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Photo by R. Friday
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Top 20 Perks In Paradise: Santa Monica, CA
Savvy travelers have long chosen Santa Monica’s world-class
shoreline, expansive national parks, mountain range and eclectic enclaves to spend a day without zapping the pocketbook.
Listed below are the city’s top 20 picks; free activities that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.
1) Enjoy a mirror-and-lens panorama that has documented Santa Monica for more than 100 years at the historic
Camera Obscura in Palisades Park. Turn the wheel of the rooftop turret and the city unfolds with 360 degrees of
seaside bliss.
2) Slip into a live seaside concert showcasing top world-beat talent at the winter and summer concerts at
Santa Monica Pier. The “Annual Twilight Dance Series” kicks off at sunset each Thursday from July through early
September. Free “Sunday Concerts on the Pier” run from February through April.
3) Ponder the city’s impressive line-up of public art, from the surreal “Whale of a Mural” to the “Wave
and Shell Obelisks,” which spent five years fossilizing under the sea. More than 30 public pieces of art grace
the city; see the Art Trek Map for a complete listing.
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Photo by M. Caine
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4) Stretch your vision across the Pacific aboard the 14-foot “Singing Beach Chairs.” These two harmonically
tuned chairs, designed with an oversized lifeguard look, are a great perch along Santa Monica State Beach just
south of Santa Monica Pier.
5) Muse Montana Avenue’s ten blocks of trendy retail outlets. This quaint, tree-lined street is packed with
local celebrities and some 100+ specialty boutiques and restaurants where you’ll find designer digs in a foot-friendly
environment. Hit 7th to 17th Avenue.
6) Take to the trails in Santa Monica National Mountains Recreation Area. Hike, bike, picnic or ponder the
Pacific along the miles of meandering trails.
7) Jump into Java house for a poetry reading, open mic or impromptu joke night. Key stops include Anastasia’s
Asylum, The Novel Café, or Mystic Joe.
8) Check mate at International Chess Park, the city’s alfresco seaside chess center which offers 80 player
seats, a human-size chessboard and plenty of local character.
9) Gallery gallop through Santa Monica’s 75 museums and galleries, which are generously distributed throughout
the city. Bergamot Station offers more than 40 top-flight contemporary galleries in one industrial-style setting.
10) Pique your palate with a visit to one of the city’s three farmers markets. Rated one of the top in the
nation, the Third Street and Arizona markets feature organic and exotic produce, florals and herbs in a bustling
European-style setting on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Santa Monica Airport market runs on Saturdays and Main
Street comes alive on Sundays with plenty of edibles and face painting for the kids.
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Photo by R. Friday
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11) Catch a free magic act, dueling saxes or a rhapsody on harp along the Third Street Promenade, Santa
Monica’s open-air pedestrian boulevard with 70 retail outlets, 20 restaurants and 17 theater screens.
12) Fall into a film -- Santa Monica is a favorite Hollywood backdrop, especially along scenic Ocean Avenue
where TV’s Snoops, Pacific Blue and films such as Jerry McGuire, Get Shorty, Pulp Fiction, and “Speed” were filmed.
Annually, the city issues more than 1,000 filming permits. Some of the most recent films are Freaky Friday and
Matchstick Men.
13) Speed walk along Main Street, Santa Monica’s eclectic shopping district just two blocks from the beach.
Local color, culture and trend-spotters mix along the beaten path.
14) Pick up a game of gin rummy at Palisades Park, the scenic cliff-top park set on 25 acres overlooking
the Pacific. Every weekend, locals gather for a game of fun in the sun.
15) Launch a kite in the sky, build sandcastles or catch an impromptu game of volleyball at one of two world-class
beaches: Santa Monica State Beach and Will Rogers State Beach.
16) Check out ex-pats in a lawn bowling bash at Douglas Park. Situated at the corner of Wilshire and Chelsea,
this park features three fishponds, a children’s playground, picnic tables and tennis courts. Free bowling lessons
for adults.
17) Pump up your pecs at the three-acre, open-air gym located along Santa Monica State Beach – self-tanning
included. The original Muscle Beach, which launched an
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Photo by N. Wheeler
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international fitness craze in the 1930s and 1940s, was restored to its original grandeur in 1999.
18) Strap on a pair of running shoes and take to the 22-mile South Bay Bicycle Trail. Cafes and bicycle
rental shops stretch along the paved beachfront route. Perry’s Café offers guided tours and lessons.
19) Soak in a sizzling Santa Monica sunset at the foot of historic Santa Monica Pier (1909). The back staircase
offers a prime Pacific view as the sun slips into the ocean.
20) Take the express elevator 16 stories into the sky at The Huntley Santa Monica Beach (formerly the Radisson
Huntley Hotel) for a panorama of the city, Getty Center and beyond. Great margaritas await the thirsty at Toppers.
Source: Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Visitors are encouraged to contribute their own stories
and photos.
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