Explore the Area
Let's Eat
There is SOOO much amazing good food in LA here are a few of our favorites though :) Santa Monica - Blue Daisy (brunch) - Breakfast by Salt's Cure (brunch) - huckleberry cafe (brunch) - Bay Cities Italian Deli (sandwiches) - Colapasta (italian) - Sugarfish (sushi) - Elephante (mediterranean) Ocean Park < 10 min Santa Monica - Flake (bagels) - Chulita (mexican) - ChaCha Chicken (carribean lunch) - Cobi (southeast asian) - Wallflower (southeast asian) Venice - < 15 min Santa Monica - Great White (brunch) - Butchers Daughter (brunch) - Gjusta (bakery and brunch) - Felix (italian) - Ospi (italian) Marina del Rey (20 min from Santa Monica) - Paisita Cafe (coffee/breakfast/lunch) - The Cow's End (coffee) - Baja Cantina (mexican lunch) - Venice Whaler (american lunch) - Night + Market (thai) Malibu (~20 min from Santa Monica) - Dukes (causal seafood) - Malibu Farm (american) - Nobu (asian)
Let's Drink
Coffee - Café Demitasse - Cora's - Alfreds - Dogtown coffee - Erewhon Smoothie Cocktails and Beer - Venice Whaler - The Bungalow - The Daily Pint - Chez Jay - Bodega Wine Bar - Jamesons
Explore Santa Monica/ Venice
Santa Monica - Walk along the beach and explore the Santa Monica Pier. It’s a bit touristy, but fun to see. - Rent bikes and ride along the beach bike path. Venice Area (< 15-minute drive from Santa Monica) - Explore Abbot Kinney for restaurants and shopping. Start near Erewhon and walk toward the beach. - Visit Venice Beach to see the skate park, basketball courts, and boardwalk. It can be crowded and touristy, but there’s a lot to see. - Walk through the Venice Canals to see the beautiful homes and quiet pathways. Marina del Rey (15 min from Santa Monica) - For a less crowded beach walk, Uber to Cow’s End Café and walk along the beach from there.
Farmer's Markets - Saturday & Sunday
Santa Monica - Open on Saturdays 8:00 am - 1:00 pm. - 155-199 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Brentwood - Open Sunday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm - 741 S Gretna Green Way, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Let's Hike
There are so many great hikes just a short drive from Santa Monica. We recommend Griffith Observatory and the Malibu area, but check All Trails to find a hike that fits your schedule, distance, and difficulty level.
Tours and Entertainment
Warner Brother's Studio Tour - This is 30 minutes east from Santa Monica. - Tours range from 2-3 hours. Watch LA FC Soccer Match - BMO Stadium roughly 30 min - 1 hour from Santa Monica Wine Tasting at Malibu Vineyards - Roughly 1 hour from Santa Monica