United States
California (CA)
Santa Monica
Things to Do in Santa Monica
Santa Monica State Beach
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Santa Monica State Beach

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Santa Monica State Beach
4.5
6,733 reviews
#5 of 91 things to do in Santa Monica
State Parks • Beaches
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Santa Monica is a coastal town that maintains a balance as a tourist destination and as an area with a thriving local culture. On the beach, bikers, roller-bladers, runners and walkers move along the famed bike path enjoying the beautiful Los Angeles weather. The solar-powered Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica pier spins high above the water, while park revelers scream with delight riding the roller coaster. Inland from the beach, Third Street Promenade bustles with shoppers and street performers, where every block seems to have a musical or acrobatic act drawing crowds giving Santa Monica both the feeling of a laid-back beach town and a major commercial hub.
Best nearby
Restaurants
969 within 3 miles
True Food Kitchen
1,531
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Contemporary • Vegetarian Friendly
Brunos
397
489 ft$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Vegetarian Friendly
Blue Plate Taco
1,279
507 ft$$ - $$$ • Mexican • Southwestern • Latin
Water Grill Santa Monica
1,286
0.2 mi$$$$ • American • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly
SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa
525
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Seafood • Sushi
BOA Steakhouse Santa Monica
957
0.3 mi$$$$ • American • Steakhouse • Vegetarian Friendly
North Italia
312
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Vegetarian Friendly
The Curious Palate
146
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Big Dean's Ocean Front Cafe
485
414 ft$ • American • Bar • Pub
Casa Martin
389
527 ft$$ - $$$ • Mexican • Latin • Vegetarian Friendly
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Attractions
216 within 6 miles
Santa Monica Yacht Harbor Sign
291
29 ftPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Santa Monica Pier
19,200
485 ftPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas
Tongva Park
221
316 ftParks
Heal the Bay Aquarium
273
505 ftAquariums
Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome
56
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Santa Monica Place
326
0.2 miShopping Malls
Santa Monica Visitor Center
91
0.1 miVisitor Centers
Santa Monica Bay
5,344
0.2 miBodies of Water • Beaches
Original Muscle Beach Santa Monica
2
0.1 miBeaches
Camera Obscura
11
0.2 miScience Museums • Observatories & Planetariums
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
6,733 reviews
Excellent
3,482
Very good
2,383
Average
700
Poor
115
Terrible
53
alexisrachelletx
Nashville, TN1,719 contributions
Great beach
Feb 2020
The Santa Monica State Beach is a pretty long stretch of beach, and there are paid parking lots down it - with bathrooms and restaurants and playgrounds as well. When visiting LA with my husband and brother this past weekend, I knew I couldn't leave California without walking along the beach and taking in some ocean views. So we picked a parking lot ($7 for the day on a Tuesday; it was pretty empty) and walked along the beach for a bit. It was a grayish day, but it was still lovely to walk along the beach and watch and smell the ocean before heading back to wintery, rainy, gray Nashville. If your visit includes weekdays, I suggest visiting on the beach on a weekday - it was pretty empty! Very relaxing place to visit!
Written February 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Munir D
Toronto, Canada634 contributions
Nice Beach one has to visit when in Los Angeles
Jun 2022 • Family
This beach is popular in Los Angeles as it is in a nice locality and has clean and sandy beaches. The beach also houses the famous amusement pier and a beachfront boardwalk. There are a number of good restaurants that serve a variety of food on the waterfront.

We saw the sunset here on the first day of our arrival in Los Angeles. This would have been a perfect place to watch the sunset had the dipping of the sun not been over Malibu in the west. Nevertheless the sunset us fabulous.

Santa Monica offers the best overall beach experience in Los Angeles. It's also one of the best beach areas in Southern California. The addition of bike paths and plenty of outdoor exercise areas has made the beach very popular. The beach also has a lot of play areas.

A visit to Los Angeles is not complete without a visit to this beach. We stayed at the nearby Hilton which is a walking distance away from the beach.

Munir D.
Written June 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dustythoughts
Manchester, CT1,861 contributions
Beautiful, clean beach
Sep 2022
We came here to hang out and take in the sun and water after going to the Santa Monica Pier, and this beach was the perfect way to end the day. This beach is incredibly clean, which I note because some beaches can be quite filthy, but this one is very well-maintained, with trash cans spaced out at regular intervals. The water is shallow at the beginning, and while the water can be cold at the very onset, you soon adjust to it. The sand is soft, which is great and makes it easier to walk. While this beach is very popular, we didn't feel crowded at all - we were easily able to find space to sit. There's also a very nice boardwalk that runs along the outer edge of the beach; the boardwalk is also super busy, but without feeling crowded.
Written September 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jehenson81
Washington DC, DC22,206 contributions
Huge and Empty
Jan 2023 • Solo
My day to visit Santa Monica happened to coincide with the second wave of the storm of the century hitting California. It was not a pleasant day to be on the beach. The beach is huge and is probably well over a mile long. It is wide and well maintained. There are lifeguard towers at regular intervals all the way down it. Parking costs, but the $7 is well worth it, if you actually get to go to the beach. I hope to go back some day when I can actually enjoy the beach.
Written January 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ViewsAndReviews
Constanta, Romania1,062 contributions
Slice of Heaven
Jun 2020 • Solo
Santa Monica is among the LA area’s best beaches. From stunning sunsets to the picturesque pier at night... from families and friends playing... to tightrope walkers practicing. Something for everyone.

And a plus - having public restrooms as well as dining nearby like Perry’s at the beach.
Written June 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cp_0010
Manama, Bahrain1,499 contributions
Nice beach
Jul 2019
Visited Santa Monica beach on our way to LA from Las Vegas on our US trip with SOTC group. Santa Monica is a coastal city west of Los Angeles. Santa Monica Beach has Palisades Park with views over the Pacific Ocean and through the park, you can approach beaches. From the entrance, there is a straight walk up to the end of the pier facing Pacific ocean. You will find restaurants, amusement park, games & rides and other attractions on either side of the road. Beaches are sandy and clean. There is enough parking available. we had spent couple of hours there. It was bright sunny day and full of people & tourists. A very popular beach and must see.
Written May 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
muzique1960
Woodridge, IL245 contributions
Clean lovely beach; easy walk to the pier; place to clean your feet!
Aug 2021
My son and I love coming to this beach! The sand is kept very clean. It is a great way to spend some relaxing time, or build a sand castle, or make your own sand creation! There are rest rooms nearby, with a place to rinse the sand off. It is an easy walk to the Santa Monica pier and everything that is offered there. Great way to spend a couple hours or the entire day!
Written August 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob-CS
Gothenburg, Sweden184 contributions
Large beach and close to other things
Jan 2020 • Solo
Santa Monica is not the beach I go to if the beach is the main thing. This is a beach I go to in combination with doing the third street promenade, or sometimes before I go to LAX. There is a paved path along the beach which is great if you want to ride a bike, skate board or roller skates, or if you just don’t want sand on your feet.
The beach is big and can host a lot more people than the surrounding parking can suffice.
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adam G
Albany, OR76 contributions
Vacation
Jan 2020 • Couples
Beautiful beach and views. Seems like they try hard to keep the beach area clean but so many people obviously make it a challenge. Nice to walk the beach though and take in the views
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom F
4 contributions
Summer place
Aug 2022 • Family
Nice beach with beautiful girls and sand and good water for a paddle/bodyboard. It can get a bit busy around the pier side though but great for kids and adults. Parking is bit expensive but it is close to beach.
Written May 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Santa Monica State Beach - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Monica State Beach
We recommend booking Santa Monica State Beach tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 13 Santa Monica State Beach tours on Tripadvisor
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