rollerblades for 8 dollars per hour. Ride along the coast is a good idea to admire 
the wonderful sightseeing, the beautiful houses and reach Pacific Beach in a easy way just doing a little bit of activity which is good also for the body. Mission Beach is in conclusion the right place to spend a day having fun or relaxing yourself not so far from downtown.