Santa Monica Pier in California, USA

© Chris Fabrega

An iconic pier in California

Here at Santa Monica Pier in California, the operators of Pacific Park claim to have debuted the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel in 1996, using clean energy for the ride that propelled about 800 passengers an hour. In 2014 it was replaced with a newer version that sports 160,000 LED lights, providing for glittering night-time scenes just like this. The amusement ride offers visitors a panoramic view of the Southern California coastline from more than 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean.