Guide to Santa Monica: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to sunbathe. The best things to do in Santa Monica: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and beaches.
According to Toppharmacyschools, Santa Monica is a town on the Pacific coast, located in the arms of Los Angeles, which surrounded it on all sides, except for the western water border. Back in 1769, the notorious Gaspar de Portola landed on the shore of an Indian settlement and discovered this beautiful place for himself and for the whole world.
Santa Monica is more reminiscent of small European towns, despite its belonging to America. Small houses, tourists scurrying along the winding streets, hung with photographic equipment and chewing the products of local bakeries. Regardless of the weather, day of the week and season, this city attracts thousands of new people, and its life is like a children’s kaleidoscope with bright pictures changing every minute. Therefore, if Santa Monica has become the purpose of your trip, the impressions from what you see will last for a long time.
How to get there
You can get to Santa Monica from Los Angeles. It is difficult to call 23 kilometers even a distance. Alas, there are no direct Moscow flights to this paradise. But on the other hand, from Los Angeles you can fly by plane, and take a bus, even vote and find fellow travelers is also real.
How to navigate
Despite the fact that Santa Monica is officially considered a separate administrative unit, this town is not only part of Los Angeles County, but is surrounded by this city on all sides, with the exception of the Pacific Ocean in the west. This makes the area even more attractive for tourists, as there is proximity to many of the area’s attractions, magnificent Pacific beaches, as well as the presence of its own airport of the same name.
Weather in Santa Monica
Mild and wet winters followed by hot summers are typical weather for many towns on the California coast. Santa Monica is no exception. But, despite the warm days, in the evening, especially on the ocean, it becomes noticeably cooler, so do not forget about warm clothes.
Cuisine and restaurants
After such an exciting excursion, it is impossible not to get hungry. Where to kill a worm in this town? In the large Third Street shopping center on the top floor, you can find many small restaurants or buy hot sandwiches and go downstairs, where on weekends there are performances of a completely different group. Only professionals perform there and everyone sings live, no fakes and no plywood!
The festival, held each fall in Santa Monica Pier Park, allows you to get acquainted with local cuisine – each of the town’s restaurants provides tasting dishes and drinks.
In general, Santa Monica is famous for its restaurants, and if snacking in the shade is no longer enjoyable, visit one of the 40 best US restaurants with French cuisine, marked with two Michelin stars Melisse or the old-timer of the town – The Lobster restaurant, which allows tourists and locals to eat seafood dishes since 1925.
Santa Monica Hotels
Do not forget that Santa Monica is still a resort area. There are magnificent clean beaches, you can sunbathe from March to December. True, the swimming season lasts much less, but fresh ocean air and the sound of the surf is available at any time, so tourists prefer to stay in hotels located on the coast, such as Shutters on the Beach 4 *, Hotel Casa del Mar 4 *, The Fairmont Miramar four*. Prices for a double start from 80 USD per night with breakfast.
In the summer it is traditionally sold out here, and the hotels are filled to capacity. However, the local climate is so attractive that you can relax here all year round: it is warm, sunny and there are practically no prolonged rains.
Do not forget that smoking and drinking alcohol in many places are ruthlessly fined. Santa Monica is no exception. Beach, Ocean Avenue territory strictly regulates the behavior of tourists, so forget about beer and cigarettes.
Entertainment and attractions in Santa Monica
What should you pay attention to first of all? This is definitely the Promenade. A huge congestion of musicians, artists, great shops and goods for every taste. Live music flowing from everywhere, small cafes with varied cuisine. Everyone can find entertainment in this tourist place, regardless of the thickness of the wallet.
For those who are indifferent to shopping, and the world becomes beautiful only in the viewfinder window, one piece of advice can be given – on a weekday afternoon on the Promenade, the number of idle revelers is significantly reduced, so it is better not to plan a photo hunt for the weekend.
But life should not consist only of entertainment and shopping. To visit Santa Monica and not visit the Heritage Museum and the Museum of Art would be an unforgivable mistake.
The cinemas of this town will also not leave you indifferent. Two of them have been showing films since 1929, and you can choose films for every discerning taste – from black and white classics to the new generation of 3D. A long street along Ocean Avenue Beach will lead to the famous pier with an amusement park.
The feature of this place is that the park stands on the water.
The Ferris wheel illuminated in many films, a lot of attractions, forgotten goodies of childhood – cotton candy and lemonade, slot machines – all this attracts crowds of tourists. Apart from these great features, the pier is the terminus of the famous track.
Route 66 that crosses all of America.
Santa Monica is considered one of the most musical towns on the coast – there are endless performances of various musical groups: from jazz bands to country ensembles. In addition, it is also the gastronomic center of the coast – every autumn, the Taste of Santa Monica festival is held in Santa Monica Pier Park, where local restaurateurs offer everyone to taste their signature food and drinks.
