An Evening at Pacific Park in Santa Monica, California

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There are many ways to travel on an adventure. You could travel with friends, a loved one, on your own and with family. When I was in graduate school I decided to further my education career and apply to doctoral programs across the United States. One of these schools happened to be in California so I took a trip with my dad to visit the campus.

I’ve traveled frequently with both my mom and dad together, but not as often with just one family member. While our trip was mainly business, it was really nice spending quality time – just he and I. We had ourselves a free evening one night and went down to Santa Monica for dinner.

We found ourselves in Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, several city blocks of restaurants, shops and entertainment. That’s where I happened to discover Fatburger. We chose a more relaxed Italian restaurant on the promenade instead of the burger joint, but the sign was interesting enough that I had to take a photo of it. Following dinner we walked to the nearby Pacific Park along the Santa Monica Pier.

Pacific Park reminded me of the nostalgic California of days gone by. Traditional carnival games, a roller coaster, ferris wheel and street performers contributed to the spirit and mood of the night.

Along the edges of the pier there were fisherman lined up, hoping to catch the big one beneath the moonlit ocean below. It’s a great location to take photographs of unique backdrops and landscapes.

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is worth a visit for photographers (view more photos at my Flickr site), and those looking for a great place for a stroll. Though we didn’t ride any of the rides, I’m sure thrill seekers would appreciate a few rounds on the rides of the carnival on the pier.

I’m a big fan of California. There’s something there that I can’t put my finger on that draws me to it. Brian and I almost vacationed there this year, but our schedules didn’t allow for it. Perhaps next year. Do you have any favorite destinations in California? Comment below.

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