Santa Monica Travelers Recommend

Located west of downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica is a quintessential California beach town and offers plenty of activities. You can sunbathe on the sand and also enjoy Santa Monica Pier, home to the Pacific Park® amusement park, Looff Hippodrome carousel, and an aquarium. Plus, check out Muscle Beach, an outdoor gym built in the 1930s.

Morning: Go for a Bike Ride

Before the afternoon sun heats up, go for a bike ride around Santa Monica. Rent a classic beach cruiser, or join a guided electric bike tour, which will allow you to cover more ground with less effort. Pedal along the city’s iconic beach, making sure to stop at the Santa Monica Pier, or jump on a Segway and zip around the area. Guided tours typically combine sights in Santa Monica with stops in nearby Venice Beach. Ambitious bikers can also ride down the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, which locals call the Strand. It’s a 22-mile-long (35-kilometer-long) paved trail that starts in Santa Monica and ends at Torrance Beach.

Afternoon: Hit the Beach

Visitors from near and far flock to Santa Monica for its expansive, well-maintained beach. In addition to sunbathing, you can catch some waves or hop on a paddleboard; beach-side vendors offer rentals and surfing lessons for beginners. There is also a beach butler service that will bring you lounge chairs, a small table, an umbrella, a cooler, and a wind guard for a fee. Or you can hit up the Annenberg Community Beach House, which is a public facility that doesn’t require membership and features a children's play area and a pool. You can also grab lunch at one of the many beachside cafes.

Night: Get a Bird’s-Eye View

The Santa Monica Pier and its Pacific Park amusement park are a good time anytime, but at night the pier comes alive with fun, family-friendly entertainment. Make sure to catch the panoramic views of the coastline from the top of the Pacific Wheel, the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel. There are also carnival-style rides and games; food vendors serving up popcorn, cotton candy, pretzels, churros, and more; and souvenir shops. The pier is also home to the Playland Arcade, a classic arcade with popular games like Skee-Ball. Be sure to get your fortune told by the famous Zoltar machine before you leave.

Thanks to more than 300 days of sunny weather every year, Santa Monica is an ideal destination in any season and the perfect getaway spot for a three-day weekend. It’s also a good base for exploring other areas of Southern California like Los Angeles, Malibu, and Venice Beach. Here are some ways of enjoying three days in Santa Monica.

Day 1: Beach and Bikes

The best way to explore a California coastal town like Santa Monica is on a classic beach cruiser. Hop on a rental, and ride down the Marvin Braude Beach Trail. This 22-mile-long (35-kilometer-long) trail, known as "the Strand,"  begins in Santa Monica and ends at Torrance Beach. Enjoy the route’s scenic views and feel the ocean breezes in true West Coast style. 

Afterward, set out your towel for some fun in the sun on the city’s famous beach. Surfing and paddleboarding are popular activities here, and rentals and lessons readily available. To round out your day, head to the Santa Monica Pier in the evening for a leisurely stroll and plenty of people watching. Enjoy the rides at Pacific Park®  amusement park, and hop on the iconic Pacific Wheel to see stunning nighttime views of the coast and the city.

Day 2: Visiting the Neighbors

Santa Monica’s convenient location makes it a great home base for day trips to sights in other nearby cities.  You can take a guided bus tour to Los Angeles and see the city’s main attractions, like Rodeo Drive and the Hollywood Sign. Or head to Marina del Rey for a sunset cruise or a whale-watching excursion. You can also visit the posh, quiet city of Malibu for more majestic ocean views; or stay close and ride south to nearby Venice Beach to wander its boardwalk, which offers a more colorful atmosphere than Santa Monica—while there, be sure to check out the city’s Italian-inspired canals. 

If you’re traveling with kids, use the day to visit a theme park. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal Studios is a 45-minute drive from Santa Monica, and Disneyland Park®  in Anaheim is about an hour’s drive away. Just make sure to allow extra time in case you get stuck in Southern California’s notoriously heavy traffic.

Day 3: Sightseeing by the Sea

While Santa Monica’s expansive beach is probably the city’s most popular attraction,  there are plenty of other sights and activities to enjoy, including shops, restaurants, and art galleries. On your last day in town, head to Bergamot Station—Southern California's largest art gallery complex and cultural center—to visit its roughly 30 galleries and creative businesses. You can enjoy a roster of rotating exhibitions and take part in community events that are held throughout the year. Alternatively, you can join a docent-led tour of the Marion Davies Guest House, the only remaining structure from Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst’s storied 1930s estate.

In the afternoon, head to the Third Street Promenade, an open-air, car-free pedestrian mall located on Third Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway. Here, you can find everything from fresh produce to designer duds. Plus, you can grab drinks or dinner at one of the area’s numerous restaurants.

An overnight stay in Santa Monica allows you the time to enjoy the beach and also explore the surrounding areas, including nearby Los Angeles, Venice Beach, and Malibu. Or you can simply stay put and take in the city’s other attractions, like its art galleries, shops, and restaurants. Here are a few ways to spend two days in Santa Monica.

Day 1: Fun in the Sun

**Morning:**Start your day with a leisurely bike ride along the beach. Guided electric bike tours are available, along with traditional bike rentals. Or get your morning workout in at the original Muscle Beach. The outdoor gym, built in the 1930s, features equipment like parallel bars, rings, swings, and ropes for kids and adults.

**Afternoon:**Secure your spot in the sand, and spend the afternoon sunbathing, surfing, and swimming at Santa Monica’s iconic beach. Surf lessons are readily available, as are surfboard and paddleboard rentals. The expansive stretch of beach offers enough room for everyone. Plus, you can set up lunch at designated picnic areas.

**Night:**In the evening, head to the Santa Monica Pier to take in the action, including the fun and games at the Pacific Park®  amusement park. This is where you’ll find the iconic Pacific Wheel; go for a ride on the famous Ferris wheel for stunning nighttime views of the coast and the city.

Day 2: Los Angeles Proper

**Morning:**Take advantage of being in Santa Monica to take a guided tour of the City of Angels. Designed for first-time visitors, tour itineraries usually include the city’s major highlights and attractions, like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, and the Hollywood Sign. Alternatively, you can rent a car and drive into L.A. on your own.

**Afternoon:**Head back to Santa Monica, and rent a retro-looking, brightly colored electric vehicle to tool around the city. Alternatively, join a guided food crawl, and taste the many kinds of foods that are offered in downtown Santa Monica, including Australian meat pies, Japanese rice balls, and Jamaican jerk chicken.

**Night:**End the day with a happy-hour cocktail or two at the Third Street Promenade, an open-air, car-free pedestrian mall, located on Third Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway. The area is well known for its nightlife and boasts movie theaters, clubs, bars, and eateries. Plus, it’s home to a rotating public art program called ROAM.