Pacific Park celebrates 30 years above the Santa Monica shoreline
Pacific Park is marking a major milestone on the Santa Monica Pier this week, celebrating 30 years since it opened on May 26, 1996. The anniversary is being highlighted by a birthday-themed light show on the Pacific Wheel, the park’s signature Ferris wheel and one of the most recognizable sights on the Southern California coast.
For visitors, the celebration is more than just a visual display. It is a reminder that Pacific Park helped bring amusement back to the pier after a long gap, restoring a classic seaside draw that has become part of Santa Monica’s identity.
The park says the anniversary event includes special lighting moments on the wheel, with “Happy Birthday” messaging, 30th anniversary graphics and other celebratory images, including a birthday cake. The illuminated display is designed to be seen from the beach and pier, with the wheel glowing 40 feet above the Pacific Ocean.
Why this anniversary matters to travelers
Santa Monica Pier is already one of the most visited waterfront attractions in California, and Pacific Park plays a big role in that appeal. The park is open daily and combines rides, games, food and ocean views in a compact, walkable setting that works for families, couples and day-trippers alike.
According to the park, the anniversary comes after a multi-day celebration that began with a Locals’ Night on May 21 and continued over the weekend with the release of a three-part series called Sp30tlights: 30 Years of Pacific Park. The series highlights key moments from the park’s history.
What Pacific Park says has changed in 30 years
Jeff Klocke, CEO at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, said: “Thirty years ago today, Pacific Park brought amusement back to the Santa Monica Pier.” He also said the park reflects the community that supported the pier and helped shape its future.
That history matters because Pacific Park opened as the first amusement park on the Santa Monica Pier since the 1930s. In practical terms, that means today’s pier experience — rides, games, snacks and waterfront entertainment — is part of a relatively recent chapter in the pier’s much longer story.
Pacific Park by the numbers
The park shared a series of milestone figures to mark the anniversary. These numbers help show just how much foot traffic and repeat visits the attraction has generated over the years.
| Milestone | Figure shared by Pacific Park |
|---|---|
| Rides provided on 12 attractions | Nearly 100 million |
| Riders on the solar-powered Ferris wheel | More than 14 million |
| Scoops of ice cream served | More than 4,511,362 |
| Cups of coffee brewed | More than 4,149,960 |
| Funnel cakes served | 3,639,894 |
| Churros served | 1,811,620 |
| Cotton candy served | More than 530,725 |
What visitors can expect at the park
Pacific Park says it offers 12 rides, 14 midway games, oceanfront dining at Snackville and beachside retail. Its best-known feature is the Pacific Wheel, described by the park as the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel.
For tourists, that mix makes the pier an easy stop for a few hours or a full evening. The rides sit right beside the ocean, so the experience is as much about the setting as the attractions themselves.
Traveler takeaways
- The 30th anniversary light show is centered on the Pacific Wheel.
- The park opened on May 26, 1996, and says it was the first amusement park on the pier since the 1930s.
- Pacific Park is open daily on the Santa Monica Pier.
- The attraction combines rides, games, food and retail in a beachfront location.
A milestone for the pier and the city
Pacific Park says the anniversary is tied to the broader story of the Santa Monica Pier’s preservation and the community that helped save it. Over three decades, the park has become a familiar part of the coastline for visitors from around the world.
The Santa Monica Pier reportedly welcomes more than 12 million visitors each year, making Pacific Park’s anniversary relevant not only to locals but also to travelers planning a classic Los Angeles beach stop.
The park says it plans to keep investing in new attractions, guest experiences and community partnerships as it moves into its next chapter.
Planning a visit
Pacific Park says it is open daily. For hours and additional information, the park directs visitors to pacpark.com or its social channels.
For travelers building an LA itinerary, the anniversary offers an added reason to stop by the pier after sunset, when the Ferris wheel lighting is at its most visible and the oceanfront setting does most of the work.