Balboa Pier was built as bait. In 1906 a group of Los Angeles promoters put it up with the Balboa Pavilion, hoping to sell lots on an undeveloped peninsula.

The Pacific Electric Red Car line did the rest, running to a southernmost stop at the Pavilion and bringing day-trippers from Los Angeles. In 1998 El Niño storms damaged the pier, and steel braces now reinforce its wooden posts.

VoiceMap’s tours call the pier a focal point of the peninsula’s social life. They pair it with the Pavilion, which hosted dances and still gathers crowds. They also say where to find parking nearby.