Known as the Venice of the West, Santa Monica California is a beautiful beach town west of Los Angeles. Santa Monica has two main sections: Pacific Park in the north and Windansea Beach in the south. Santa Monica Pier is located on the Pacific Ocean, near downtown. It is a well-known spot for windsurfing, sailing, boating and other water sports. Besides the Pier, Santa Monica is also home to the famous Pacific Park amusement park, historical Looffah Hippodrome, the beautiful Pacific Park arbor and many other famous attractions. In addition to these activities, Santa Monica also has a rich history that dates back to the gold rush era. The neighborhood of Santa Monica is divided into three major ethnic groups: Pacific Rimicans, who are originally from Mexico and Brazil; Chinese who came to this country at the beginning of the twentieth century; and Arabs who settled here in the later half of the twentieth century. This multicultural background gave rise to some of the finest cultural boutiques in Santa Monica.