At the western edge of Los Angeles, Santa Monica packs beaches, world-class dining, iconic landmarks, and some of California’s best shopping into a city you can walk end to end in under an hour. The variety is what sets it apart — art galleries, live music, open-air shopping, and panoramic ocean views, all within a few square miles of coastline.
Whether you’re spending a full day or using Santa Monica as your base for exploring greater LA, this guide covers everything worth knowing — from the world-famous Santa Monica Pier and Palisades Park to the boutiques of Montana Avenue and the boardwalks of Venice Beach.
Skip the rental car and see all of LA’s most iconic spots in a single day — Hollywood Bus Tours departs daily from Santa Monica, taking you through Beverly Hills, celebrity homes, the Hollywood Sign, and the best of Los Angeles in one comprehensive experience.
Things to Do in Santa Monica
Santa Monica Pier
The world-famous Santa Monica Pier is the city’s most recognized landmark and the natural starting point for any visit. Built in 1909, it stretches over the Pacific Ocean and carries Pacific Park, an amusement park with over a dozen rides including the iconic Pacific Wheel — the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel.
The pier offers arcade games, seafood spots, street performers, and sweeping panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and coastline. It’s also the western terminus of Route 66, making it one of the most historically significant spots in Los Angeles.
Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
Tucked beneath the pier, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is run by Heal the Bay and gives visitors a hands-on look at the marine life living just below the surface of the bay. It’s a great stop for families and anyone curious about the local ocean ecosystem — smaller and more intimate than a major aquarium, but genuinely worth the time.
Stroll Along the Beach Path and Boardwalk
Santa Monica State Beach runs the length of the city and connects directly to the Marvin Braude Bike Trail — a paved path stretching 22 miles from Pacific Palisades down to Torrance Beach. It’s one of the best ways to experience the coastline at your own pace, whether on foot or by bike. The beach itself is wide, well-maintained, and consistently ranked among the best urban beaches in California.
Annenberg Community Beach House
Just north of the pier on Pacific Coast Highway, the Annenberg Community Beach House is a free public beach facility with a pool, playground, and open green space. It draws a largely local crowd and offers a quieter alternative to the busiest stretches of the Santa Monica waterfront — a solid option for families or anyone looking to spend time on the water away from the pier crowds.
Muscle Beach and the Waterfront
Just south of the pier sits Muscle Beach, the legendary outdoor gym that put Santa Monica on the fitness map in the 1930s. Today it’s still an active workout space and a great spot to watch athletes train against an ocean backdrop. The surrounding waterfront area is lined with vendors, bike rentals, and casual food stalls.
Bergamot Station and the Arts Scene
For a side of Santa Monica that goes beyond the beach, Bergamot Station on Olympic Boulevard is worth the short drive or bike ride inland. The former railway stop is now a sprawling arts complex housing over a dozen contemporary art galleries, including the Santa Monica Museum of Art, which runs rotating exhibitions year-round. It’s one of the most significant gallery destinations in Los Angeles and a completely different experience from anything else on this list.
Best Places to Explore Around Santa Monica
Venice Beach and the Boardwalk
Just a mile south of Santa Monica, Venice Beach is one of the most distinctive and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The Venice Boardwalk runs along the waterfront and operates as a daily open-air spectacle — street performers, artists, vendors with stalls selling everything from handmade jewelry to vintage clothing, and a cast of characters you won’t find anywhere else in the city.
The beach itself is wide and well-used, with volleyball courts, skate parks, and a strong surf culture that’s been here for decades. Venice draws a different crowd than Santa Monica — looser, more artistic, and worth at least a couple of hours on any visit.
Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice
A short walk from the boardwalk, Abbot Kinney Boulevard is one of LA’s most celebrated retail destinations. The mile-long stretch is lined with independent boutiques, art galleries, design shops, acclaimed restaurants, and some of the best coffee shops in the city. It runs every Sunday as a street market during warmer months, drawing locals and visitors in equal measure. If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind finds and contemporary art in a neighborhood that feels genuinely local, Abbot Kinney is the place.
Ocean Park Neighborhood
Tucked between Santa Monica and Venice, Ocean Park is one of the most walkable and residential stretches of the LA coastline. Main Street runs through its center and is lined with independent restaurants, boutiques, and neighborhood cafes that don’t make the tourist lists but absolutely should.
It’s a great spot to slow down, grab a bite to eat, and experience Santa Monica the way locals do — away from the busiest parts of the pier and promenade.
The End of Route 66
The Santa Monica Pier marks the official western terminus of Historic Route 66, the 2,448-mile highway that begins in Chicago and ends here at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The End of the Trail sign on the pier is one of the most photographed spots in the city and carries real historical weight — this is where one of America’s most iconic road trips concludes.
For anyone interested in the full history of the route and what makes this endpoint so significant, our Historic Route 66 End of the Trail visitor guide covers everything worth knowing.
Shop in Santa Monica
Third Street Promenade
The Third Street Promenade is Santa Monica’s busiest shopping corridor and one of the most visited retail destinations in Southern California. The three-block pedestrian stretch runs between Broadway and Wilshire Boulevard and draws a steady mix of locals and visitors from mid-morning through late evening.
On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the promenade hosts a farmers market featuring more than 85 local farms — one of the best in the city. It connects directly into Santa Monica Place at its southern end, making it easy to cover both in a single trip.
Montana Avenue — Local Boutiques and Retail Therapy
Montana Avenue is where Santa Monica’s local shopping scene lives. The tree-lined stretch from 7th to 17th Street is home to more than 150 stores, boutiques, and specialty shops — all within easy walking distance of each other.
- Jill Roberts — a go-to for elevated women’s fashion from designers like Ulla Johnson, Isabel Marant, and Nili Lotan
- Planet Blue — beachy SoCal style for men and women, including swimwear, jewelry, and accessories
- Roseark — a curated jewelry boutique from designers Rick and Kathy Rose, known for wearable one-of-a-kind pieces
- elysewalker — one of LA’s most established independent fashion boutiques, blending classic and contemporary from a carefully selected roster of designers
- Bread Head — worth a stop mid-shop for a daily-baked focaccia sandwich before continuing down the avenue
Santa Monica Place
Anchoring the south end of the Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place is a three-level open-air mall with ocean views from its rooftop dining deck. The mix of higher-end retailers and a strong food hall component — including Din Tai Fung with its open-kitchen dumpling experience on the top floor — makes it a practical stop for shopping and a meal in one location.
Best Places to Eat in Santa Monica
Beachside Eats and Casual Spots
Ocean Avenue is Santa Monica’s most scenic dining corridor, with restaurants overlooking Palisades Park and the Pacific beyond it.
- Water Grill Santa Monica — one of the city’s most established seafood destinations, with a menu that changes daily based on the catch
- Élephante — coastal Italian cuisine on a rooftop setting with some of the best ocean views at any dining table in LA; arrive before sunset if you can get a reservation
- Blue Plate Taco — handmade tortillas and fresh Baja-style food steps from the pier, with a laid-back patio that fills up fast on weekends
Montana Avenue Dining
Montana Avenue has a dining scene that rewards a slow morning or a long lunch.
- Father’s Office — a Montana institution serving one of LA’s most talked-about burgers, made with dry-aged beef and caramelized onions, in a bar that’s been operating since the 1950s
- R+D Kitchen — elevated American food and in-house ground burgers in a sleek, comfortable setting with a full bar
- Huckleberry — a neighborhood brunch staple with farm-to-table plates and baked goods that locals plan their weekends around
- Bread Head — a newer addition on Montana with a serious following for its daily-baked focaccia sandwiches
Ocean Park and Main Street Restaurants
Main Street through Ocean Park is where Santa Monica’s most interesting independent dining scene lives.
- Crudo e Nudo — an Ocean Park staple built around sustainable, seasonal seafood with a low-intervention wine list worth exploring
- Pasjoli — an intimate French restaurant from acclaimed chef Dave Beran, consistently rated among the best in the city
- Rustic Canyon — a farm-to-table anchor on Main Street with a seasonal menu that changes based on what’s available locally
- Milo and Olive — draws lines on Wilshire for its wood-fired pizza and Italian wine list every week
Stay in Santa Monica
Best Areas to Stay
Santa Monica is compact enough that almost any hotel puts you within walking distance of the pier, the promenade, and the beach. Ocean Avenue is the most sought-after address — hotels here sit directly above the coastline with views across Palisades Park and the Pacific. Downtown Santa Monica, centered around the Third Street Promenade, is the most convenient base for shopping and dining. For a quieter stay with easy beach access, the area around Main Street and Ocean Park sits just south of the main tourist activity and tends to be more relaxed.
Hotels Near the Pier
Several of Santa Monica’s best-known properties sit within a short walk of the pier and beachfront.
- Shutters on the Beach — one of the most iconic beachfront properties in LA, sitting directly on the sand with ocean-facing rooms, a full spa, and two restaurants with pier views
- Hotel Casa del Mar — a historic luxury hotel steps from the pier with an outdoor pool deck, seafood restaurant, and some of the best ocean views available from any hotel in the city
- The Georgian Hotel — a landmark Art Deco property on Ocean Avenue with nearly a century of history and a prime location steps from the beach
- Shore Hotel — a LEED Gold-certified boutique hotel on Ocean Avenue and the departure point for Hollywood Bus Tours, making it one of the most convenient bases for exploring greater LA
- Regent Santa Monica Beach — a newer luxury property steps from the pier, with spacious rooms starting at 720 square feet and a design built around the coastal setting
- Santa Monica Proper Hotel — a stylish downtown option with a rooftop bar, pool, and spa, a short walk from both the promenade and the beach
Budget vs Splurge Options
Santa Monica skews toward the higher end of LA’s hotel market given its location, but there are solid options at different price points.
- Splurge — Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa del Mar consistently top the lists for luxury beachfront stays, with nightly rates that reflect the location and amenities
- Mid-range — The Georgian Hotel and Shore Hotel offer strong value for their locations, with boutique character and walkability to all the main attractions
- Budget — Hotel Carmel sits one block from the Third Street Promenade and offers straightforward, well-located rooms at rates below the beachfront properties. The Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Monica is three blocks from the beach and pier and is one of the most reliably affordable options in the area.
Getting Around Santa Monica and Beyond
Getting There
Santa Monica sits about 15 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles and roughly 13 miles from Hollywood. By car, it’s accessible via the I-10 freeway from most parts of the city. The Expo Line — LA Metro’s light rail — runs directly into Downtown Santa Monica from Downtown LA and Culver City, with a terminus at 4th Street and Colorado Avenue, four blocks from the pier. It’s one of the most practical public transit options in the city for visitors arriving without a car.
Parking, Biking, and the Big Blue Bus
Santa Monica has a well-developed network of public parking structures throughout downtown, most within a short walk of the pier and promenade. Rates are reasonable by LA standards and the structures are clearly signed.
For getting around town, the city’s bike-share program and rental shops along the boardwalk make cycling along the Marvin Braude Bike Trail one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a morning. The Big Blue Bus operates throughout Santa Monica and connects into the wider LA Metro network, making it straightforward to get around without a car.
Day Trips and Tours from Santa Monica
Santa Monica’s location on the western edge of LA puts it within easy reach of some of the region’s best day trip destinations — Malibu to the north, Venice Beach directly south, and the full spread of Los Angeles just inland.
For anyone looking to cover more of the city in a single trip, Hollywood Bus Tours departs daily from the Shore Hotel on Ocean Avenue with two options that start and end right here in Santa Monica.
The Hollywood, Beverly Hills & Celebrity Homes Open Air Tour covers 3.5 hours of LA’s most iconic scenery — Wilshire Boulevard, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills celebrity homes, the Sunset Strip, TCL Chinese Theatre, and the Dolby Theatre — with stops at the Beverly Hills Sign and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
For a deeper dive into the city, the Half Day Best of LA Tour runs 5.5 hours and includes three extended stops: the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Original Farmers Market and The Grove, and the Griffith Observatory with Hollywood Sign views — covering West Hollywood, Melrose, Museum Row, and Paramount Studios along the way.
Make the Most of Your Time in Santa Monica
Santa Monica packs more into a small stretch of coastline than most cities manage across an entire metro area. From the world-famous pier and miles of beachfront to Montana Avenue boutiques, Ocean Park restaurants, and the arts scene at Bergamot Station, there’s enough here to fill multiple days — and enough variety to make every visit feel different.
The rest of Los Angeles is just as within reach. Hollywood Bus Tours departs daily from the Shore Hotel on Ocean Avenue, putting Beverly Hills, celebrity homes, the Hollywood Sign, and the best of LA all on the same itinerary — no rental car, no navigation, just the city at its best.
