Photo By Lance Cpl. Norman Eckles | An overall photo of the Santa Monica Pier and the only amusement park to be built over...... read more read more
MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. - Southern California is home to one of the most well-known piers of all time that reaches 1,600 feet into the Pacific Ocean. With laughter of children and adults riding carnival rides, playing arcade and carnival games and a roller coaster, the pier is a great way to spend an afternoon with family or friends.
The Santa Monica Pier opened for business on Sept. 9, 1909. The pier is coming up on its 104th anniversary.
The city of Santa Monica built the pier as a necessity to aid Santa Monica’s sanitation needs. They built the pier with a sewage pipe going along the bottom of the pier; this allowed treated sewage to flow into the ocean, said Wayne Vonder-Mehden, a production coordinator for the Santa Monica Pier.
Today, the pier is used as an attraction for all ages where people can come to enjoy themselves. Adults and children alike can walk together and enjoy the whole day on the pier, Vonder-Mehden added.
“All of the games on the pier are fun and cheap,” said Richard Mata, a frequent visitor of the pier. “It’s cheap, yet fun at the same time and you are right on the beach. So, when you get tired of the pier you can go down to the ocean and go for a swim or vice versa.”
The cost of the carnival games and rides are minimal. It also offers a full arcade where children and adults can go and play their favorite arcade games such as first-person shooting games, racing games, and tireless games such as air hockey, skee-ball, and basketball games.
Going on rides and enjoying the sound of the waves crashing against the pier is the best part of coming to the pier. The atmosphere is great because you have the feel of an amusement park, but you have the scenery of the beach, expressed Mata.
However, for some the pier offers more than just a fun time.
“When I went to the Santa Monica Pier, I really enjoyed it … it reminded me of home,” said Lance Cpl. Jonathon Norita, a supply clerk on Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., and a Saipan native. “It was relaxing to be near the ocean and (listen to) the waves crashing against the pier.”
The pier also offers fishing to the general public. Spectators have to bring their own fishing reel and bait.
“If you get hungry while being at the pier, you can go to any restaurant on it as well,” said Mata.
Mata expressed there are only two downsides from going to the pier … having to leave and having to find parking.
“Parking cost $12 for the whole day, sunrise to sunset,” Mata said. “This is a popular place to be on the weekends finding parking is quite difficult; coming right in the morning is the best time to find parking.”
With all the things to do in California, the Santa Monica Pier is an experience for the family or friends ... People should come and check it out if they have never seen or been here before, Mata concluded.
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.21.2013 17:04 |
| Story ID: | 112343 |
| Location: | BARSTOW, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 428 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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