10 Incredible Beach Hotels Near the Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica is usually one of the first places that visitors new to Los Angeles think of when they want to go to the beach, and it's pretty understandable as to why. The Santa Monica Pier has 100 years of history, and has been featured in tons of stuff--movies, television, video games, magazines, you name it--it's really famous, and therefore very popular. Plus, it has a fully-functioning actual amusement park, with roller coasters and a (solar-powered) Ferris wheel--and tourists frickin' love those things. Here are great hotels near the pier, so you can be right by the action.