The California you assume you realize – the one which’s full of glamour, celebrities and continuous motion thrives in pockets alongside the West Coast, however in case you’re searching for a extra pared again model, the place rest and wellbeing are key, Santa Monica is your home. A pocket of tranquillity with miles of golden sands, crystal clear waves and a thriving foodie scene, it’s an space that you must add to your journey record in 2024.
Teetering on the western fringe of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, West Los Angeles to the East and Venice to the Southeast. The seashores span for 3.5 miles, but this vacation spot is about extra than simply feeling the sand between your toes and the solar in your pores and skin.
To Do In Santa Monica
With a thriving arts and tradition scene, you may spend your days dipping out and in of galleries, assembly with native artists and immersing your self within the extra nitty gritty artistic facet of town. You possibly can tour the 18th Road Arts Centre, one of many high artist residency packages within the US and the most important in Southern California, or head to the Bergamot Station Artwork Gallery – a number one arts and cultural hub of visible and performing arts organisations. Right here you may see a rotation of mesmerising artwork works in addition to comedy exhibits within the on-site community-driven house The Crow.
The Crow – brief for ‘Comedy Displays Our World’ is a comedy membership and academic house that works to associate with the local people and share their ardour for comedy and performing. Welcoming all ages, talents and genders, it’s a unbelievable expertise to go to solo, with associates or household.
In the event you love the humanities scene, ensure you time your go to with the annual Frieze Pageant. Going down at Santa Monica Airport, it options over 95 of essentially the most thrilling galleries world wide and provides a glimpse of some really unimaginable items of artwork. Frequented by collectors, commerce, members of the general public and celebrities alike it’s a superb time out for a tradition repair.
There’s a actual collaborative, group sense right here and it looks like a metropolis that you may make your individual. It’s someplace to get impressed, the place you will get misplaced wandering the boutique outlets of Montana Avenue – a stretch of greater than 150 eating places and locations to buy all the things from garments and sneakers to homewares, meals and wonder merchandise. You too can go to the mainstream shops at Third Road Promenade – an space of three open-air, car-free streets which might be anchored by upscale Santa Monica Place. That is residence to greater than 80 outlets and whether or not you’re after a excessive road outfit, one thing designer or to pop for a chunk to eat, it’s effectively price a go to. This space additionally hosts the Santa Monica Farmers Market each Wednesday morning till 1pm – an incredible spot to select up some recent produce and witness the native cooks in motion, scouring out the most effective components for his or her eating places.
In addition to rubbing shoulders with native creatives, cooks and artists, take the time to do a few of the extra well-known vacationer stops too. Head to Santa Monica Pier the place you may trip the ferris wheel, play conventional arcade video games or go to the aquarium. You possibly can eat till you burst in one of many many eating places, quick meals retailers, cafes and snack bars, store for souvenirs and benefit from the eclectic mixture of stay performances. We suggest heading down at sundown the place you may take in the unspoilt views of the shoreline, taking within the pure magnificence it has to supply and simply having fun with the buzzing ambiance.
While within the space, you’ll additionally need to go to the unique Muscle Seaside – an space popularised within the Nineteen Fifties that’s featured in lots of movies and hosted a plethora of well-known actors and die-hard health fanatics. You too can meandre the boardwalk, or maybe take bikes the place you may cycle all the way down to Venice Seaside or Malibu.
An space of such excellent pure magnificence, it’s unimaginable to not really feel relaxed in Santa Monica. Go searching and also you’ll see individuals whizzing previous on curler blades, sprawling on the sand, basking underneath the solar, stretched into yoga poses and sipping on ice lattes. It’s a metropolis that has all of the comfort and facilities you’d anticipate, however with out the busy-ness, the sense of urgency and the stress that normally comes with the territory. Persons are pleasant, the meals scene is to die for and there are such a lot of unbelievable motels it’s close to unimaginable to determine which to make your base.
To Keep In Santa Monica
We suggest staying on the Fairmont Miramar for an oasis-style paradise. A stone throw from the seaside, it’s full with a ravishing on-site spa, health centre and swimming pool, in addition to a selection between resort rooms, suites and bungalows. For one thing a little bit less complicated, however nonetheless a ravishing place to remain and that includes a panoramic sky-high bar, The Huntley is a should. Simply throughout the highway from the Fairmont Miramar, it has a unbelievable espresso store, exterior jacuzzi space and health club.
Don’t Miss: Our overview of the Fairmont Miramar
For these wanting a very luxurious life-style expertise, the Correct Resort situated alongside the sun-drenched Wilshire Boulevard is an easy selection. Completely encapsulating the impartial, seaside colors and textures of Santa Monica, it’s the perfect spot to loosen up and focus in your wellbeing. Make sure to go to the resort’s Surya Spa the place you may partake in custom-designed packages designed to assist your bodily, psychological and non secular well being.
Different motels to notice embody Shutters on the Seaside – a luxurious place to remain that blends trendy consolation with a soothing ambiance and is perched immediately on the seaside, giving unrivalled entry to the crystal clear waters and powdery sands. With 198 rooms and suites, a ravishing pool overlooking the ocean and loads of areas to dine and loosen up, it provides all you may need throughout your keep.
Shutters on the Seaside sister resort, Casa del Mar is situated simply throughout the highway and while you keep at one, you may play in both. This implies you will have entry to the wellbeing services in each and may take advantage of the completely different vibes from each properties. Casa del Mar is maybe the extra well-known of the 2 and has lengthy been referred to as a vacation spot for the wealthy and well-known, together with many Hollywood stars. This resort is extra conventional in design, however nonetheless focuses on offering an actual 5* expertise for all company.
The Meals In Santa Monica
Whereas Santa Monica is a vacation spot for wellness, it doesn’t imply you’ll go hungry or be caught on a restricted weight loss program when you’re right here. Actually, this couldn’t be farther from the reality. Santa Monica has an enviable foodie scene the place you might be as indulgent as you want. From teetering piles of pancakes drizzled with syrup and berries, to mouthwatering recent pasta, wholesome salad bowls and sandwiches that ooze melted cheese, there’s one thing for everybody.
For Breakfast:
Begin the day the appropriate approach at considered one of Santa Monica’s many scorching breakfast spots. FIG within the Fairmont Miramar is a simple selection, with dishes together with avocado on toast, french toast and pancakes, alongside a spread of scorching drinks, juices and smoothies. Made with recent components and full of flavour, in addition to being an completely stunning setting, you may’t go incorrect.
Coast at Shutters on the Seaside is one other of our favourites and is an unmissable possibility when within the space. As said above, you may’t dine any nearer to the seaside and whereas the views of swaying palm bushes and the sound of the ocean is cause sufficient to go to, the interiors listed below are additionally completely stunning. With nautical fashion decor, ground to ceiling home windows and a extremely retro-glamour really feel, it makes the proper backdrop to indulge of their breakfast choices. We suggest the French toast, eggs any fashion or their signature lemon-ricotta pancakes. The Huntley Resort additionally provides an incredible breakfast, accompanied by 360 views of Santa Monica and past.
For lunch:
Lunch in Santa Monica is one other nice likelihood to indulge within the metropolis’s culinary delights. In the event you’re fancying a lightweight chunk with an incredible ambiance, Bluey’s is an actual native gem that may’t be missed. Dine al fresco in The Courtyard Kitchen – with an incredible patio space and partitions adorned with quirky artwork, or True Meals for a nutrient-rich menu of Mediterranean/Asian flavours. For seize and go or languid afternoons wining and eating with associates, you’re certain to discover a myriad of choices right here.
For dinner:
Dinner in Santa Monica is one other affair that you may make of it what you want. There are some unbelievable eating choices right here, but every continues the identical laid again vibe of town, with out compromising on ambiance or high quality. Feast on culinary excellence in Michelin starred Citrin, headed up by Chef Josiah Citrin or awaken your style buds at Cassia, an unimaginable restaurant that celebrates the recent, vibrant flavours of China, Singapore, and Vietnam. For an excellent chilled vibe, reserve a desk at Le Nice Out of doors – an al fresco eating vacation spot full with a novel farm to desk expertise over an open hearth.
Our Take On Santa Monica
Santa Monica is a vacation spot with a lot to offer, with out feeling overwhelming. It has old-school Hollywood glamour interwoven to its core however is way more laid again, providing a break free the place you may actually let your hair down and simply loosen up. There’s no strain to do something when you’re right here, however that doesn’t imply you received’t end up being swept up within the wellness that encapsulates the vacation spot.
I used to be shocked to search out myself within the health club on the Fairmont Miramar at 7am on a Tuesday morning, lured by the gorgeous views and glorious services – and much more stunned it was one thing I attempted to do every morning of my journey. I sipped extra inexperienced smoothies than I ever have in my life and felt my physique bodily loosen up as I breathed within the sea air and let my toes pad throughout the smooth sands of the seaside with no actual vacation spot in thoughts. It’s someplace you can also make motion packed, or the place you may let your self simply be. You will get your artwork and tradition repair, store till you drop, wine, dine and marvel on the sunsets, or you may merely flop by a pool and neglect about the remainder of the world. It’s a vacation spot that’s particular and someplace that lends itself to lengthy weekends, as a highway journey cease, or a spot to spend two weeks off work. It doesn’t matter what you’re searching for, you’ll discover it in Santa Monica and we assure you’ll go away feeling higher, happier and extra relaxed than you may most likely keep in mind. They are saying life’s higher on the seaside, we imagine life’s higher in Santa Monica.
