Seal Beach
Pier at sunset is one of those experiences that puts you closer to
nature than nearly anything you can imagine. One of the best vistas
offered from any Orange County Pier, your "window on the world"
overlooks Los Angeles County and a metropolitan city of Long Beach.
Seal Beach Pier sunsets are
colorful and different each day of the year. Orange and yellow are
two prominent colors youu'll usually find as the sun goes down. When
visiting one or all of the Orange County Piers, be sure to put Seal
Beach Pier on your list of "must-sees". It is the northern-most pier
of five major piers (Newport Beach with its two major piers actually
has half a dozen more public piers along its bays and shores).
Seal Beach Pier was renovated
a few years ago, and its wooden decking was replaced. The stroll
along this pier offers an old-fashioned experience, much like the
turn-of-the-century Eastern seaboard structures with their wood
planks. That is one of Seal Beach Pier's charms. As you enter the
structure from the gateway Main Street and Ocean Blvd., the pier is
surrounded by grass parks, and a cement ramp that leads to the base
of the structure, the beach, public restrooms and a wonderful
enclosed playground for kids.
The pier features at its
entryway a flagpole with a tall flag often flapping in the wind. As
you stroll onto the pier, to the right you'll see a building where
the lifeguards are headquartered. On the left pier entryway are some
plaques with names, and the pier's icon, its mascot, Slick.
Slick is
a bronzed seal that has had more kids hug it, more teens kiss it
and more people pose in front of it than any other Seal Beach
attraction. Always stop and say hello to this creature that never
gets old.
Seal Beach Pier looks
strikingly different from day to night. Photos during the day
include ranges of blue from sky to the ocean hues. Evenings and
nights can be gray, pink, yellow, orange, pink, purple and red. If
you have opportunity to stick around for the sun go to down, it's
usually a treat and a feast of change.
Where to stay: Seal
Beach has
several hotels you might want to check out,
and there are plenty of beach resorts nearby in Huntington Beach,
Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Long Beach. Our favorite and only
hotel walking distance to the Seal Beach Pier is the
Pacific Inn.
Where to eat: Seal
Beach offers a Ruby's 50s style diner on the pier. In addition to
its great burgers, fries and malts, you find Taco Surf for Mexican,
O'Malley's for sandwiches, hot meals and full bar, Charo Chicken for
affordable meals, and even the Greek fast food favorite, Athens West
is right on Main Street just blocks from the pier. There are over 15
great restaurants to choose from within walking distance of the
pier.
Getting to Seal Beach Pier:
Seal Beach Pier can be accessed by turning west onto Main Street
from Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset Beach. Follow Main till it
ends, and there's the pier. Parking is available on the street, or
in parking lots on either side of the pier.
What to do: Other
attractions nearby include the
Aquarium of the Pacific in
Long Beach,
Catalina Express for trips to Catalina Island in Long Beach, and
Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, just a 20 to 30 minute
drive from Seal Beach.
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