Santa Monica Pier the West End of the historic Route 66 has been a main attraction in Los Angeles since 1909. U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 which is also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs put up the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in the United States, ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona ending in Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). Route 66 ends in Santa Monica, with a a posted sign on the Santa Monica Pier that states “Santa Monica 66 End of the Trail.”
The Santa Monica Pier still has an original carousel hippodrome from the 1920s, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium operated by Heal the Bay, shops, entertainers, a video arcade, pubs, and restaurants. Moreover, the pier has been a venue for outdoor concerts, movies, and other activities. There have been many movies, TV shows (most famously the opening credits of “Three’s Company”), video games, and even songs written about the Santa Monica Pier.
Over the years, due to economic situations such as the the Great Depression, and environmental and weather condition, the pier has suffered from a state of disrepair. Throughout the years, the pier was repaired and retrofitted to its state today. The pier contains Pacific Park, a family amusement park with a solar panel Ferris wheel. The brightly lit Ferris wheel can be seen from a relative far distance.
If you are ever in Los Angeles, consider visiting the Santa Monica Pier. Enjoy the video below taken at the Pier on April 26, 2021.
