What You Will Do
No trip to sunny Los Angeles is complete without a visit to the Santa Monica Pier, and no visit to the Pier is complete without this self-guided audio walking tour! As you stroll along this bustling pier, you’ll dig deep into its history, from its humble origins to devastating storms and ambitious amusement parks. Spot the historic Santa Monica Pier Carousel and Pacific Park before making your way to the very end of the pier, offering unbeatable views of the ocean and Santa Monica Beach.
After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
Begin from Santa Monica Pier Arch, 81-99 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOR ONE YEAR so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
1
Santa Monica Pier
15 minutes
Our tour begins at the Santa Monica Pier Arch. You can’t miss it! This historic structure has been standing tall for over 80 years, adding a little touch of drama to the pier’s entrance.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
2
Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
15 minutes
Now let’s get to know Charles Looff, Danish immigrant, furniture carver, and the pier’s hero.
By day, he carved away in a factory, but at night, he created life-size animal sculptures full of imagination, whimsy, and magic. Can you guess what he was building?
3
Santa Monica Pier Carousel
15 minutes
To our left stands Santa Monica’s iconic carousel. While this one only dates back to the 1940s, the original was built by none other than Charles Looff. He built it as part of a hugely ambitious project in 1916. His goal was nothing less than turning this sewage site into a tourist attraction!
4
Pacific Park
For decades, the pier sat mostly empty and unused. By the 70s, Santa Monica’s City Council was looking for excuses to tear down the old eyesore. They put forth a plan to destroy the pier and build an artificial island instead. During a meeting, a resident asks the City Manager whether the public should have a say. His response?
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