I was not all that impressed with Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade. Most of the stores are national chains that most every big city has. Parking is difficult. The AMC theater only has a few screens. There are a few individual restaurants, but also some chain restaurants. There were a couple of street performers, some homeless, lots and lots of... More

Forget the pier...head to the 3rd street promenade. Felt safe when it was later walking around. We really enjoyed the various style street performers and thought it added a nice flair. Tons of stores to choose from as well as restaurants and coffee spots. Very clean, very safe, very fun!

A lot like every other shopping street in the Western Hemisphere apart from some heinous Michael Jackson impersonations.

walking distance to the beach. I loved the ambiance and the diverse people who visits here. A spot for tourists and locals alike. I liked shopping here.

The shops, bistros, coffee places all made it a lovely little street to visit. There are plenty of shops and you would struggle not to buy anything.

Parking was a nightmare. The promenade was so crowded with people you could barely move (I went on a Saturday). The street performers were awful and made getting around worse. The stores were totally generic. There were a lot of choices for places to eat though which is why I added a star....

The Third Street Promenade had a fair amount of chain retail stores that we have at home - we skipped those. There was also a good amount of local shops which were quite enjoyable. They have mall-esque kiosks along the middle of the walkway with a few unique items that are worth a look. The toy store called "Puzzle Zoo"... More

We made an evening of it, parked at Santa Monica beach, walked the pier, then over the bridge and a few blocks to the 3rd St Promenade. The area was very lively - many street performers who were entertaining. Lots of shopping, movie theaters, and restaurants. There are police walking around as well as easily identified Promenade personnel (they are... More

I was doing my shopping in SM. Third Street always gives you good shopping deals. I will return to this place next time.