The Beach

The world famous 3.5-mile Santa Monica Beach has appeared in countless movies and TV shows epitomizing the beach life of Southern California.  Here visitors can ride a wave or wade in one. Work on the perfect tan. Build a sandcastle or build up their body. Pedal or skate along the sand. Play games that are good for the body and the brain or just watch the waves kiss the shore. On Santa Monica Beach visitors can be as active or laid back as they want to be, because in Santa Monica being who you want to be is the way of life.

Pacific Park

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier 380 Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-260-8744

Hours: Call for days and hours of operation

Admission Charged

What visitors do on the Pier today isn’t very different from what they did more than 100 years ago. They fish day or night, watch the waves, view the wonders of the undersea world, dance under the stars, ride a carousel horse or a roller coaster, dine at an ocean view restaurant, and entertain themselves at an arcade and shop for souvenirs. The Pier is a place for families and fun, for amusement and amazement.

The Carousel on the Pier

Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-260-8744

Hours: Call for days and hours of operation

Admission Charged

The highlight of the original Pier, which was built in 1912 and restored lovingly in 1990, is the famed Santa Monica Carousel which is housed in its own Victorian style hippodrome building at the inland side of the Pier. This merry-go-round carved by Charles Looff in 1922 was featured in the Paul Newman/Robert Redford film The Sting. The Carousel, which harks back to a more innocent time, is still extremely popular with today’s visitors. 

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Under the Pier

Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-260-8744

Hours: Open to the public Saturday and Sunday 11am - 5pm.  Extended summer hours (July & August) Tuesday – Friday 3pm - 6pm

Admission Charged

Tucked under the Pier is the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, a beach level aquarium which uses appealing, hands-on presentations to convey a sense of the fragility and beauty of the marine life in Santa Monica Bay. Touch tanks are full of delicate, endangered sea specimens. An 8-foot octagonal tank glows with its population of luminous lilac jellyfish. Exhibits display ways to help preserve and protect the ocean environment.

Ocean Walk

Admission Free

This broad, paved footpath which stretches south from the Pier to just below Bay Street gives visitors access to every beach activity. At its foot is the children’s playground, and as visitors move south along it, they pass volleyball courts, the International Chess Park, the famed Muscle Beach, and public art installations. People watching is never better than from this sidewalk by the sea.

Palisades Park

1400 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90401

310-393-7593

Hours: Open daily, summer hours 10am - 5pm, winter hours 10am - 4pm

Admission Free

Palisades Park is a neighborhood focal point for readers and runners, sunbathers and sketchers, art lovers and animated conversationalists. At any time of the day it’s breathtaking, but don’t miss seeing the sunset from this Ocean Avenue landmark.

Muscle Beach

Located along Ocean Front Walk

As visitors stroll along Ocean Front Walk they’ll come upon California’s original Muscle Beach, the famous outdoor workout venue. Newly restored in 2000, this bit of beach has attracted suntanned fitness buffs since 1930. The combination of a gorgeous location coupled with a wide array of gymnastic and balance apparatus draws fitness experts and novices alike. There’s even an exhibition area where the fittest are likely to do some flexing for those watching.

Chess Park

Located on Ocean Front Walk

Just past the Volleyball courts at the south side of the Pier on Ocean Front Walk is the International Chess Park, Santa Monica’s sunny response to New York City’s Washington Square Park. Its chess tables draw game lovers so don’t be reluctant to stand and watch, but no advice, please.

Santa Monica Museum of Art

2525 Michigan Ave # G1

Santa Monica, CA 90404

310-586-6488

Hours: Open Tuesday -Saturday 11am - 6pm, Sunday, 12pm - 5pm

Admission Charged

The Santa Monica Museum of Art, located at Bergamot Station, has no permanent collection, but presents consistently interesting exhibits and installations. See everything from video presentations to interactive experiences that invite you to see the world from a wide range of perspectives.

California Heritage Museum

2612 Main St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405

310-392-9537

Hours: Open Wednesday - Sunday, 11am - 4pm

Admission Charged

Located on Main Street, the museum is housed in the 1894 former home of the widow of Santa Monica founder, John Jones. The Jones’ son Ray occupied the house until his death. On the first floor of this small, but entrancing museum is a fine collection of vintage Craftsman-style furniture and historic photos. The second floor gallery presents imaginative exhibits concerning some aspect of Southern California and Santa Monica history and culture.

Santa Monica Historical Society Museum

1539 Euclid St.

Santa Monica, CA 90404

310-395-2290

Hours: Open Tuesday and Thursday 10am - 4:30pm and the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month from 1pm -4:30pm

Admission Charged

The Santa Monica Historical Society Museum, on Euclid between Broadway and Colorado, can be most easily located by spotting the massive palm tree that dominates its front yard. In this delightfully unassuming museum visitors can explore every phase of the city’s history. Well-researched exhibits include a wall-size photo diorama of the Santa Monica Pier, a scale model of the Palisades Park Pergola and a wide variety of historic photos, clothing and everyday household items.

Museum of Flying

2772 Donald Douglas Loop N Santa Monica, CA 90405

310-392-8822

Hours: Open Wednesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm

Admission Charged

The Museum of Flying is housed in a huge, vaulting hangar at the edge of the Santa Monica Municipal Airport’s runway. From its second floor out-look visitors can view the runway activity as well as listen in on the pilot-tower traffic and departure control at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) through museum-supplied handsets. The museum displays several full size aircraft which are hung from the ceiling, with more sitting on the floor and on the runway apron just outside the museum’s hangar door. Children can climb into pilot seats of stripped down Bell Huey and Hughes Cayuse (“Loach”) helicopters. A hydraulics-powered flight simulator takes visitors on flights in a variety of aircraft. Interpretive displays on Howard Hughes and the Tuskegee Airmen, hand-built scale models of World War I airplanes, and a full-size replica of the “ready room” of the 56th Fighter Group, circa 1943, are among the museum’s fascinating exhibits.

Route 66

This famed highway that was designed to connect the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean ends in Santa Monica. Traverse Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica and visitors can discover that like the rest of Route 66, it takes them on a fascinating tour of neighborhoods and lifestyles.

Nearby Attractions:

Disneyland

1313 S Harbor Blvd Anaheim, CA 92802

714-781-4000

Hours: Vary by season, call for additional information

Admission Charged

Disneyland, America’s original theme park and its companion, The California Adventure are about an hour's drive from Santa Monica.

Knott’s Berry Farm

8039 Beach Boulevard Buena Park, CA 90620 714-220-5200

Hours: Vary by season, call for additional information

Admission Charged

Knott’s Berry Farm, slightly north of Disneyland, offers thrill rides as well as play areas designed for younger children, along with its famed restaurant known for its chicken dinners and signature jams and jellies.

Universal Studios, Holllywood

70 Universal City Plaza

Universal City, CA 91608

818-777-6727

Hours: Vary by season, call for additional information

Admission Charged

Universal Studios, Hollywood, approximately one-half hour from Santa Monica, offers a tour of the studio back-lots, participatory demonstrations and rides based on the studio’s most popular releases, and City Walk, a shopping street filled with shops and restaurants.

Magic Mountain

26101 Magic Mountain Parkway

Valencia, CA 93155

661-255-4100

Hours: Vary by season, call for additional information

Admission Charged