Santa Monica Pier

The original municipal pier opened in 1909 and had an unglamorous if vital job of carrying sewer pipes beyond the breakers. These days however, the sewage pipes are long gone and instead, for many generations, families have enjoyed the pier's amusement park with its eateries, shops, rides, historic carousel and fantastic views of the bay and the mountains.When the pier opened, thousands of people swarmed onto the 500-metre long concrete pier to enjoy band concerts, swimming races and the novelty of walking above the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The Pier quickly became a magnet for local anglers. The famous carousel was built in 1922 and its 44 hand-carved horses have been in near-continuous action since then, though since 1990 it has been inside in the Hippodrome. It was famously featured in the Robert Redford and Paul Newman film, The Sting.These days, the pier is open 24 hours a day, every day. People who came here as children now bring their grandchildren to experience all the fun of the fair. You can ride roller coasters or the first solar-powered Ferris wheel, which stands 40 metres above the Pacific Ocean. For something a bit more sedate, you can cast a line and see what's biting or simply stroll along the boardwalk and take in the sea air. There is also a viewing deck on the second level of the Hippodrome where you can enjoy the spectacular views in peace.Don't miss the high-flying acrobatics at the trapeze school – you can have a go if you're feeling agile. Other attractions include arcades, restaurants, artists and lively street performers. Below the pier there is an aquarium which focuses on local marine life where there are tanks that you can reach in to and touch the occupants.Santa Monica is about 29 kilometres west of downtown LA, just north of Venice Beach.