Santa Monica Beach and Pier Tours and Tickets

Q: How much does it cost to visit the Santa Monica Beach and Pier in 2026?

Access to Santa Monica Beach and Pier is free. However, the 12 Pacific Park amusement rides require tickets, ranging from US$8-US$15 per ride or US$40 for an unlimited ride wristband ($20 for children 7 and under). Parking is US$7-US$18 daily, depending on the lot, season, and day.

Q: What are the best times to visit Santa Monica Beach and Pier to avoid crowds?

The earlier in the day you visit, the smaller the crowds will be. Weekdays are less busy than weekends. The off-season months, from November to March, are generally less crowded. Avoid summer weekends, holidays, and late afternoons when tourists and locals flock here. Nearby parking lots fill up quickly in summer.

Q: What’s there to do at Santa Monica Beach and Pier?

Santa Monica Beach and Pier features Pacific Park amusement rides—including the iconic Ferris wheel—arcade games, snack vendors, and restaurants. The beach offers swimming, surfing, volleyball courts, and the original Muscle Beach workout area. You can rent bikes to explore the beachfront path, fish from the pier, and watch street performers.

Q: Does the Santa Monica Beach and Pier have parking?

Yes, there are multiple parking options available for the Santa Monica Beach and Pier. The main pier deck lot charges hourly and daily rates, with other beach parking and public parking lots within walking distance. Generally, the further you park from the pier, the cheaper the rates.

Q: Is Santa Monica Pier better during the day or at night?

Whether the pier is better by night or day depends on what you want to experience. Daytime offers beach activities, clear coastline views, and a family-friendly atmosphere. Nighttime means beautiful sunset views, illuminated Pacific Park rides, a more romantic ambiance, and cooler temperatures. The pier is especially magical at sunset.

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What are people saying about Santa Monica Beach and Pier

Santa Monica and Venice Beach 3-Hour Bike Guided Tour

Atul_S, May 2026

Great way to see Santa Monica

Great tour, learned so much about Santa Monica and Venice while enjoying the amazing environment. Jesse was our guide and he did a phenomenal job.

Santa Monica and Venice Beach Tour from Los Angeles

Gwen_H, Apr 2026

Our expectations were...

Our expectations were actually low, expecting just a ride through Santa Monica and Venice on a bus with some narration. As it turned out, we had fun! Jose was an entertaining guide. We got to walk around the SM pier and Venice Beach while Jose filled us in on some area history and eccentricities. Jose made us feel like his special guests.

Best of LA: Hollywood, Griffith, Santa Monica, Venice, and Rodeo

Katherine_J, Apr 2026

All Day Tour

Key was a great tour guide! Very informative and engaging the whole time. Unfortunately we got stuck in a bunch of traffic, but she was able to maneuver around to give us time to see everything.

Small-Group Electric Bike Tour of Santa Monica and Venice Beach

Elspeth_L, Apr 2026

Fantastic

Great morning cycle and our guide Barb was fantastic. Knowledgeable and very helpful. Teenage kids and adults loved it.

Best of LA: Hollywood, Griffith, Santa Monica, Venice, and Rodeo

Adam_T, Mar 2026

It's a long day. Takes an...

It's a long day. Takes an hour and half to two hours to get to LA and back. Not a bad ride just be aware. Fun day overall. Good way to see some the highlights of LA and surrounding areas. My group personally would have preferred to skip the rodeo drive stop and had more time at Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach.