Adventures in California, Pacific Park--May 2015 | Santa Monica Pier California

Santa Monica.....oh the memories I have of this place visiting as a teenager and young adult!! I was so excited to take the kids there last year while we were living temporarily in San Diego.  My friend Nicole had never been there and we were itching for a new adventure!  We packed up the kids and headed north! 

Santa Monica Pier is so magical!!  From the creaky old wood planks, the colorful roller coasters and giant ferris wheel, and the smell of ocean air and fair food....oh, I can just picture it now!! The kids were antsy from the car ride and bolted up the boardwalk as soon as they were free from their car seats! They had redone a lot of the rides since I was there last and I was happy to see all of the little kid rides they had.  We bought a wristband and enjoyed riding the old school fair rides.  The kids loved it! They loved running around the pier almost as much as the rides, or maybe more!

The ferris wheel is (or WAS) my favorite ride on the pier.  There's just something about being on a giant ferris wheel that is perched above the ocean that makes you feel free and scared to death at the same time.  I mean, most people get a little skittish on ferris wheels to begin with....but then add the fact that you have two crazy boys who never stop moving and you are trying to keep them from diving into the ocean....that's enough to make a person's nerves jump out of their skin.  That was me!! I don't think I will be riding that again anytime soon....they need full cages on that thing!! 

All in all....it is a great place to visit! Even if you aren't going to be riding the rides, it is fun to walk to the end of the pier and hang out at the beach along the boardwalk.  One of my favorite parts of our trip was looking at the pier from the beach and seeing all of the beautiful lights from the rides.  Magical :)