If you’re anything like me, you avoid family-friendly tourist destinations like the plague, as they usually mean long lines, noise and chaos! The ferris wheel in Santa Monica is an exception. It is located on the Santa Monica Pier within Pacific Park, and is aptly named the “Pacific Wheel”. If you are already on Santa Monica Beach or Pier, it is an easy in and out, and you can only buy the one ticket without being stuck paying entrance fees.

The Pacific Wheel reaches heights up to 150 feet and surprisingly gives you an awesome view of the city, totally unexpected from its location perched over the water. The Pacific Wheel is unique in that it is the only solar powered ferris wheel in the world. You can view the beautiful Pacific sunsets from the wheel, but the wheel itself is also a source of visual entertainment: it has over 160,000 LED lights and provides a nighttime light show that is different every night!