The first thing to know about Santa Monica is that it isn’t a Los Angeles neighborhood. Santa Monica is its own city with its own government, public library system, and those pesky red light cameras. It has eight neighborhoods within its city limits, including Downtown Santa Monica, Main Street, and Mid-City. The second thing to know is that it is more than the Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier. I hope this Santa Monica Neighborhood Guide helps you find your favorite neighborhood.
This guide has over 50 things to do in Santa Monica.
If you are planning your trip and need advice, read my detailed guide for Los Angeles tourists.
Table of Contents
Why tourists go Santa Monica
Santa Monica is usually the second place on tourists’ lists after Hollywood. Since it is closer to LAX, I think you should switch the order. If you can make it by sunset, I recommend watching one of the things Los Angeles is known for, its multi-colored amazing sunsets.
Tourists’ first stop is the beach and the Santa Monica Pier.
Note about the Third Street Promenade
I need to be honest and say that this once-thriving area was on my list of recommendations for tourists. It hasn’t bounced back since the pandemic and is experiencing a succession of closures, making it more of a ghost town than a destination. For those of you who have visited in the past, you wouldn’t recognize it.
For now, I had to unpublish my where to shop in Santa Monica due to the closures of many of the stores I liked visiting.
If it is mall shopping that you crave, I recommend heading to the Westfield Century City mall, where a lot of Santa Monica retailers relocated to.
This Ugly Beautiful City Tip for tourists
I know that it is tempting to eat at restaurants that are familiar to you, but I have very detailed guides for places to eat in my favorite Santa Monica’s neighborhoods.
Why locals go to Santa Monica
- Go to the Santa Monica Pier. The pier hosts local’s nights, movie nights, free concerts, and more.
- Eat on the patio at the restaurants on Main Street.
- Visit the fantastic Farmer’s Markets like Virginia Park, Downtown Santa Monica, and Main Street.
- Exercise! Santa Monica is home to many yoga and pilates studios. It is home to the strand–the path that connects several beaches, which has walking and biking/blading lanes.
- They live here. Beach views are very coveted in this city, and Santa Monica has tons of them.
Top 5 things to do in Santa Monica
One: Santa Monica Pier [click here to read a post about it]
Two: The Wednesday Santa Monica Farmers Market
Three: Eat at Michelin Starred restaurants like Pasjoli
Four: Spend a day at the Annenberg Community Beach House [click here to read a post about it]
Five: Visit the Eames House [click here to read a post about it]
My Santa Monica Favorites
My favorite place to get coffee: Demitasse
My favorite restaurant: Birdie G’s
My favorite place to get a cocktail: Birdie G’s also has a great cocktail program.
My self-guided itineraries that take place in Santa Monica
Need help deciding what to do in this neighborhood without doing hours of research? I have developed some itineraries for you. These are my favorite places in the city.
Urban Hike: Santa Monica to the Venice Canals
This free itinerary documents a walk I took with friends from Downtown Santa Monica to the Venice Canals and back again.
Los Angeles Tourist Bingo
A spin on the classic bingo travel game, Los Angeles Tourist Bingo is a fun way to gamify your next trip to Los Angeles. Follow a path down, across, or diagonally to create a day-long itinerary, a weekend getaway, or fill the entire card for a week of things to do. There are twelve possible itineraries where you can visit Los Angeles tourist attractions like the Walk of Fame, Santa Monica Pier, and the Griffith Observatory. Visit celebrity chefs and social media famous sites.
Los Angeles Hidden Gems Bingo
Exploring the local side of Los Angeles can be hard. What if you turned it into a game? Whether you’re a lifelong Angeleno or visiting from out of town, this clever game will turn you into an LA insider with an eye for the extraordinary. Stop just seeing the Hollywood Sign and finally experience the true hidden gems and under-the-radar hotspots of LA!
BIPOC, immigrant, and women-owned businesses in Santa Monica
These are great businesses to support in Santa Monica that are BIPOC, immigrant, and women-owned businesses is Santa Monica.
- Samosa House–from Where to Eat on Main Street
- Solidarity–from Where to Eat in Downtown Santa Monica
- Casa Martin–from Where to Eat in Downtown Santa Monica
- Cassia–from Where to Eat in Downtown Santa Monica
- Lula–from Where to Eat on Main Street
- Manchego–from Where to Eat on Main Street
- Jinya Ramen–From Where to Eat on Main Street
- A Cut Above Butcher–From Where to Eat in Bergamot Station/Virginia Park
Want to stay in Santa Monica?
From hotels where Old Hollywood stars lived, hotels with panoramic views of the ocean, and boutique hotels that are for foodies, there are a lot of options in this town on the beach.
Let’s book your trip and get my list of things to do in Santa Monica now.
Getting around Santa Monica
Walkability Score 84
Although the city of Santa Monica is 8 square miles, there are pockets of the city that are more walkable than others. I find that I can do most errands on foot, especially in the downtown core and UCLA Medical Center Area.
Parking
Oooh, this is a little harder because it is parking for an entire city.
Downtown Santa Monica has several pay parking garages located around the downtown core. You can find everything you need to know and download parking apps here.
Main Street, Bergamot Station, and the other neighborhoods aren’t as parking friendly, relying on street or beach parking. These areas are often crowded. If you are in these areas, I would take connecting buses, see below, or ride share–especially if drinking.
Public Transit
Santa Monica has a lot of public transportation options, with both the LA Metro and Big Blue Buses connecting its neighborhoods–the Downtown Core, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica College, and UCLA Medical Center being the most connected.
If I listed all of the buses and trains that served this area, I would run out of space. The key transportation lines are the LA Metro E Line (formerly known as Expo Line), 720 Rapid, and the BBB 1.
I hope you keep this Santa Monica Guide ready for guests and jaunts down to the beach.
What neighborhood(s) to explore next
Venice Neighborhood Guide
Part tourist neighborhood, part celebrity chef stomping ground, there is a lot to do and eat in Venice Beach. If you have been here before and weren’t impressed, maybe you should look at Venice Beach again.
Malibu Guide
The word Malibu makes me remember two things, Barbie and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. There was a lot that I needed to unlearn about the L.A. beach city of Malibu, mainly that it was only for the rich and or famous. My Malibu guide includes my recommendations for where to eat, shop, hike, and Beach from hidden gems to tourist must-sees.
This Ugly Beautiful City is a 100% self-funded publication. If you have used any of the advice on these pages and would like to send a thank you, consider buying me a coffee.
