The West Coast's Only Amusement Park On A Pier Is A Thrilling California Paradise With Free Admission

There are several piers with amusement parks across the United States, including the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier in Texas, and the Jolly Roger Amusement Park at the Ocean City Pier in Maryland. But there's only one on the West Coast: Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, California.

The wooden pier, located at the intersection of Ocean and Colorado Avenues, extends out from the sandy shoreline over the Pacific Ocean. What many people don't realize is that the present-day pier is actually a juxtaposition of two piers. The older pier, known as the municipal pier, was built in 1909 as part of the city's sanitation program. Though it was designed for practical purposes, the pier attracted thousands of locals who enjoyed taking seaside strolls with spectacular ocean views.

An enterprising carousel manufacturer — Charles Looff, the man behind Coney Island's first carousel — saw his opportunity, acquiring the real estate just south of the municipal pier to develop a pleasure pier, which opened with rides and attractions in 1916. Santa Monica's beach is also one of the best beaches in Southern California, so be sure to venture beyond the amusement park and enjoy everything this sunny destination has to offer.

The Santa Monica Pier has come a long way since its early days. The original pleasure pier featured a carousel with 44 hand-carved horses, the Blue Streak Racer roller coaster, Wurlitzer organs, a funhouse, several thrill rides, and a ballroom that became the site of several radio and television broadcasts. The Moorish-style carousel building, known as the Looff Hippodrome, remains on the pier today, though the original carousel is a thing of the past (another historic carousel, beautifully crafted by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, has been in its place since 1954). The pier survived demolition several times, undergoing changes in ownership and significant renovations in the 1950s and 1980s.

Pacific Park, or the amusement park on the Santa Monica Pier as we know it today, opened in 1996. In addition to the world's only solar-powered Ferris Wheel — the nine-story landmark is an icon on Santa Monica's skyline — the park has 11 other rides, including the West Coaster roller coaster and futuristic bumper cars, as well as concessions and midway games. More than 10 million people visit the Santa Monica Pier each year, and the park is especially busy in summer.

Need a break from the bustling pier? Check out nearby Ocean Park, a lively neighborhood framed by beach bungalows and indie cafés.

The Santa Monica Pier is open every day of the year (most days, the hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and admission is free. Pacific Park is ungated and free to enter — attractions are individually priced — and though hours vary, it's generally open from 11 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. in peak season. Single ride tickets start at $8 per person, and a ride on the Ferris Wheel costs $17 per person. It's also possible to buy a wristband ($50 for adults and $30 for children age 7 and under) for unlimited rides on a single day. 

The pier is a 30- to 40-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), depending on traffic, and a 45-minute train ride from downtown Los Angeles. Other transportation options include bus services by Big Blue Bus and the Los Angeles Metro Authority, both of which stop in downtown Santa Monica. If you're not interested in driving yourself around Southern California, find out how to plan a perfect day of car-free sightseeing using one secret bus route.  

There are many accommodation and dining options near the pier. The luxurious Shore Hotel ($271 per night) is located near the pier's entrance, and the affordable HI Los Angeles Santa Monica Hostel (from $47 per person) is just one block farther. Big Dean's Ocean Front Café, home to one of the city's oldest bars, faces the pier, and the lively Surfing Fox, just across the street, specializes in California-style comfort food.