The Santa Monica Pier is a large

pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...

at the foot of Colorado Avenue in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

, United States. It contains a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing. The pier is part of the greater Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Attractions

Pacific Park

The pier contains Pacific Park, a family

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

with its

solar panel A solar panel is a device that converts sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic (PV) cells. PV cells are made of materials that produce excited electrons when exposed to light. These electrons flow through a circuit and produce direct ...

led

Ferris wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a big wheel, giant wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondola ...

. The brightly lit wheel can be seen from a distance and has been turned off during the

Earth Hour Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature, World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The event is held annually, encouraging the individuals, communities, and businesses to give an hour for Earth, and additionally marked ...

observance.

Other attractions

It also has an original

carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

hippodrome from the 1920s, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium operated by Heal the Bay, shops, entertainers, a

video arcade An amusement arcade, also known as a video arcade, amusements, arcade, or penny arcade (an older term), is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, mer ...

, a trapeze school,

pub A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...

s, and

restaurant A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...

s. The pier's west end is a popular location for anglers. The pier is a venue for outdoor concerts, movies, and other activities.

History

Santa Monica has had several piers; however, the current Santa Monica Pier is made up of two adjoining piers that long had separate owners. The long, narrow Municipal Pier opened September 9, 1909, primarily to carry sewer pipes beyond the breakers and had no amenities. The short, wide adjoining Pleasure Pier to the south, also known as Newcomb Pier, was built in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff and his son Arthur,

pioneers. Attractions on the Pleasure Pier eventually included the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome building (which now houses the current carousel and is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

), the Blue Streak Racer wooden roller coaster (which was purchased from the defunct Wonderland amusement park in San Diego), the Whip, merry-go-rounds, Wurlitzer organs, and a funhouse. The

Philadelphia Toboggan Company Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B. Auchy and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphi ...

built the Carousel, PTC #62, in 1922. It features 44 hand-carved horses. It was rebuilt in 1990 inside the Hippodrome. A

calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; ) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses". Mythology Calliope had two famous sons, OrpheusH ...

provides musical accompaniment. The La Monica Ballroom opened on July 23, 1924. Designed by T. S. Eslick with a Spanish façade and French Renaissance interior, it was the largest dance hall on the west coast, accommodating 5,000 dancers on its hard maple floor.

Country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

star Spade Cooley began broadcasting his weekly television show from the ballroom in 1948, where the program remained until 1954. In the summer of 1955, the Hollywood Autocade opened at the La Monica with 100 famous and unusual cars, including

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success as a violinist on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

Maxwell Maxwell may refer to: People * Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist * Justice Maxwell (disambiguation) * Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage of N ...

and a Rumpler Drop Car. From 1955 to 1962, the ballroom served as a roller skating rink, first as Skater's Ballroom, and later as the Santa Monica Roller Rink, where the speed skating club won many state and regional championships and later Champion speed skater Ronnie Rains become a Roller Derby star. The rink's operator was Jack Goodrich, a former vaudeville and silent film star. The operator's daughter, Michelle Goodrich, later became a showgirl in the Ice Capades. The La Monica Ballroom was demolished in 1963 as a result of the Newcomb family waiting too long to start repairs. The Pleasure Pier thrived during the 1920s but faded during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

. During the 1930s, most of the amusement park facilities were closed down and its attractions sold off. A breakwater was built in 1934 that provided docking for up to 100 fishing and pleasure boats near the pier. The bridge and entry gate to Santa Monica Pier were built in 1938 by the federal

Works Project Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to c ...

, and replaced the former grade connection. The Newcomb Pier was privately owned until it was acquired by the city in 1974. During the 1960s and 1970s, various plans were proposed that would entail removal of the pier. The most extensive included the construction of an artificial island with a 1,500-room hotel. It was approved by the City Council, but citizens formed "Save Santa Monica Bay" to preserve the pier. The order to raze the pier was revoked by the city council in 1973. Within that same year, the Carousel and Hippodrome were locations for the film ''

The Sting ''The Sting'' is a 1973 American caper film. Set in 1936, it involves a complicated plot by two professional grifters (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) to con a mob boss ( Robert Shaw). The film was directed by George Roy Hill, who had dir ...

''. Storms swept away the protective breakwater in 1982. During storms in early 1983, the pier experienced a significant loss. On January 27, there were reported swells of 10 feet during this winter storm. When the storm was over, the lower deck of the pier was destroyed. The City of Santa Monica began repairs on March 1, 1983, when another storm rolled in. A crane which was being used to repair the west end was dragged into the water and acted as a battering ram against the pilings. Over one-third of the pier was destroyed. On May 25, 1996, the Santa Monica Pier welcomed Pacific Park, the first new attraction since the 1930s. Construction began on December 2, 1994 and ended in February, 1996. On June 18, 2009, the

California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, commonly referred to as OEHHA (pronounced oh-EEE-ha), is a specialized department within the cabinet-level California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) with responsibility for evaluati ...

issued a safe eating advisory for any fish caught from Santa Monica Pier to Ventura Harbor due to elevated levels of mercury and PCBs. On October 9, 2023, part of the pier was forced to evacuate after a man who claiming to have a bomb climbed onto the Ferris wheel at Pacific Park. He was then arrested and taken into custody.

Management

The City of Santa Monica created a non-profit in response to the damage and called it Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation (SMPRC). SMPRC is headquartered on

Hippodrome Hippodrome is a term sometimes used for public entertainment venues of various types. A modern example is the Hippodrome which opened in London in 1900 "combining circus, hippodrome, and stage performances". The term hippodroming refers to fr ...

's second floor, with former apartments being converted into offices, and conducted the daily operations of the Santa Monica Pier, such as managing events, filming, promotions, tenants, and street performers. SMPRC has produced the Santa Monica Pier Paddle Board Race and the Twilight Summer Concert Series. In 2011, SMPRC changed the company name to the Santa Monica Pier Corporation (SMPC).

In popular culture

Books

In the popular book series ''The Dark Artifices'' by Cassandra Clare, the fictional Los Angeles Institute overlooks the Santa Monica Pier. Most of the major plot is set in this vicinity.

Songs

Kay Kyser James Kern Kyser (June 18, 1905 – July 23, 1985), known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s. Early years Kyser was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the son of pharmacists Emily Royster Kyser ...

's Campus Cowboys - "When Veronica Plays the Harmonica (On the Pier at Santa Monica)" (1946) * Noel Harrison - "Santa Monica Pier" (1968) *

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...

- " Strange World" (2012) * Hayley Kiyoko - " Curious"

Films

The Santa Monica Pier lies within the

studio zone The studio zone, also known as the thirty-mile zone (TMZ), is an area defined by a radius of "Hollywood" used by the American entertainment industry to determine employee benefits for work performed inside and outside of it. Its center has trad ...

; consequently, it has been used as a

filming location A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, instead of or in addition to using sets constructed on a movie studio backlot or soundstage. In filmmaking, a location is any place where a film crew wi ...

for many decades. The amusement park attractions as they existed in 1930s are seen prominently in the ''

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, who also pr ...

'' short '' Fish Hooky'' (1933). It also appears prominently in '' Tillie's Punctured Romance'' (1914), ''

Quicksand Quicksand (also known as sinking sand) is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it crea ...

'' (1950), '' Elmer Gantry'' (1960), ''1941'' (1979 film), '' The Opposite of Sex'' (1998), '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969), '' Night Tide'' (1961), ''

Bean A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are traditi ...

'' (1997), ''

'' (1973), '' Farewell, My Lovely'' (1975) with

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He is known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances. He received nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Holl ...

, ''

Her Her is the objective and possessive form of the English-language feminine pronoun she. Her, HER or H.E.R. may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Music Performers * H.E.R. (born 1997), American singer * HIM (Finnish band), once kn ...

'' (2013), ''

A Night at the Roxbury ''A Night at the Roxbury'' is a 1998 American comedy film based on a recurring sketch on television's long-running ''Saturday Night Live'' called " The Roxbury Guys". ''Saturday Night Live'' regulars Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, ...

'' (1998), '' Mighty Joe Young'' (1998), '' Miracle Beach'', ''

Forrest Gump ''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis. An adaptation of the Forrest Gump (novel), 1986 novel by Winston Groom, the screenplay of the film is written by Eric Roth. It stars Tom Hanks in the title rol ...

'' (there is a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Restaurant on the pier), '' Not Another Teen Movie'', ''

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...

'', '' Desperate Teenage Lovedolls'', ''

Dark Ride A dark ride—or ghost train when horror themed—is an indoor amusement ride on which passengers aboard guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain Animatronics, animation, sound, music and Special effect#Live spe ...

'', '' Cellular'', '' The Hottie and the Nottie'', ''

Falling Down ''Falling Down'' is a 1993 American crime drama film directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Ebbe Roe Smith, and starring Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall. Set in Los Angeles, the film tells the story of William Foster, a disgruntled, une ...

'', '' Ruthless People'' (the pier is the site of the movie's climactic final scene), '' Love Stinks'', '' Hancock'', '' The Happytime Murders'', '' Sharknado'', the indie romantic comedy '' She Wants Me'', and '' Hannah Montana: The Movie'' (the scene with Lilly's birthday party). During the earthquake in the movie ''

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

'', the pier can be seen sinking beneath the waves. The

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood (née Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress. She began acting at age four and co-starred at age eight in ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947). As a teenager, she was nominated for an Academy Award f ...

film ''

Inside Daisy Clover ''Inside Daisy Clover'' is a 1965 American drama film based on Gavin Lambert's 1963 novel of the same name, directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Natalie Wood. It follows a tomboy becoming a Hollywood actress and singer. Plot In 1936, Da ...

'' (1965) features the pier in the beginning of the picture. The pier was also featured in the 2012 film version of ''Rock of Ages''. '' The Glenn Miller Story'' with Jimmy Stewart has a sequence toward the beginning where he goes to the La Monica Ballroom for an audition. The pier is also featured in the 2018 film '' Pacific Rim Uprising'', starring John Boyega, where a kaiju attack destroys the pier (as well as the entire city). Jack Dawson in ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...

'' references the pier, which would have been just three years old in 1912, when the ship sank.

Television

* '' The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.'', "The Mother Muffin Affair" (1966), though set in London, climax features action scene on the carousel, the arcade room, and several pier locations. * ''

The Mod Squad ''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Clarence Williams III as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes, Pegg ...

'', "Home Is in the Streets", Season 4, Episode 3 (1971). * ''

The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner, aired on NBC from September 13, 1974, to January 10, 1980. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in th ...

'' Season 1, episode 1. In the series' opening scene, a city bus pulls up alongside the pier in the adjacent parking lot. * ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...

'', in "The Most Crucial Game", the private detective Dobbs goes to meet Columbo at a restaurant ("Ocean Side East Cafe") at the end of the pier on the lower deck. * ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...

'' episodes " The Sandcastle Murders" and " Angels in Waiting". * '' The Incredible Hulk'' episode "King of the Beach" was filmed there. * ''

Three's Company ''Three's Company'' is an American television sitcom that aired for eight seasons on ABC from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984. Developed by Don Nicholl, Michael Ross and Bernie West, it is based on the British sitcom '' Man About the ...

'', in the opening titles of the fourth and fifth seasons. * '' Star Trek: Voyager'' features an episode in which the pier is in the 20th century

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. * ''

South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand the ...

'' episode " Fishsticks" ends with

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

jumping off the Santa Monica Pier to begin a new life as a gay fish. * ''

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the fourth and sixth installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Jay Leno, it aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009, replacing ''The Ton ...

'' commercial bumper * '' South of Nowhere'', in the opening credits and in the episode "Girls Guide to Dating". * ''

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' is an American teen sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series aired on Disney Channel from March 18, 2005, to September 1, 2008. The series was nominated twice for the Primetime Emmy Award for ...

'' episodes "The Suite Life Goes to Hollywood Pts. 1/2". * ''

Life After People ''Life After People'' is a television series on which scientists, mechanical engineers, and other experts speculate about what might become of planet Earth if humanity suddenly disappeared. The featured experts also talk about the impact of h ...

'' episode "Waves of Devastation" * '' Rocket Power'' features a pier very similar to the Santa Monica Pier. * ''

The Amazing Race ''The Amazing Race'' is an adventure reality competition franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. ''The Amazing Race'' is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselv ...

'': Santa Monica Pier was the Starting Line for the fifth season. * '' Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'': Cromartie tries to track down John Connor on the Pier, who steals a pair of sunglasses and a cap from a Pier vendor to disguise himself. * '' NCIS: Los Angeles'': The pilot begins with Agent G. Callen waking up in his small apartment overlooking the pier. * '' 24'': Jack tracks Fayed to the pier, and Gredenko gets shot and dies under the pier. * ''

Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. The show debuted October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flagship series for the network. The show ran fo ...

'', when Jess goes to California to find his father. His father works at the pier. * ''

FlashForward A flashforward (also spelled flash-forward, and more formally known as prolepsis) is a scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards a ...

'', when Olivia and Charlie are out at the pier without Mark. In the final episode, it also appears briefly in the background in one shot. * ''

Castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

'', in Season 3 Episode 22, "To Love and Die in L.A.", when Beckett takes down Ganz. * ''

Chuck Chuck () is a masculine given name or a nickname for Charles or Charlie. It may refer to: People Arts and entertainment * Chuck Alaimo, American saxophonist, leader of the Chuck Alaimo Quartet * Chuck Barris (1929–2017), American TV produce ...

'', when Chuck defuses a car bomb rigged by Laszlo underneath the pier (he first meets Laszlo while playing in one of the arcades on the pier). * The fourth season of '' Hannah Montana Forever'' takes place in Santa Monica instead of the Malibu setting of previous seasons, and the pier is frequently shown as Lilly works at a game booth. * The fourth season of '' Liv and Maddie'' takes place in California. At the intro's season, there's a shot of the Santa Monica Pier sign, as well as on the season in general. * Santa Monica Pier Sunset

'' 90210'', where several scenes are shot at the pier throughout the series. The pier is frequently shown whenever the characters visit the pier or the Beverly Hills beach club. * '' Welcome to the Family'', in Season 1 Episode 1, Pilot * ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...

'' episodes "The Other Side of Life Pts. 1/2". * '' Private Practice'', where there has been several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * ''

Keeping Up with the Kardashians ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' (often abbreviated ''KUWTK'') is an American reality television series which focused on the personal and professional lives of the Kardashian family, Kardashian–Jenner Stepfamily, blended family. It aired ...

'', where Kris and Khloé met with the BG5 girls. * ''

Monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...

'', in the episode "Mr. Monk and the Birds and the Bees", in which detective Adrian Monk chases a criminal throughout the park, who tries to get rid of evidence that could prove him guilty. Eventually, he is arrested after being caught on the pier. * '' Eva Luna'', in the last episode * ''

America's Next Top Model ''America's Next Top Model'' (abbreviated ''ANTM'' and ''Top Model'') is an American reality television series and interactive competition in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of "America's Next Top Model" and a chance to b ...

'', in Cycle 17: All-Stars for episode 5. * ''

Big Time Rush ''Big Time Rush'' is an American musical sitcom television series created by Scott Fellows that originally aired on Nickelodeon from November 28, 2009, to July 25, 2013, featuring the band Big Time Rush portrayed as a fictional version of th ...

'' ( Nickelodeon TV series). * ''

Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Jeff Davis that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005. It follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral ...

'', in Season 8 Episode 7, "The Fallen", in season 5, episode 12 "The Uncanny Valley" the Carousel was where the first body was found. * ''

The Mindy Project ''The Mindy Project'' is an American romantic comedy television series created by and starring Mindy Kaling that began airing on Fox in September 2012 and finished its six-season run on Hulu in November 2017. The series was co-produced by Unive ...

'', where there were scenes shot only at the pier from episode 13, "LA". * ''

The Bold and the Beautiful ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''Th ...

episodes 2416 and 2417 (broadcast in November 1996): Maggie Forrester is held captive by Mike Guthrie in Pacific Park. * ''

Touch The somatosensory system, or somatic sensory system is a subset of the sensory nervous system. The main functions of the somatosensory system are the perception of external stimuli, the perception of internal stimuli, and the regulation of bo ...

'', in which there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * '' Drop Dead Diva'', in which there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * '' Californication'', in which there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * '' The Lying Game'', where there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * ''

Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American television sitcom, created by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, that aired on ABC for 11 seasons from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. The series follows the lives of three diverse but interrelated fa ...

'', where there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * ''

New Girl ''New Girl'' is an American television sitcom created by Elizabeth Meriwether and produced by 20th Century Fox Television for Fox that aired from September 20, 2011, to May 15, 2018. The series revolves around quirky teacher, Jessica Day ( Zo ...

'', where there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * ''

Hart of Dixie ''Hart of Dixie'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on The CW from September 26, 2011, to March 27, 2015. The series, created by Leila Gerstein, stars Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart, a New Yorker who, after her dreams of ...

'', in which there were scenes shot only at the pier from episode 16, "Carrying Your Love with Me". * '' The Great Food Truck Race'', in Season 6, Episode 1, "All-American Road Trip". * ''

Goliath Goliath ( ) was a Philistines, Philistine giant in the Book of Samuel. Descriptions of Goliath's giant, immense stature vary among biblical sources, with texts describing him as either or tall. According to the text, Goliath issued a challen ...

'': The series is shot in Santa Monica and throughout the series the pier and Pacific Park are prominently featured among other Santa Monica landmarks. * '' Stitchers'', in Season 1, Episode 3, "Connections", and Season 1, Episode 10, "Full Stop". * ''

Lucifer The most common meaning for Lucifer in English is as a name for the Devil in Christian theology. He appeared in the King James Version of the Bible in Isaiah and before that in the Vulgate (the late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bib ...

'', in Season 2, Episode 18, "The Good, the Bad and the Crispy". * ''

9-1-1 911, sometimes written , is an emergency telephone number for Argentina, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Maldives, Palau, Panama, Iraq, the Philippines, Sint Maarten, the United States, and Uruguay, as well as ...

'', where there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * '' She Spies'', where there were several scenes shot at the pier throughout the series. * ''

Gossip Girl ''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series created and developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and based on the series of novels of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. It follows a group of students on Manhattan's ...

'', where there were scenes shot only at the pier from episode 1, "Yes, Than Zero". * '' Penny Dreadful: City of Angels'', Season 1, Episode 3, "Wicked Old World" * '' The New Normal'', Season 1, Episode 22, "The Big Day" * '' Pacific Blue'', multiple scenes in multiple seasons. * '' Fallout'', Season 1, Episode 1, "The End"

Video games

*'' American Truck Simulator'' (updated in full detail in 2024 as part of the 1.53 Update) *'' Cars: Race-O-Rama'' *'' Rush'' *'' Midnight Club: Los Angeles'' *'' Tony Hawk's American Wasteland'' *'' Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines'' *'' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' (as the basis of a similar pier) *''

Grand Theft Auto V ''Grand Theft Auto V'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto, ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2008's ''Grand Theft Auto IV'', and ...

'' (as the basis of a similar pier) *'' LEGO City Undercover'' (in the district Paradise Sands) *'' Mario Kart Tour'' and ''

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a 2014 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It retains the gameplay of previous ''Mario Kart'' games, with players controlling a ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' character in races around tracks. Tracks are theme ...

'' (as part of the racetrack "Los Angeles Laps") *'' Dead Island 2'' (the pier is in a mission and also is a part of the map that players can visit anytime) *''

Counter-Strike 2 ''Counter-Strike 2'' is a 2023 free-to-play Tactical shooter, tactical first-person shooter video game, game developed and published by Valve Corporation, Valve. It is the fifth entry in the ''Counter-Strike'' series, developed as an updated v ...

'' (recreated in "Dogtown", a community made map officially added May 8 2025)

Music videos

Climate

Photo gallery

File:Santa Monica pier edit1.jpg, Looff Hippodrome on the pier File:USA Santa Monica Beach and pier CA.jpg, Santa Monica beach and pier from

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

, 2004 File:Santa Monica Pier 2006.jpg, Santa Monica Pier, 2006 File:Santa Monica State Beach P4060277.jpg, View of

Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

from the pier File:SantaMonicaPierFerrisWheel.jpg,

light show at night, 2009 File:Route 66 sign at Santa Monica Pier.jpg,

U.S. Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) is one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The high ...

sign on the pier File:Santa Monica Pier - October 2021.jpg, View of the pier in 2021 File:DJI 20250315131503 0166 D.jpg, Aerial photo from 2025

References

External links

*
Visitor InformationImage of Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, 1924
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Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

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Charles E. Young Research Library The Charles E. Young Research Library is one of the largest libraries on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. It initially opened in 1964, and a second phase of construction was completed ...

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

. {{Authority control 1909 establishments in California 1916 establishments in California Buildings and structures in Santa Monica, California Culture of Los Angeles Film location shooting Infrastructure completed in 1909 Infrastructure completed in 1916 Landmarks in Los Angeles Landmarks in Santa Monica, California Piers in Los Angeles County, California