About Santa Monica

Known for its celebrity locals, environmental sensitivity and healthy lifestyles, Santa Monica is the end destination of US Route 66 -- the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Want to combine a trip to a major metropolis with a trip to the beach? Zero in on Santa Monica. Just a few miles west of Los Angeles, this seaside getaway offers all the surf and sand you need, with the cultural offerings of one of the world’s most exciting cities as a backdrop.

Of course, once you’re in Santa Monica, you might just decide to stay put, there is so much to see and do. The Santa Monica Pier includes an over-water amusement park and aquarium, as well as the 1922 Looff Hippodrome Carousel, a National Historic Landmark. There are excellent shopping and dining options on leafy Montana Avenue and on Main Street, which hosts a weekly farmers market just two blocks from the ocean. Closed to vehicular traffic, the Third Street Promenade is where you’ll find street performers, movie theaters and open-air cafes, and the Ocean Park neighborhood will please any art lover with a plethora of galleries and creative shops. 

Saturday mornings, join a guide from the Santa Monica Conservancy for an interesting architectural walking tour of the downtown area.