"Childlike wonder returns in adult form the moment you approach the Santa Monica Pier's iconic sign on Ocean Avenue. With scents of cotton candy and funnel cake wafting through the air and views of the Pacific Ocean—and possibly Catalina Island on a clear day—the scene is breathtaking. Built in the 1920s, the carousel goes faster than you might expect, especially since the horses are so old. After the ride, walk over to the retro ice cream shop." - Mel Kaspin Blume
Getty