SANTA MONICA PIER: Family Fun in Santa Monica, California

Pacific Park Ferris Wheel, Santa Monica Pier

I’ve walked the Santa Monica Pier many times but never, until this summer when my grandchildren came to visit, spent any time at the Pacific Fun Park or visited the Aquarium under the pier. So, we planned an afternoon’s excursion and, instead of driving to Santa Monica, as we usually do, we decided to ride the new Expo Line train, getting on at the Palms Station not far from our house in West Los Angeles. The end of the line is just two short blocks from the pier.

Gateway to the Pier

The Santa Monica Pier extends into the Pacific Ocean at the end of Santa Monica Boulevard and is an iconic southern California landmark dating back to the days when Los Angeles residents closer to downtown came to the beach for summer outings. It has always had a holiday atmosphere. http://santamonicapier.org/history/

Route 66 t-shirts and other tourist souvenirs can be bought all along the pier. 

Santa Monica is the terminus of historic Route 66, the U.S. highway that begins in Chicago on Michigan Avenue and winds its way westward to the California coast.

No one is too old to ride the carousel!

Our first stop on the pier was the carousel, whose history dates back to 1974 and is famous for its individually carved wooden horses.

Jellyfish at the Aquarium under the Pier

We then went down the stairs outside the carousel to the entrance to the Aquarium. Children get in free and I was willing to pay five dollars to support Heal the Bay, a sponsor of the Aquarium. Inside, children were clustered around the touch and feel tank with its starfish and other tidepool creatures. There is also a large tank with a kelp bed display, a jellyfish tank and other exhibits.

A thrilling ride in Inkie's Scrambler

But the highlight of the afternoon for the kids (ages 10, 12 and 14) was the Pacific Fun Park where they rode the ferris wheel, scrambler, and dragon while Art and I stayed safely on the ground and took pictures.

End of the Santa Monica Pier

At the far end of the pier, fishermen dropped their lines over the side in hopes of catching a fish. But most people on the pier were there just enjoying the ocean breeze and view of the beach that stretches on one side all the way to Malibu and on the other, south to the Marina. We saved our beach fun for next day, when we donned our swimming gear and the kids boogie boarded in the waves.