Van Rentals and a Santa Monica Pier Overview

The Santa Monica Pier is open 365 days a year for you to visit with your van rental.

Step back in time

The Santa Monica Pier opened on September 9, 1909 after sixteen months of construction. The crowd that came that day was impressed at the novelty of walking over the Pacific Ocean. The pier was so impressive, that Charles Looff, the man who built the first carousel on Coney Island, opened a carousel factory nearby. He knew there was a lot of potential for amusement parks in Southern California. In 1916, he was allowed to start building attractions along the municipal pier, which featured the Hippodrome Building where a succession of vintage merry-go-rounds were housed.

Have a little fun

The Santa Monica Pier is the only amusement park you can visit in the area with your van rental without having to pay admission to the park. The Carousel is a historic landmark with a vintage merry-go-round. The arcade is fun for the kids.

Dive in!

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is a marine science aquarium at beach-level that you can visit with your van rental. It offers a unique view of the ocean world and is home to many marine species of plants and animals. When you visit the interactive displays, you will learn about the wildlife in the Santa Monica Bay area as well as learn a lot. Another highlight is the learning experience that comes with the Aquarium. You can learn about marine conservation and other environmental issues. Some of the exhibits include the touch tanks (where you can touch the sea stars, crabs, sea urchins, snails, kelp, and sea cucumbers), the Shark & Ray tank, Pier Tank (with species that live right under the pier), Kelp Forest tank, Octopus tank, and Crustacean tank.

Plan your visit

Getting to the pier is easy with your van rental. To reach the pier from the I-10, exit at 4th/5th Street exit. Stay in the left lane, taking you to 4th Street. Turn left on 4th Street and proceed to Pico Blvd. Make a right on Pico Blvd., proceed to Ocean Avenue. Turn right on Ocean Avenue and follow signage to the Pier.

Head down to the beach

Many people visit Santa Monica because of the world famous beaches here. Santa Monica Beach is about 3.5 miles long and has long represented the California lifestyle. When you visit with your van rental you will have many activities to choose from. Of course there is swimming in the ocean, as well as beach volleyball and sun bathing. There is also a long bike path – in fact, the longest bike path in the world begins in Santa Monica and goes for 22 miles to Torrance. For bikers or roller bladders, this is a great way to see the southern Pacific Coast from outside your van rental.

The Santa Monica Pier is a great place to visit with your van rental because there are so many things to do for the whole family.