Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier is famous around the world as the end of Route 66, the highway which crosses the United States.

It has featured in countless movies and TV series, and in recent years these have included shots of Pacific Park's rollercoaster and ferris wheel that dominate the skyline at the end of the Pier.

In the early years of the twentieth Century, Santa Monica Pier's attractions included a wooden rollercoaster, a carousel and fun house, but all these closed during the Great Depression. It was not until the late 1980s that a decision was made that the Pier should once again feature rides and attractions, and the current Pacific Park was finally opened in 1996.

The wooden rollercoaster is no more, replaced by Santa Monica West Coaster, a steel rollercoaster from Morgan. It gives a good smooth ride, traversing several hills before its helix finale out at the ocean end of the Pier.

The park's current ferris wheel, dubbed Pacific Wheel, gives riders a birds eye view over the Pier, Muscle Beach and the equally famous Santa Monica Boardwalk from 130 feet above the ocean at its highest point. It is also the world's only solar powered ferris wheel.

Other attractions include a pirate ship, a drop tower and a Scrambler. The park is free to enter, with ride admission handled via tickets or unlimited ride wristbands available at kiosks inside the park.

The Pier stays open late into the evening, with Pacific Park's lights providing a stunning show that is visible for miles down the coast.

Attractions

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