The Pier at dusk

When standing on Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles - California, and you look towards the pier that juts out into the Pacific, you see the circle of the Ferris wheel and the yellow squiggle of the roller coaster.
The Santa Monica pier embodies what many think of as the Los Angeles lifestyle; sun, sand, and sexy.  Temptingly tan bodies commute down the bike path to their shopping destinations, or to lay out their towels and bask in the sun.  You can see children throwing a red Frisbee at the edge of the water, and teenagers boogie-boarding in the surf.  It’s a perfect summer's day in the Southland.

As if the golden sand and breaking waves aren’t enough, any native to Los Angeles most certainly can regale visitors with stories of first dates, childhood fun, and summer romps that involve days of play on Santa Monica's pier.  From carnival games to greasy food, brightly-colored rides to souvenir shops, Santa Monica pier has entertainments for the whole family, whether they have lived in Los Angeles for their whole life, or are a visitor from afar.

The Ferris wheel brilliantly lit

The municipal pier in Santa Monica was completed in 1909, and originally served the city’s sanitation needs.  As the appeal of the pier grew to those seeking pleasure, an adjacent pier was built to appeal to the masses.  The carousel was built there in 1922, and the pier racked up attractions from there.  The Looff Hippodrome is actually modern-day Santa Monica’s first National Historical Landmark, housing the present-day carousel.  Pacific Park, the pier’s amusement park, sits out over the Pacific Ocean and was opened in 1996.  There you can find a multitude of carnival games, rides, and food vendors, much like the permanent carnival that it is.  Other entertainment includes street performers and artists offering their services for a fee, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, and a few sit-down restaurants with sparkling views of the Pacific Ocean (while hovering over top of it!).

For anyone looking to enjoy a day of quintessential Los Angeles fun in the sun, the Santa Monica Pier is where it’s at. Keep your eyes open for celebrity sightings, rub on your SPF 30, and try not to stare too much at the beautiful people that parade endlessly up and down the beach. This is L.A., baby.
 

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