Do you want to watch the most spectacular sunset and breath-taking beach view of South California? Join us on a trip to Santa Monica Pier! Guess what else you can expect from the 100-year-old amusement park? You may enjoy the happiness of family reunion at the Pacific Park with a large Ferris wheel, view and admire marine life at the aquarium, ride a carousel from the 1920s, watch a lively street performance from musicians to artists, or taking photo with the breath-taking South California beach.

Fun never stops at Santa Monica Pier! There is so much to see and do at Santa Monica Pier. Want to visit this fun-filled destination with no worry about losing your way? Follow our maps and driving guide!

Santa Monica Pier lies gracefully in a charming, sea-side city named Santa Monica in South California. It's right at the foot of Colorado Avenue. Santa Monica has been a popular holiday destination for those who enjoy beach life, sun bath or just history and culture of California. The mailing address of Santa Monica Pier is 200 Santa Monica Pier, Suite A, Santa Monica, CA 90401. And their contact number is 310-458-8900.

For handy reference, Google map is offered:

Santa Monica Pier on Google Maps

http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=Santa+Monica+Pier

Visitors from other places may need to stay there overnight. So a map of hotels near Santa Monica Pier is provided along with some customs reviews. Check them out at the following link:

Map of hotels near Santa Monica Pier

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocalMaps-g33052-d104238-Santa_Monica_Pier-Area.html

When driving towards Santa Monica Pier, you should keep in mind that it's at the intersection of two streets, Ocean Ave and Colorado Ave. The Pier can be reached either from I-10, I-405 or Pacific Coast Highway. For your convenience, routes from various directions are provided in the following:

If you come from the north on Pacific Coast Highway, just head south until reach the California incline. At the California incline, there will be signs directing you to park at Pier/Beach garage.

If you come from the north on Ocean Avenue, proceed south in the first place. Merge onto Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica Pier is just two blocks south of Santa Monica Blvd. Make a right turn onto Seaside Terrace. Get to the Pier/Beach garage by following signs.

For visitors coming from the south on Ocean Avenue, proceed north in the first place. Make a left turn at Colorado Avenue. The Pier is at the foot of Colorado Ave. If the lot there has filled to capacity, take Ocean Avenue north to California Incline. Then make a left turn at the signal Pacific Coast Highway. Get to the Pier/Beach garage by following signs.

For visitors coming from I-10, you need to take I-10 west first. Take exit at 4th/5th Street. Proceed on the left lane till reach 4th Street. Make a left turn on 4th Street toward Pico Blvd. Then make a right turn on Pico Blvd toward Ocean Avenue. Make a final right turn on Ocean Avenue and follow signs to Pier/Beach garage.

If you come from 405, take I-10 west in the first place. Take exit at 4th/5th Street. Head north on 5th Street to Colorado Ave. Turn left on Colorado Ave. The Pier is at the foot of Colorado Ave. If the parking lot there has filled to capacity, turn left on Ocean Avenue toward Seaside Terrace. Get to the Pier/Beach garage by following signs.

Parking has never been easier at Santa Monica Pier. Downtown parking, beach parking, street parking and etc will meet or exceed the needs. Click here to see the parking map:

Parking Overview Map

http://parking.smgov.net/overview.html

You are welcomed to take Big Blue Bus, the main form of public transportation within Santa Monica!

If you don't feel like driving by yourself, Big Blue Bus is a good option! It runs over a vast part of Los Angeles area including Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica State Beach, Venice Beach, Westwood and etc. It only costs you $0.75 one way or $2.50 for a day pass. Further information can be found at:

Big Blue Bus

http://www.bigbluebus.com/home/index.asp

Tide Shuttle is favored by lots of people either. Tide Shuttle serves Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, Beaches, Main St. Shops and Restaurants, nearby hotels and etc. It operates from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm from Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, it is available from noon to 10:00 pm.

Santa Monica Pier is the 100 year old landmark of California. The Santa Monica Pier features Pacific Park, which is a family amusement park. There are several fun things to do around Santa Monica Pier, California.

The Major attractions which provides fun activities are Disney Land, Universal studios, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, Venice beach and many more. You can spend a great trip with your family in Santa Monica Pier with the possible attractions.

Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles Activities

http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/losangeles/a/labest.htm

Santa Monica Pier attractions and event calendar

http://www.santamonica.com/events-calendar/

Best fun things to do in Santa Monica Pier

http://www.santamonicapier.org/fun/

You can find numerous fun activities during your trip to Santa Monica Pier. There is always fun around the city from playing games, to southern California Beach line. The Pacific Park is the mini amusement park with a small roller coaster and a food court. Spend an evening in the third street Promenade which is the oldest pier in Santa Monica pier.

The Pacific park is the famous place to play with your family. This is the only amusement park located on the Santa Monica Pier. The park is visited by millions of people annually. Top Glow, Wac A Mole, Coast line cat rack are the fun games available in the pacific park. The Santa Monica beach is located in between Venice and Malibu and provides numerous activities for the whole family.

Fun Parks in Santa Monica Pier

http://www.santamonica.com/visitors/what-to-do/attractions/parks/

Pacific Park in Santa Monica Pier

http://www.pacpark.com/park.php?location=park

Every year, lots of visitors from all over the world swarm to Santa Monica - a beautiful seaside city in western Los Angeles County, California. It's really an agreeable destination for most travelers due to its wonderful climate. Plus, a variety of amazing attractions also contribute a lot to the large number of visitors. As for shopping, there are three districts for shoppers to spend some quality time at: Montana Avenue, Downtown District and Main Street.

In addition to endless white beaches, breathtaking scenery and great places for shopping & entertainment, Santa Monica also features various world-class restaurants that are specialized in Asian, European and Latin American cuisine.

To ensure you a memorable dining experience in Santa Monica, here is some helpful information regarding nice restaurants located throughout the city. What we recommend are those that enjoy a great reputation among visitors for both elegant dining environment and delicious food.

1) Melisse

Melisse would definitely top the list of best restaurants in Santa Monica. Located at 1104 Wilshire Blvd, this restaurant highlights its traditional French food. Being a two Michelin Star restaurant, Melisse offers every visitor a memorable foodie experience. It's really a great dining destination that should not be missed when you take a trip to Santa Monica.

Melisse would be closed on Sundays as well as Mondays. Lunch is unavailable in this restaurant except there are any private events ongoing. Dinner would be served from 5:45 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays. Melisse would open at 6 p.m. and close until 9:30 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday.

For Additional Information about Melisse

http://melisse.com/

Reviews of Melisse on Yelp

http://www.yelp.com/biz/melisse-restaurant-santa-monica

2) JiRaffe Restaurant

JiRaffe Restaurant is also a good option for visitors to enjoy delicious food. Situated at 502 Santa Monica Blvd, it's very close to the Santa Monica Pier which is a famous attraction in Santa Monica.

As with Melisse, the JiRaffe also features French cuisine. However, its French entrees are terrific combinations of local ingredients and French traditional country-style cuisine. As for dessert, it offers Lisa's Cookies, fabulous chocolate and banana cream pie and so on.

Official Website of JiRaffe Restaurant

http://www.jirafferestaurant.com

3) The Lobster

As we are on the topic of great dining places and tasty food, we must recommend the Lobster to you. Thanks to its great location, the Lobster provides not only terrific seafood, but also great view of the Pacific Ocean. You can easily find the Lobster at 1602 Ocean Avenue.

This restaurant would open every day all the year round. Food would be available from 11 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Since its entrees are seafood, the menu would change seasonally. For further information about this restaurant and its menu, visit its official website.

Details and Menus of the Lobster

http://www.thelobster.com/

4) Capo Restaurant

Capo Restaurant is a modern steakhouse featuring Italian cuisine. Sitting next to the beach, it provides fresh seafood as well. Apart from outstanding service and amazing food, Capo is also characterized by its wine list which consists of more than 1,200 bottles of excellent wine.

The Capo Restaurant is erected at 1810 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica. It would open at 6 p.m. and close at 10 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday. For Fridays and Saturdays, it is accessible from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Detailed Information Regarding Capo Restaurant

http://www.caporestaurant.com/

5) Musha Restaurant

Musha Restaurant is a Japanese Tapas which operates two restaurants in both Santa Monica and Torrance. The one located at 434 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica is full of energy. The food is tasty while service is friendly. A number of delicious dishes include salmon sashimi, tuna wasabi poki, hamachi and spicy tuna, etc.

The Musha Restaurant would open to the public every day except Christmas Day (December 25th) and New Years Day (January 1st). For additional information, you can reach out to its web site.

More Information about Musha Restaurant

http://musha.us/

6) BOA Steakhouse

Trendy decorated, the BOA Steakhouse is very suitable for date and having dinner with family members or friends. It has a great atmosphere inside the building. However, its outdoor seats are also popular. The highlight of this restaurant is the Blackberry Smash which has been considered as one of the best cocktails in Los Angeles.

You can find the BOA Steakhouse at 101 Santa Monica Blvd. And the number for reservation is 310-899-4466. It is available every day.

Learn More about BOA Steakhouse

http://www.boasteak.com/balboa/

7) La Botte Ristorante

For those who are looking for an unparallel dining experience, La Botte Ristorante is surely a good bet. It's erected at 620 Santa Monica Blvd and characterized by its fabulous Italian food. As it is pretty cool inside of the restaurant, you might feel like you were sitting in a wine cellar. Excellent entrees involve pan seared scallops and Filetto di Branzino All'Origano Siciliano and many others.

La Botte Ristorante opens from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. And you can make a reservation by calling 310-576-3072.

Further Information Related to La Botte Ristorante

http://www.labottesantamonica.com/

Valentino

This flagship restaurant was established in 1972. Today, it's thought as one of the fathers of great Italian cuisine in the United States. As a winner of various honors and awards, this restaurant would offer you an opportunity to experience exceptional food as well as the culture & spirit of Italian.

Visitors can also find Valentino restaurants in Las Vegas and Houston. To learn more about Valentino or make a reservation online, visit its official website.

Website of Valentino

http://www.valentinorestaurantgroup.com/

In addition to what we recommend above, other restaurants that are highly appreciated by visitors include but are not limited to:

- Lares Restaurant - Located at 2909 Pico Blvd, contact number is 310-829-4550.

http://www.laresrestaurant.com/

- Via Veneto - Situated at 3009 Main Street and you can get in contact with this restaurant by calling 310-399-1843.

http://www.viaveneto.us

- Chinois on Main - A restaurant filled with Bohemian artists and strivers. Can be found at 2709 Main Street. Contact number is 310-392-3037.

- Ivy at the Shore - A classy restaurant with great view. It sits at 1535 Ocean Avenue and you can make a reservation by calling 310-393-3113.

- Josie Restaurant - Erected at 2424 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica. Reservation number is 310-829-4550.

http://www.josierestaurant.com/

For more options, you can take advantage of various search engines like Google and Lycos and so on. There is a list of 484 restaurants located at Santa Monica from Yelp.com. Reviews from other visitors are also available. If you're interested, check the following page for details.

A list of best restaurants in Santa Monica

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=best+restaurants+in+santa+monica&find_loc=Los+Angeles

Being a 100 years old landmark in Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Pier consists of various attractions including an aquarium, an amusement park, Pacific Park and a number of restaurants, etc. it's a great destination for visitors to enjoy fun and exciting rides and other family activities. Plus, it is also considered as a paradise for anglers.

Maybe the most amazing thing is that the temperature of this Pier is always much lower than inland areas. Especially if you pay a visit to the Santa Monica Pier in hot summer weather, you will find that the cool breeze in the mornings and evenings is really awesome.

Santa Monica Pier on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Monica_Pier

Visitors can have a great time at the Santa Monica Pier even without paying for any rides or other activities. Just enjoy a nice and relaxing weekend by laying on the sand, scrolling along the beach or watching interesting street performances.

Homepage of Santa Monica Pier

http://www.santamonicapier.org/

Situated at the foot of Colorado Avenue, the Santa Monica Pier is easy to be located. Visitors can easily get to the Pier by public transportation or driving their own cars. However, parking is somewhat annoying in this area, especially for those who prefer free parking.

Free parking is almost unavailable unless you don't' mind a long distance walk. The Santa Monica Place mall, which is about three or four blocks away from the Pier, would offer you a free parking space for two hours. No validation is required.

Besides, there is a parking garage placed at the intersection of Colorado and 4th Street. It's easily accessible and you can walk to the Pier within about 2 minutes. The first two hours of parking is free.

Or, if you like, just skip all these overpriced parking lots or garages offered by the Pier and park on the street.

If you just want to get out of your car and begin your experience on the Pier as quickly as you can, there are a couple of great options for you. Charged parking lots and garages can be found on the Pier Deck as well as nearby Beachfront.

Pier Deck Parking Lot: This parking lot is located at the west end of Colorado Avenue. And it is capable of accommodating about 277 vehicles. Vans are welcomed as well. It's available every day all the years around. On weekdays, its opening hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. However, it would not close until 1 a.m. on weekends while still opening at 7:30 a.m.

From October to the Thursday prior to Memorial Day, parking on weekdays would be charged 1 dollar for every half an hour. And the maximum daily parking rate is only 6 dollars. However, when it comes to weekends, parking fee is unified. Parkers would be charged 7 dollars per car.

For the rest of the year, flat rate for parking in this lot is 7 dollars on weekdays and 8 dollars on weekends.

Parking Options on Beachfront: In total, there are five parking lots located on both the north and south side of the Pier. All of them are available for driving visitors to the Santa Monica Pier, but their rates vary a lot.

1) 1N - You can find this parking facility at 1550/1440 Pacific Coast Highway. It provides 1129 parking spaces among which 26 spaces are accessible for people with impairments. Spaces for vans are also available in this lot. Its operation hours are from 7:30 a.m. until 1 a.m. on weekends and from 7:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. on weekdays.

From May through September, it would take 12 dollars for parking on weekends and holidays. On weekdays, however, parking rate is only 8 dollars per car. As for April and October, parking rate is much cheaper. It only costs you 6 dollars to park in this lot on weekdays and 7 dollars for weekend and holiday parking. From November to March, the parking rate is still 6 dollars for weekdays, but you will be charged 8 dollars for parking on weekends or holidays.

2) 3N - Situated at 1150 Pacific Coast Highway, this parking lot offers 460 parking spaces including 4 spaces for disabled persons. It's accessible for vans as well. This lot would open at 7 a.m. every day. In summer, it would not close until 7 p.m. But it closes as early as 4 p.m. in winter.

Parkers would be charged 12 dollars for parking on weekends as well as holidays from May to September, while parking rate for weekdays is 8 dollars. From November to March, cheaper parking rate is available. It would only cost you 8 dollars for parking on weekends and holidays. On weekdays, parking rate is 6 dollars. As to April and October, flat parking rate is 8 dollars.

3) 1S - This parking lot sits at 1640 Appian Way and there are 66 parking spaces available. It's very close to the Pier. In summer, it would open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. while its operation hours in winter are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors can park in this lot free of charge, but they will not be allowed to stay for more than two hours. It's only available for short term parking and not accessible for vans drivers and disabled persons.

4) 2S - Erected at 1670 Appian Way, it's also within walking distance of the Pier. However, parking spaces are limited there. Only 63 spaces are available and there is no room for any vans. Its summer hours are from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. while it only opens from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in winter.

From April through October, parking rate is 12 dollars on weekends and holidays. 8 dollars would be charged for parking on weekdays. For the rest of the year, it would take 7 dollars for you to park in this lot on weekends & holidays but only 5 dollars for weekday parking.

5) 3S - Offering 120 parking spaces, this parking lot is placed at 1750 Appian Way, a little bit far away from the Pier. It also provides spaces for vans and disabled persons. For related information regarding operation hours and parking rates, you can refer to 2S parking lot.

Detailed Information Regarding Parking Options around the Santa Monica Pier

http://parking.smgov.net/det_beachcentral.html

Parking Lots for Shuttle Buses and Monthly Parking

http://parking.smgov.net/shuttles.html

NOTE: Parking is a little tough around the Pier, especially on busy days. Therefore, you are strongly recommended to have in mind an alternative parking location. Otherwise, you might have to spend an hour or more to find a space for your vehicle.

How could you get to these parking lots? As all these nearby parking lots are located already, the next step is to figure out the driving directions to a suitable parking lot. After you turn onto Interstate 10 Santa Monica freeway, remember to take 4th or 5th Street. Then exit and bear to the right. When you see Colorado Avenue, turn onto it and head west to change to Ocean Avenue.

To park in the Pier Deck Parking Lot, just proceed straight ahead. If you choose to bear right onto Seaside Terrace when proceeding on Ocean Avenue, you can find a number of parking lots located along Appian Way. Either turn right or left onto Appian Way, lots of parking spaces are available.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium abbreviated as (SMPA) is home to many species of marine animals and plants. It provides families, school groups, and visitors an exciting peek into the aquatic world. A few of the exhibits are "touch tanks" full of animals that are found in tide pools, and "huge habitat tanks" filled with animals of the Santa Monica Bay.

http://www.healthebay.org/smpa/about/

Tourists coming down to Santa Monica can consult the websites dealing with hotels Los Angeles, to find accommodations of their choice.

You may take your kids to the new Kids Corner in the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium which is an interactive corner filled with books, a puppet theater, puzzles, and games centering around the theme of marine life. You can learn a lot about marine conservation, and different issues relating to environmental protection and conservation by viewing the short educational films.

Kids of certain age groups can enjoy the ongoing craft projects as well. You can just go about spending a couple of hours here in a leisurely manner. Kids will also relish going to the adjacent playground, and playing with small Muscle Beach patterned equipments. You can also organize birthday parties for kids at this venue. Kids sure are going to have a blast with the touch tanks, activity tables, short movies, and the computer and microscope laboratory that may be made use of during the party.

If you plan to visit the place on a Sunday, be prepared to enjoy a shark - themed Sunday, which includes activities and presentations, arts and crafts, all related to sharks. http://www.smartdestinations.com/los-angeles-attractions-and-tours/santa-monica-pier-aquarium/_attr_Lax_Att_Santa_Monica_Pier_Aquarium.html?cid=lakdeep

One of the famous attractions in Los Angeles is the Santa Monica Pier. It is famous because it offers a variety of entertainment shows, dining and shopping experience. One can be thrilled by its park rides and be in love with its famous view of the Pacific Ocean. But it is more famous because of its concerts held regularly throughout the year. Some of these concerts are held without admissions and provides performances by the worlds top music artists.

http://www.santamonicapier.org/events.html

Because of this, many tourists look for hotels near the pier for their comfort and relief after watching these shows. Many hotels near Los Angeles are fully booked during big concerts held in Santa Monica Pier. To help you search for hotel to stay within the pier area, these tips can provide some information:

1. Check concert schedules and book yourself as early as possible to avoid last minute booking. The latter is usually billed with much higher price.

http://www.westlandtraveler.com/ca/santa_monica/santa_monica_pier/free_summer_concerts/#

2. Consider comparison between of rates of hotels near Los Angeles. You can check websites that provide reviews of these hotels.

3. Plan your activities ahead so you will not do anything else while booking in your hotel choice.

http://www.santamonicapier.org/events.htm

4. Hotels that offer discounts for group of tourists are more preferred. If you will go to this city in a group of three or five, the hotels usually offer discounts. The more you are in number the bigger is the discount offered.

http://www.santamonicapier.org/fun.html

Located within the Santa Monica Bay, Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is established below the famous Santa Monica Pier Carousel in western Los Angeles. It serves as the public marine-education center operated by Heal the Bay and home to more than 100 species of marine animals and plants of the Bay.

Family visit is encouraged strongly for the aquarium has developed into a family-friendly facility through decades. Here children can get a close look at the spiky sea urchin, touch a knobby sea star and observe the plankton under a microscope. Meaningful educational programs and events are dedicated to marine conservation. A number of hands-on and marine-related explorations will help you and your kids get the fullest enjoyment in the aquarium.

Now are you ready for a refreshing experience? Before your visit, please allow us to provide you with a fine tour guide. Your tour to Santa Monica Pier Aquarium can never be easier!

Google Map for Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=1600+Ocean+Front+Walk,+Santa+Monica

What are the opening hours of Santa Monica Pier Aquarium? The aquarium is opened to the public Tuesday through Sunday, closed on Monday and national holidays, like New Years Day, Christmas Day, Veterans Day and President Day. You can find the latest scheduled closures on the website of Santa Monica Pier Aquarium:

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

http://www.healthebay.org/santa-monica-pier-aquarium

During the summer days, the aquarium is operated from 12:30 pm to 6 pm on weekends, and 2 pm to 6 pm on Tuesday to Friday. When it comes to the winter days, the aquarium opens at 12: 30 pm to 5 pm on weekends and 2 pm to 5 pm for weekdays except Monday.

You may be eager to know the admission pricing now. Well, we should admit its pricing is quite reasonable, which makes the aquarium more popular among other attractions at the Santa Monica Pier area. Free admission is available to kids under 12 years old. The entry fees for adult and children over 12 are $3 minimum, and $5 per person for a suggested donation. Groups of 10 and more persons can enjoy the low pricing of $2 per. To make group reservation, please call 310-393-6149.

Is there any way to save on the admission? You have come to the point. Besides group tours, you can get savings by membership or with a Go Los Angeles Card.

- Becoming a member of Heal the Bay, you can enjoy free admission to the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, plus many other benefits like monthly Beach Report Card, discounts and special offers. A basic membership purchase is of $35 while a student membership just needs $15.

Members of Heal the Bay

https://www.healthebay.org/secure/become-member-join-now

- Go Los Angeles Card offers the holders free admission to over 40 attractions in Los Angeles. This card includes 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, 5-day and one-week options, and it is valid for two weeks from your first use day. Card holders can enjoy free admission and the guests can save up to 50% off the tickets. To know more about this mart pass card, please click:

Go Los Angeles Card Information

http://www.smartdestinations.com/los-angeles-attractions-and-tours/_d_Lax-p1.html?pass=Lax_Prod_Go

Then how to get to the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium? This attraction is located at 1600 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, just underneath the Santa Monica Pier. After your inspirational tour in the aquarium, you can go out onto the beach or take a ride on the famed Carousel. Los Angeles METRO is willing to serve you. You can take METRO 1, 7, 27 534 and 733 and drop off at Ocean/Colorado stop.

For those planning to drive to the Bay, the driving directions are quite simple, as several highways and freeways meet nearby.

If you are coming from the northwest, stay on Pacific Coast Highway southeast and take exit 1A towards Ocean Ave. Keep left at the fork towards Ocean Ave. Take a left at Ocean Ave and turn left at the first intersection onto Colorado Ave.

If you are coming from the northeast, just stay on the Santa Monica Freeway southwest, pass the Fourth Street, and merge into Pacific Coast Highway. Take the left exit at Santa Monica Pier/Colorado Ave.

If you are coming from the southeast, take Neilson Way northwest and merge into Ocean Ave. Stay on north Ocean Ave and turn left at the intersection of Ocean Ave and Colorado Ave.

Whether parking is easy to locate near Santa Monica Pier Aquarium? Situated within the popular Bay District in Santa Monica County and near the Downtown, Santa Monica Pier has offered a 277-space parking lot at the west end of Colorado Ave - Pier Deck Parking Lot. This lot is operated year round, 7:30 am to 12am Monday through Friday, and 7:30 am to 1 am on weekends. The rates, during October to Thursday before Memorial Day Weekend, are $1 for every half-hour parking on weekdays (maximum $6), and $7 per day on weekends. From Friday before the Memorial Day through September, the parking fees are $7 flat rate on weekdays and $8 on weekends.

Besides Pier Deck Parking Lot, there is another four parking sites located on the two sides of the pier and along the Pacific Coast Hwy and Appian Way. You can turn to them when Pier Deck Parking Lot is occupied.

Parking Lots Map & Information

http://parking.smgov.net/det_beachcentral.html

What are the features of Santa Monica Pier Aquarium? You should never see Santa Monica Pier Aquarium as a common place just for fun and relax. It is a wonderful land to cultivate kids' love to marine animals and boost their sense of water and sea protection. All hands-on activities and educational programs here emphasize the importance to make the coastal areas and the Bay safe and clean.

The highlights include the ever-changing animal exhibits on each Saturday at 3:30pm, Shark Sundays at 3:30 pm of each Sunday, Feeding Time starting 2:30 pm on Tuesday through Friday, free quarterly marine-related lectures, themed weekends activities and celebrations throughout the whole year.

More about Shark Sundays

http://www.healthebay.org/Santa-Monica-Pier-Aquarium/Plan-Your-Visit/weekly-presentations

Special Events

http://www.healthebay.org/Santa-Monica-Pier-Aquarium/Plan-Your-Visit/special-events