I can't say that the Santa Monica Pier was necessarily on my bucket list but it's definitely one of those places that you see for most of your life on TV, movies, or in the settings of books. We were on a recent visit to Long Beach with a rental car and decided to head to SMP for sunset, dinner and a few rides. Don't forget to allow extra time for traffic if you are aiming for sunset -- luckily it wasn't bad when we visited but we left in plenty of time just in case. We parked in a public deck just before you get to the pier from 5:30pm - 9:30pm on Friday and didn't have to pay (the arm raised as we pulled up to it.) I believe you can also park below on the beach side and it won't be such a walk, but I'm not sure what the cost to park there was. After the sunset we ate at Rusty's Surf Ranch which is one of the first restaurants before you walk onto the actual pier. It was a great meal, great atmosphere (it was karaoke night) and I'd recommend it. We rode the roller coaster (more fun than it looks) and of course the classic ferris wheel. I was surprised to have read so much negativity about the homesless and safety of the pier, we may have been fortunate not to experience that on our trip but as always be kind and be wise, you'll be fine.

This pier with its rides, shops and eateries marks the end of Route 66 and has something to offer all ages. We walked from the centre of town down the walkway onto the pier and to the end. Nice easy walk and the views out to sea ware amazing at the end of the pier. We browsed the gift shops and read all about the history of the pier through a series of information boards. Well worth a visit

Nice to take a walk on the pier. A bit dirty, though so are the sidewalks around the area. Worth checking out, at least for bragging rights. Take some photos, maybe buy a souvenir.

Santa Monica Pier, folks, is the ultimate chill spot by the beach! I mean, it's got everything you could want for a good time. The rides, like the Ferris wheel, are a blast – you get killer views of the ocean from up there. And there's street performers everywhere, doing all sorts of tricks. The food? Well, the funnel cakes are a must-try, trust me. It's the perfect place to just hang out, watch the waves, and enjoy that laid-back California vibe. If you're in LA, swing by Santa Monica Pier – it's pure fun!

The Santa Monica Pier is one of those must see places that is always busy, we visited on a Friday afternoon so it wasn't as crazy busy as the weekend. There are many restaurants on and near the pier and street parking is available along with the large lot to the right of the pier. The rides range from $6 to $12 per ride or all day passes, $20 for kids 7 and under and $40 for those 8 and older.

Santa Monica Pier is an old pier which is desperately trying to hang onto its glory days. Upon arriving at the pier, one is accosted by want-to-be future musicians desperately trying to sell their CD's to you. The pier itself is charming. The crowds are a mix of families and locals fishing off the pier. My husband and I were very conscious of our children and needing to keep them close by, as we felt unsafe at times. The rides were that of an old circus fair coming into town with a new lick of paint. The beach itself was impressive on either side of the pier. There seemed to be no shady options, once on the beach and one would have to bring one's own beach umbrella. Public toilets were very smelly from a distance. Locals told us that parking was a nightmare. There is a McDonalds across the road, if you are looking for food. We only spent about 15 minutes on the pier, before heading back to our hotel. Lots of homeless people in the area.

I've been here twice, as it turns out. Once (many years ago) when visiting family in the area during an internship, and just recently while we were in the LA area on business and wanted to do something touristy. It's the end of old Route 66 and an iconic pier - it's certainly worth seeing once, as the ocean views are beautiful, and there's some fun people watching (as long as you can ignore the people trying to sell you stuff) and some of the street musicians are good. Enjoy a coffee or some dippin dots or fair food and take in the ocean views. We didn't do any of the 'fair' stuff and it seemed to me to be a bit tourist trap-y. That said, I don't know that it's a must see. I'm sure there are lots of beautiful beaches in LA and lots of other fun things to do. The place we parked was pricey, so we just did an hour, and felt like we got enough time in. No need to stay that long. But as a fun jaunt on a business trip, it was fine.

This was our second time to the pier, first was 25 years ago with our kids. We spent a few hours touring and the one thing that stuck me was how run down the area was. I don’t know who owns or manages the pier but how about some maintenance especially since it’s a tourist attraction. There were lots of people but we did push thru and get to the end of the boardwalk, watching the waves and the ocean were wonderful. We stopped at Rusty’s local pub/bar, that’s another review. Now I can say “been there done that”.

The pier is a cool place to go. They have all kinds of food, carnival rides, street musicians and entertainment. The each was clean for the most part. There were tons of people there enjoying themselves. It’s different looking because there is a cliff with homes on it right by the beach. We don’t see that in TX or any of the beaches on the east coast. You could see the light smog hovering around the mountain areas.

The pier is ok, if you never been to Santa Monica, you should visit and walk to the end of the pier. I would go earlier in the morning before all the beach crowd arrives and the pier is not crowded, so no lines for a coffee. But once you have been, really not much to see next time around.