Santa Monica Pier

The Santa Monica Pier sits where Colorado Avenue meets Ocean Avenue, in the middle of Santa Monica State Beach. It is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day and costs nothing to walk. Rides at Pacific Park, the historic carousel, the arcade, fishing and the Heal the Bay Aquarium are on or under the deck. The Pier has stood here since 1909.

What Is on the Pier

The Pier Corporation lists these attractions along the deck:

• Pacific Park, the amusement park with the Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel and the West Coaster. No entry fee; you pay per ride.
• The historic merry-go-round in the carousel building. The Pier Corporation lists its hours on two of its own pages with different closing times, so check before you go.
• Heal the Bay Aquarium, underneath the carousel building at beach level.
• Playland Arcade, a classic arcade with Skee-Ball.
• Pier Bait and Tackle, for anyone who wants to fish from the Pier.
• Oatman Rock Shop, on the Pier since 1965.
• 66 to Cali, a small shop about Route 66, which ends at the Pier.
• Pier Shop and Visitor Center, inside the merry-go-round building, with staff who answer visitor questions.
• Street performers, who get their spots through a lottery.

Restaurants, treat shops and food carts line the deck, and Perry's Cafe and Beach Rentals has spots on the sand just north and south of the Pier.

The Pier Sign Is Away for Restoration

The blue neon Santa Monica Pier and Yacht Harbor sign at the Ocean Avenue entrance has greeted visitors since 1941. The City scheduled its removal for October 20 to 22, 2026, and it is going to YESCO's facility in Las Vegas for restoration. It will return on top of the new Pier Bridge, a little higher than before.

Until then, a half-scale replica stands on the Pier for photos. The City says it is just before Pier Burger on the left side of the Pier, with the Pacific Park roller coaster and the shoreline behind it.

Pier Bridge Construction

The City is replacing the Pier Bridge, the link from Ocean Avenue to the Pier, first built in 1939. It is the only way to drive onto the Pier. The City expects to finish by 2028, before the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Pier stays open during the work, but expect detours near Ocean and Colorado and fewer parking spaces on the Pier deck.

Getting There and Parking

Beach Lot 1 North sits right beside the Pier at 1550 Pacific Coast Highway, and Lot 1 South at 1640 Appian Way is on the other side. Stairs and ramps lead up to the deck, and a public elevator at Bubba Gump (301 Santa Monica Pier), near Lot 1 North, runs during the restaurant's hours. Full rates and other lots are on the parking page.

From Downtown Santa Monica it is about a 10-minute walk down Colorado Avenue. The Metro E Line (formerly the Expo Line) ends at Downtown Santa Monica Station, 4th and Colorado. The beach bike path runs past the Pier, and bikes are allowed on the deck.

Pier History Walking Tour

The Pier Corporation runs a one-hour walking tour, "A Walk Through Pier History", every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., plus a Monday sunset tour at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 a person, young children go free, and advance booking is required. Tours meet at the top of the Pier Bridge at Colorado and Ocean.

Pier Rules

• Dogs: leashed dogs are welcome on the Pier but not on the beach. See dogs.
• Smoking and vaping: not allowed on the wooden Pier except in designated smoking areas at beach level.
• E-scooters: not allowed on the Pier or the beach bike path.
• Lockers: there are no lockers or bag storage on the Pier.
• Lost and found: ask the Harbor Guard office, 310-458-8695, or the Police Substation, 310-458-8450.

Who Runs the Pier

The City of Santa Monica runs the Pier. The Santa Monica Pier Corporation, a nonprofit founded in 1983, helps the City operate, preserve and program it. Pacific Park and the shops are private businesses on the deck, each with its own hours.