Experience the best of Santa Monica
Santa Monica is a seaside city beside Los Angeles, known for its pier and Ferris wheel, wide beach, clifftop park and pedestrian shopping street.
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Santa Monica sits on the Pacific coast at the western edge of Los Angeles, with a wide beach below a line of palm-topped bluffs. Its pier, built in 1909, carries a small amusement park with a solar-powered Ferris wheel, a carousel and arcades, and a sign marks the western end of Route 66. Palisades Park runs along the clifftop with ocean views.
The Third Street Promenade is a pedestrian street of shops, cafés and street performers, and Main Street has boutiques and restaurants towards Venice. A paved path along the sand carries cyclists and skaters for miles. The Santa Monica Mountains rise to the north, Malibu's beaches are about twenty kilometres up the coast, and the Getty Center, an art museum on a hilltop, is a short drive away.
California cooking centres on fresh produce and seafood, and weekly farmers' markets draw the city's chefs. The climate is mild and sunny, with morning cloud in early summer, and the best light falls on the beach at sunset.
- Free cancellation on 89% of experiences
- 4.8 across the top 17
Special offers in Santa Monica
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
Go beyond Santa Monica
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Los Angeles · 7 kmHollywood Walk of Fame
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Los Angeles · 7 kmRodeo Drive
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Malibu · 26 kmGetty Villa
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Malibu · 26 kmMalibu Country Mart
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Long Beach · 39 kmAquarium of the Pacific
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Long Beach · 39 kmLong Beach Cruise Terminal
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Anaheim & Buena Park · 51 kmHuntington Beach
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Anaheim & Buena Park · 51 kmOrange County Coast
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Newport Beach · 69 kmFashion Island
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Catalina Island · 70 kmCatalina Express
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Ventura · 79 kmSerra Cross Park
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Laguna Beach · 84 kmCrystal Cove State Park
Questions about Santa Monica
- What is there to do in Santa Monica?
- We list 175 experiences in Santa Monica. The largest groups are day trips (45), city tours (42).
- What are the top attractions in Santa Monica?
- Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in Santa Monica are Santa Monica Beach and Pier, Third Street Promenade, Marvin Braude Bike Trail, Heal the Bay Aquarium.
- What is the most popular experience in Santa Monica?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "Full-Day Iconic Sights of LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Beaches and More", rated 4.9 out of 5 from 6,721 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Santa Monica take?
- The typical experience in Santa Monica lasts about 2.5 hours; the middle half run between 2 hours and 5.5 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Santa Monica?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 89% of the 175 experiences we hold for Santa Monica. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
Why book here
Compare before you buy
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Free cancellation on most experiences
Where the operator offers it, the card says so before you click.
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