Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles

The Santa Monica Pier is more than just a pleasant attraction, it’s a symbol of the community of Santa Monica. The pier has been a center of life in the town since it opened on September 9th, 1909 and is still going strong in spite of the fact that it faced potential destruction twice—once in 1973 when the city council tried to demolish it to establish a resort (the residents would have none of that—they petitioned the government until they won) and again in 1983 when mother nature took down one third of the pier in a storm (again, the locals rallied the government to save the pier). Today, four million visitors annually visit the pier to enjoy the ocean views and soak up the carnival-esque atmosphere, complete with fried food, street performers and arcade games. Don’t leave until you’ve ridden the historic carousel (Santa Monica’s first national historic landmark) and purchased an ice cream soda from Soda Jerks, an old-fashioned soda fountain in the historic carousel building.

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