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Santa Monica Pier Carousel
Rating Details »
Categories: Local Flavor, Amusement Parks [Edit]
Neighborhood: Santa Monica200 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-4248
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
9 reviews for Santa Monica Pier Carousel
It only took 10 years to get here and wow, what a great thing.
For less than a candy bar, one can ride. Kids under 5(I think) are free.
One word of caution: This thing books.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
If there's one thing that has always been holy and good about the Santa Monica Pier is the carousel. While other things start to fade, homeless people start to crowd around and bum you for change or 3rd street looks completely like a waste of shops, there's always the beauty of the carousel to bring me back to admire it.
I mean, i haven't been on this since I was pretty small. But I do like coming to see it. Looking at it through the window and thinking of all those childhood memories when scary wooden horses scared the piss out of me.
But hey, isn't that what a childhood is for, scarring you for the rest of your life. Oddly enough, I don't think I've been here when it's been open. What are the hours of operation anyway? Perhaps they should get on top of that. Cause I'm long over due to getting over that fear of wooden horses sometime.
A beautiful center piece on the pier that I hope never goes away.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (1)
"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." ~Leonard Cohen. And that's how I also view memory. On occasion, the light gets in. It could be something as simple as a smell, a sound, a touch. Suddenly you're transported to a different time, place.
The Pier is one of those moments for me. I remember holding my Moms hand and walking towards the carousel. Trepadation. A little afraid of it. It was big. I was little. The music seemed loud. But the kids were having what appeared to be a good time. So I climbed on. She stood by me.
The smell of the ocean. The easy motion of the carousel. Why, I wondered, hadn't someone told me about this before.
This is an especially nice place to walk towards when it's raining. You may even see a grown woman riding it. That woman may be me. Still holding the hand of my Mom in my imagination. Still little. Still happy to enjoy a memory that lets the light get in.
People thought this was:
- Useful (21)
- Funny (20)
- Cool (32)
You may remember this carousel from the movie "The Sting" or many other appearances. The original was a Byzantine-Moorish California style, designed and built in 1916. This one was moved to Santa Monica in 1939 from the old Ocean Park Pier. The current carousel was built in 1922. And in 1990 it was completely restored to the "like new" current condition. It is terrific.
Next to the carousel is a machine that prints out your biorhythm. Oh, I know it is silly but give it a try. Run a strip for you and another for your significant other who is standing beside you. Compare. It may be a dangerous day if you are BOTH at a peak. Be careful out there!
People thought this was:
- Useful (20)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (21)
Sit, spin & smile, climb aboard the S.M. Pier Carousel. With a 360 degree view, in no time at all, you'll be ooohing & aaahhing. The sound system cranked out old time organ tunes, kids & parents were smiling & the weather/view couldn't have been better. Hmm I wonder if itunes carries similar music.
Here for a splendid Sunday afternoon at a coworker's son's 1st birthday party. Surrounded by happiness, laughter & squeals of delight, I basked in the sunlight, ate mocha crunch birthday cake & enjoyed opening my pirate's treasure chest party favor, full of sweet surprises.
Parking can be tough, a real challenge, next to impossible, for those unfamiliar with the parking lots on a hot sunny day. At least for one pregnant mom it was. She returned home to Calabasas before she even got to the party. Other guests found parking in a 1 hour limited lot, so they only had to time to eat & leave. As for myself, I hopped aboard the BIg Blue Bus.
For parents that have young ones: there's a bathroom here. Though no baby changing table for kids inside the bathroom. They also have kid-sized chairs that are sturdy enough even for adults to sit in.
If you're thinking of bringing a bubble machine, do yourself a favor & leave it at home. Apparently the hostess was reprimanded by the mgmt. as it's illegal!. He told her the bubbles make the floor damp & slippery.
They gave us orange wristbands to ride the carousel for all in our bday party. The horses on the outside of the carousel don't move. I found out the hard way & thought mine was defective! Therefore if you want to go up & down, pick one in the middle. If you want to go WAY UP & WAY DOWN, pick one on the inside, near the center. They make you get off the carousel & stand in line again before you can ride a 2nd x.
Oh & if you're 200# +, you get to ride in the chariots.
A historical landmark. This particular spot deserves it's own Yelp! entry because it's so special - and maybe the beginnings of a new Yelp! list and obsession for me: merry-go-rounds...
Lots of things are memorable about Southern California. Whenever folks would come from out of town, the Pier was always one of the best tourist stops. For me, nothing is more iconic than the Carousel of the Santa Monica Pier.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
Talk about a So Cal moment, riding an old-fashioned carousel with the nostalgic music playing and knowing that the Pacific Ocean is a few steps away.
I always make a point to visit this carousel before heading to the beach.
It's just so much fun for kids of all ages.
This carousel holds a special place in my heart. My dad would take my younger brother and me to Santa Monica Pier almost every weekend when we were kids. And i would ride the carousel every one of those times. The pier has changed so much since those days in the 80s, but the carousel is as classic as ever.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Its beauty alone deserves 5 stars. I was here yesterday as my friend rented out a section of the room at the Carousel for her son's 1st birthday party. Though, I had never been to the carousel as a kid, nor as an adult ('twas my first time there), being there was nostalgic. The carousel itself is just beautiful and classic; the horses with beautiful design and decoration. It was grand-looking and was reminiscent of the good ol' days of the Pier. All the kids got to ride the carousel and had an absolute blast.
