Santa Monica State Beach

Santa Monica State Beach

Santa Monica State Beach
4.5
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The area

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.
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See what travelers are saying

  • Grover R
    Pensacola, Florida22,545 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Made It to the Iconic LA Beaches
    On my last trip to LA, we did not get to the beach or at least Santa Monica as we were in Long Beach. The beaches you really think about when you think Los Angeles are the beaches along Santa Monica Bay, so the trip I made the effort to visit Santa Monica and see the beach. While as a Gulf Coast guy, I prefer a white sand beach, this was a great beach. The background of mountains here on the coast is simply something we don't have. I am very glad we made the great beaches around LA for this visit.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 20, 2024
  • Getaway01945477920
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Accommodation will be based around this area.
    I go there twice a year for business trips. Since the weather is generally nice in LA, I take a walk there every morning. This area is one of the safest areas in the US, so I'd like to take my family there as well, but since I go there regularly for work, I don't often have the chance.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled on business
    Written May 9, 2024
  • Rodalita B
    Francisco I. Madero Municipality, Mexico3,867 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Santa Monia State Beach...
    STUNNING VIEWS BEACHES:: Santa Monica State Beach At California; .a Beautiful beaches in Los Angeles..a very popular beach of the tourust destined A brilluant place beautiful surround. It could be seen. Good for a walk in the morning while the sunset is up. So pretty and stunning spit of bay views ..it is an Atmosphere place wirh a great friendly staff....
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written June 12, 2024
  • nbe
    Cugy, Switzerland175 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful beaches
    Access by car by parking on one of the many public parking (fees apply) then enjoy! The beaches are huge, the sand clean and the sea temperate. We were surprised by the cleanliness of the beaches and water. Extend the tour or day at Santa Monica Pier.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 17, 2024
  • helen
    Doncaster, United Kingdom29 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just divine!
    We stayed in Hollywood so this was a trek but well worth it! We absolutely loved it! The pier was great and lots of great places to play, eat, drink and generally have fun! Well worth the effort ….
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 20, 2024
  • Fabrice L
    Vanves, France972 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The famous beach of Santa Monica
    My second dream come true. Santa Monica beach, very nice beach. For those who are fan, of Rocky in the III , like me 😊😊Apollo Creed coach, Rocky on this beach. Not counting the other movies, alert in Malibu or whatever. Let's get back to that beach. It's huge in the middle of August, I had no one several dozen meters away. There are several parking lots to park (paying just over $20) For us, the end of the journey, because it is the end of Route 66 or the beginning for those who would leave here.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 29, 2024
  • Giacomo C
    Florence, Italy2,417 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very beautiful, suggestive at sunset
    Very nice area, with Baywatch beach, Pier full of attractions (ferris wheel, roller coaster, etc.), tall palm trees and people of all kinds doing all kinds of activities .. Very nice especially at sunset (the skyline of the palm trees and lifeguard sheds is really nice and a classic I would say) and in the evening for the lights of the Pier
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written September 4, 2024
  • chveiga
    Piracicaba, SP568 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of the best places in Los Angeles
    Well, actually Santa Monica isn't a Los Angeles neighborhood, it's another city. But it's stuck in LA and you can even get by subway (just take the subway line E and get off at the final station). And it's a very cool place to walk and eat. It has the famous pier (which is really great), and many, but many restaurants and options to eat, especially on the Third Street Promenade, which is a closed pedestrian street that more looks like an open-air shopping. It has beach, bike road, etc. By the way, Santa Monica is so good that it is an excellent accommodation option for those who will stay in Los Angeles (much better than downtown LA, for example).
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written September 24, 2024
  • Amistad17
    Le Pradet, France20 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The end roadrip
    Santa Monica is beautiful only flat parking there... hell! In short, look carefully before going and especially go at the beginning of the day. The fisherman's is great it's to see because several shops to visit including the Boubba gump that will make you relive the famous movie with Tom Hanks. Nice discovery to all.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 11, 2024
  • Mathéo B
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Escaped from the city
    Santa Monica has such a charming vibe! Strolling along the pier with its vintage atmosphere was delightful, and the sunset over the ocean was simply breathtaking. The mix of lively shops, street performers, and the calming sea made it feel so unique. A beautiful escape!
    Visited December 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written December 12, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles6,764 reviews
Excellent
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699
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These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Asuman Güntay-An Gezgini
Istanbul, Türkiye1,927 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Solo
Santa Monica Beach is timelessness that turns into passion...
Walk with the seagulls on the golden sands,
Swim in the cool waves of the Pacific Ocean, dive into the endless horizon of the red sunset under the shade of palm trees, and celebrate the past and future of your life.
Yes, I experience this all the time here.
Google
Written September 7, 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.

alexisrachelletx
Nashville, TN1,609 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
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, Canada694 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
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.

Socrate321
France260 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Beautiful beach as far as the eye can see...

This place is mythical in many ways...
Not only are we in California, on the Pacific coast, but we can't count the number of movies, television series, etc. for which this place has been used as a setting.
It is also the terminus of the very famous and equally mythical "Route 66"

Nevertheless and as the picture shows, do not hope to go there in order to swim at length...
Indeed the water is fresh, very fresh...
If we have the "Gulf Stream" a marine current that brings from the equator warm waters, along the Atlantic coast, here it is rather the reverse, the area is subjected to marine currents descending from the north pole, and therefore produces the opposite effect.
You only have to look at the number of bathers in the water, on the picture to understand...
Automatically translated
Written October 13, 2024
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.

M G
Oakland, CA193 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Family
This is a very nice long stretch of beach, but it is extremely crowded to the point of not being enjoyable. Way too many people & vendors to be able to relax or find a decent spot. There are so many beaches along this coastline that going here makes no sense. It's fun to go the pier & walk around in the crowds, but if you are actually trying to experience the beach & the ocean, then this place is overcrowded.
Written July 11, 2024
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, CT2,255 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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.

Ralph a
Puerto Rico3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Family
A great beach with clear water perfect for paddleboarding and bodyboarding. The sand is soft and inviting, and there's plenty of space to relax. It can get a bit crowded near the pier, but it’s a fun spot for both kids and adults.
Written January 12, 2025
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.

Quest10789530418
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Friends
There are cracked out homeless people everywhere and I felt very unsafe. People were sleeping in the middle of the sidewalks, swatting at imaginary bugs, harassing people for money, and even saw a lady taking a dump in the middle of the sidewalk. We drove down south to Huntington Beach and it was MUCH nicer.
Written June 11, 2024
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.

koebe
Edmonton, Canada109 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
Did not feel safe here. Lots of homeless and high/drunk. Did not feel safe to walk on my own. One evening a fight broke out and 6 cop cars came. Garbage all the way along the beach.
Written April 29, 2024
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, DC25,938 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
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.

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Santa Monica State Beach - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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