Pacific Ocean Park
A nautical-themed amusement park formerly located on a pier in Santa Monica, California.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Pacific Ocean Park was a nautical-themed amusement park built on a pier at Pier Avenue in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, California. Commonly shortened to POP, it opened on July 28, 1958, as a joint venture between CBS and Santa Anita Park. The project was conceived partly as a West Coast competitor to Disneyland, which had opened in nearby Anaheim three years earlier, but it developed a different identity centered on the Pacific Ocean, maritime adventure, futuristic technology, live sea-animal shows, and a mixture of conventional amusement rides and elaborate themed attractions. The park replaced Ocean Park Pier, an earlier recreational complex that had operated from 1926 until 1956. Its approximately 28-acre site incorporated several attractions from the older pier, including the Sea Serpent roller coaster, a Looff carousel, the Toonerville Fun House, the Glass House, and twin diving bells. Pacific Ocean Park promoted an admission concept described as “Pay One Price,” although some rides and attractions still required additional payment. The initial adult admission was reported as 90 cents, with access to the park and selected exhibits. At opening, POP presented an unusually broad collection of experiences. Visitors could see dolphins and sea lions in the Sea Circus, descend in hydraulically operated diving bells, ride the Ocean Skyway in suspended gondolas above the water, drive miniature cars on the Union 76 Ocean Highway, and explore exhibits such as the Westinghouse Enchanted Forest and USS Nautilus submarine display. The House of Tomorrow continued the period’s fascination with futuristic architecture and technology, while attractions including Flight to Mars, Flying Carpet, Flying Dutchman, Deepest Deep, and Mystery Island Banana Train supplied simulated journeys and fantasy environments. The park also included restaurants, shops, children’s attractions, funhouses, dark rides, roller coasters, and large mechanical rides such as Mahi Mahi, Mrs. Squid, Mr. Octopus, Whirl Pool, and Space Wheels. Pacific Ocean Park initially attracted substantial public interest. It drew 20,000 visitors on its opening day and 37,262 the following day, reportedly exceeding Disneyland’s attendance on that same Sunday. By January 5, 1959, the park had recorded approximately 1.19 million visitors. Management planned further expansion, but only Space Wheels and Fun Forest were completed, at a reported combined cost of $2 million. Some attractions proved difficult to operate or unpopular; Round the World in 80 Turns was removed during the park’s second season after complaints that the ride caused nausea and neck or back pain. The park also functioned as a media and event venue. Its distinctive pier, marine setting, futuristic exhibits, and brightly colored attractions made it useful for television and film production. Productions associated with the location included Route 66, The Millionaire, The Fugitive, Get Smart, The Twilight Zone, The Invaders, The Mod Squad, and several feature films. The Miss Teen USA pageant was held there in 1962. POP’s decline was driven less by a single failed attraction than by changing conditions around the site. In 1965, Santa Monica began an urban-renewal project in Ocean Park. Nearby buildings were demolished and streets leading to the pier were closed or disrupted, making access more difficult. Attendance fell to about 621,000 in 1965 and 398,700 in 1966. Financial problems intensified after a change in ownership in 1965, with creditors and the City of Santa Monica pursuing claims involving back taxes and rent. The park closed on October 6, 1967, at the end of that tourist season. Thirty-six rides and sixteen games were auctioned in June 1968, with proceeds directed toward creditors. The deteriorating pier subsequently became associated with the surf culture of Santa Monica and Venice, including the group later known as the Z-Boys and the area’s “Dogtown” identity. Fires damaged the remaining structures in 1970, 1971, and 1973. Demolition began in October 1974 and concluded in February 1975. Apart from submerged pilings and warning signs, little physical evidence of Pacific Ocean Park remains.
History
Pacific Ocean Park emerged from the redevelopment of Ocean Park Pier, a Santa Monica recreational site that had operated since 1926. After the earlier pier closed in 1956, CBS and Santa Anita Park formed a joint venture to create a large modern amusement park that could compete for Southern California leisure traffic with Disneyland. The new project retained selected attractions from the old pier while adding a strong maritime and futuristic concept. The park opened on July 28, 1958, on a roughly 28-acre pier complex at Pier Avenue. Its design presented the Pacific Ocean as both setting and subject. Visitors encountered marine performances, nautical funhouses, simulated submarine travel, underwater viewing experiences, space-age displays, themed dark rides, mechanical thrill rides, children’s attractions, restaurants, and shops. The Sea Circus, featuring dolphins and sea lions, was included with general admission and could accommodate large audiences. Other signature installations included the Ocean Skyway, whose suspended gondolas traveled above the water, and the Westinghouse Enchanted Forest and USS Nautilus exhibit, which included a large model of a submarine reactor section. POP’s attraction mix reflected late-1950s American popular culture. Flight to Mars and the House of Tomorrow drew on public interest in space travel and technological progress. The Union 76 Ocean Highway adapted the miniature-car format to a simulated roadway, while Flying Carpet, Flying Dutchman, Mystery Island Banana Train, Safari Dark Ride, and Deepest Deep created compact fantasy or adventure narratives. The park also preserved older pier traditions through the Looff carousel and Sea Serpent roller coaster. Large flat rides included Mahi Mahi, Whirl Pool, Mrs. Squid, Mr. Octopus, Flying Fish, and Space Wheels. Fisherman’s Cove and the International Promenade supplied dining, shopping, and souvenir functions, while Fun Forest targeted children with mazes, slides, and small vehicles. The opening produced impressive short-term results. POP received 20,000 guests on its first day and 37,262 on its second. By early January 1959, attendance had reached approximately 1.19 million. Management planned four additional attractions, although only Space Wheels and Fun Forest were completed. The park’s operators also used sponsorships and branded exhibits, following a broader amusement-industry practice in which corporations helped finance or present attractions. Operational and commercial difficulties appeared relatively early. Round the World in 80 Turns, an unusual ride combining travel scenes with sharply turning vehicles, was removed during its second season after riders complained of nausea and physical discomfort. More broadly, the park had to maintain a large and weather-exposed collection of rides and structures while competing with better-known regional destinations. Its location was visually distinctive but also vulnerable to access problems and changing neighborhood conditions. The decisive deterioration came with Santa Monica’s Ocean Park urban-renewal program, begun in 1965. Buildings around the attraction were cleared and streets leading to the pier were closed or impaired. Visitors consequently found the park harder to reach, and attendance fell from approximately 621,000 in 1965 to 398,700 in 1966. Financial pressure increased after a change in ownership in 1965. At the end of the 1967 season, the park’s creditors and the City of Santa Monica filed suit seeking control over the property in connection with unpaid taxes and rent. Pacific Ocean Park closed on October 6, 1967. The closure did not immediately remove the site from public life. In June 1968, the park’s rides and games were auctioned to help pay creditors. The abandoned pier then deteriorated and became part of the local surf scene. Its ruins were associated with the Z-Boys and the Dogtown culture of Santa Monica and Venice. Several suspicious fires damaged the remnants on May 27, 1970, August 29, 1971, and March 17, 1973. Demolition began in October 1974 and ended in February 1975. Only underwater pilings and warning signs remained. Pacific Ocean Park’s name and memory continued to be discussed in connection with the later Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, but the two attractions were separate entities.
- 1975
Demolition is completed
[1]The physical remains of Pacific Ocean Park are removed by February.
- 1974
Demolition begins
[1]The deteriorated remains of the pier and park begin to be dismantled.
- 1968
Ride and game assets are auctioned
[1]The remaining rides and games are sold to satisfy creditor claims.
- 1967
Park closes
[1]Pacific Ocean Park shuts down on October 6 after declining attendance and financial disputes.
- 1965
Ocean Park urban renewal begins
[1]Neighborhood redevelopment removes surrounding structures and disrupts routes to the attraction.
- 1962
Miss Teen USA pageant is held at the park
[1]Pacific Ocean Park serves as the venue for the Miss Teen USA pageant.
- 1959
Early attendance reaches approximately 1.19 million
[1]The park reports approximately 1.19 million visitors by January 5, demonstrating strong initial demand.
- 1958
Pacific Ocean Park opens
[1]The new amusement park opens at Pier Avenue in Santa Monica on July 28.
- 1956
Ocean Park Pier closes
[1]The predecessor pier closes, clearing the way for a larger redevelopment project.
- 1926
Ocean Park Pier opens
[1]The earlier Ocean Park Pier, whose attractions later supplied part of Pacific Ocean Park’s foundation, begins operating.
Products and positioning
A locally accessible, oceanfront alternative to Disneyland that combined nautical theming, carnival rides, simulated travel, marine performances, futuristic exhibits, and pier-based entertainment.
Marine-animal show · 1958
Sea Circus
A major included attraction featuring performing dolphins and sea lions. Shows could accommodate audiences of approximately 2,000 people, and visitors could feed seals in the adjoining pool after performances.
Aerial transport ride · 1958
Ocean Skyway
A Von Roll aerial ride using bubble-shaped gondolas suspended approximately 75 feet above the ocean. The route extended roughly half a mile out over the water and back.
Water-themed thrill ride · 1958
Diving Bells
Two hydraulically operated diving bells carried riders below the water’s surface. Portholes provided underwater views, while the release of hydraulic pressure caused the bells to rise rapidly and dramatically.
Educational exhibit · 1958
USS Nautilus Submarine Exhibit
A Westinghouse-sponsored exhibit centered on a 150-foot model of the atomic-reactor section of a submarine. It represented the park’s interest in technology, naval imagery, and the atomic-age future.
Themed dark ride · 1958
Mystery Island Banana Train Ride
A tropical plantation-themed train journey that included a simulated volcano and earthquake effects. It was widely regarded as one of the park’s strongest attractions.
Roller coaster · 1926
Sea Serpent Roller Coaster
The wooden Hi-Boy roller coaster originally built for the 1926 pier. Its incorporation into POP linked the new park to the earlier amusement history of Ocean Park.
Ferris-wheel-style thrill ride · 1959
Space Wheels
A distinctive pair of double Ferris wheels manufactured by the Velare Brothers. It was one of the two major additions completed after the park’s opening and was later sold after closure.
Children’s area · 1959
Fun Forest
A children’s zone containing mazes, slides, and small helicopter, boat, monorail, and covered-wagon rides. It was added during the park’s early expansion program.
Futuristic exhibit · 1958
House of Tomorrow
An exhibition inspired by mid-century visions of future living and technology. Elektro, a talking and smoking robot associated with the 1939 World’s Fair, was among its notable displays.
Brand decisions
1967
Close Pacific Ocean ParkStrategyBackground
Attendance had fallen sharply after neighborhood redevelopment disrupted access, while disputes over taxes, rent, and creditor claims placed control of the property at risk.
Action taken
The park ceased operations on October 6, 1967.
Aftermath
Its rides and games were auctioned in 1968, and the abandoned pier later deteriorated before final demolition.
1959
Add Space Wheels and Fun ForestProduct launchBackground
Strong early attendance encouraged plans for four additional attractions.
Action taken
Only Space Wheels and Fun Forest were completed, reportedly at a cost of $2 million.
Aftermath
The additions broadened the park’s thrill-ride and children’s offerings, but the full expansion plan was not realized.
Reported cost of completed additions. $2,000,000 (By the end of the early expansion program)
1958
Adopt a nautical and futuristic alternative to DisneylandStrategyBackground
The joint venture sought to compete in Southern California’s growing theme-park market while using the existing pier and its oceanfront setting.
Action taken
Pacific Ocean Park combined maritime theming, sea-animal performances, technology exhibits, simulated travel, and conventional amusement rides rather than copying Disneyland’s inland fantasy setting.
Aftermath
The concept generated strong opening attendance and gave the park a distinctive local identity, although it did not prevent later operational and financial decline.
Recent events
- 1974
Remaining Pacific Ocean Park structures are demolished[1]
Other
Demolition of the deteriorated pier and park structures began in October 1974 and was completed in February 1975.
- 1968
Park rides and games are auctioned[1]
Other
Thirty-six rides and sixteen games were sold at auction from June 28 through June 30, with proceeds used to address creditor claims.
- 1967
Pacific Ocean Park closes after financial and attendance problems[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The park shut on October 6 after attendance declines and disputes involving creditors, back taxes, and rent owed to the City of Santa Monica.
- 1965
Ocean Park urban renewal disrupts access to the attraction[1]
Regulation · Other
Santa Monica’s urban-renewal work removed nearby buildings and closed or disrupted roads leading to the park. Attendance subsequently declined sharply.
- 1959
Pacific Ocean Park records strong first-season attendance[1]
Other
By January 5, 1959, the park had attracted approximately 1.19 million visitors, supporting plans for additional attractions.
- 1958
Pacific Ocean Park opens on the Santa Monica pier[1]
Other
The nautical-themed amusement park opened on July 28 as a CBS and Santa Anita Park joint venture. It attracted 20,000 visitors on its first day and more than 37,000 on the following day.
Sources1 sources
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