Pacific Park is an amusement park particularly popular with families and is located on the world-famous pier in Santa Monica in southern California.

The amusement park, which opened in 1996, covers an area of 2 acres and offers its visitors great rides and thrilling attractions, entertainments and speciality shops and even has a food plaza that looks out over the ocean.

The centrepiece and main focal point of the amusement park’s 12 rides has to be its new Pacific Wheel which opened in May 2008 and which replaced the old Ferris wheel at the amusement park which was subsequently sold on eBay. The new version was built at a cost of $1.5 million and it became the world’s first solar powered Ferris wheel. Featuring over 160,000 LED lights, it is 85 feet wide and has 20 gondolas to ride in. It soars to a height of 130 feet above the amusement park and gives fantastic views out over the Pacific Ocean.

Other popular rides at the amusement park include a 55 foot high rollercoaster called West Coaster offering great views over Santa Monica Bay and Pacific Plunge, a 45 foot tower ride that gives you the sense of weightlessness. Frog Hopper and Crazy Submarine are just two of the smaller rides at the amusement park which are geared towards younger children.

There are over 20 fairground type games to enjoy at the amusement park in the Pier Pressure Zone with prizes to be won. One of the most exciting is the Crazy Cruiser which features a pair of bikes whirling 360 degrees as riders pedal furiously to compete for the prizes at speeds which can exert a 2g force. 

There is also a 9-hole miniature golf course at the amusement park designed around the theme of pirates.

The oceanfront food plaza at the amusement park has a variety of dining options to cater for all. It includes the Harbor Grill and other more recognisable favourites such as Taco Bell and Pizza Hut Express as well as having both a special cake and separate ice cream outlet.

The amusement park can also cater for private parties, accommodating groups of between 10 and up to 2,000 people. It is also a popular amusement park for being used as a TV, film and photography location.

See also:
Amusment Parks: The Balboa Fun Zone - a Potted History
Amusement Parks: Castle Park - a Potted History
Amusement Parks: California's Great America - a Potted History 
Amusement Parks: Legoland California - a Potted History