Santa Monica Pier may be end of the road for those who love to drive the historic Route 66 to its final stop on the West Coast in Santa Monica, CA, but the pier is by no means the end of good times, sunshine and fun.

The historic pleasure pier has an antique carousel you can ride, a Ferris wheel powered by a Southern California Edison solar panels, a miniature golf course, several restaurants and meeting space, arcades, free pier fishing, and lots of vendors painting, sculpting and selling their unique wares.

The colorful pier is only one of several remaining piers of the style seen in the early 1900s during a time when California's beaches and coast were relatively unknown, and developers sought to attract the masses by constructing Coney Island style attractions. In California Santa Monica Pier is the only pier with such a variety of entertainment and rides actually on the pier, itself.

When you go to Santa Monica, parking can be a challenge so once you have parked the classic car that you drove along Route 66, get out and walk to everything, pier included. The beach beckons below, and Third Street Promenade just blocks away is filled with great dining, shops and entertainment. Just because the road stops in Santa Monica, it doesn't mean the good times have to end. In fact, Santa Monica is the beginning of vacations for many travelers coming to Los Angeles to see and experience Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and Universal Studios, all close by.