Welcome to Santa Monica
Where glamor and laid-back beach life meet.
Santa Monica is one of California’s staple communities for a reason. This southern California city’s location offers its residents a balanced blend of relaxed beach town vibes and vibrant metropolitan energy. With Malibu to its north, Venice Beach to its South, and Los Angeles to the east, Santa Monica allows its residents to enjoy blissful days on the beach without forgoing any convenience or access to first-class amenities and services. This best-of-both-worlds experience makes Santa Monica one of the most coveted communities in California.
From neighborhoods filled with spacious, multi-room homes to high-end condominiums with a modern flare, Santa Monica is a great fit for families, young adults, and retirees alike. The many local restaurants and weekly farmers’ markets are just a couple of the things that help cultivate Santa Monica’s lively and friendly community. Enjoy a shopping spree or a bite to eat at one of the many upscale boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and shops that line Third Street Promenade. Santa Monica has an ideal location, balanced lifestyle, and welcoming community, and it’s also making efforts to foster environmentally-conscious living. Green building codes and public transportation that runs on natural gas have earned Santa Monica its rank as one of the country’s top ten most sustainable cities.
What to Love
- 20 minutes outside of Los Angeles
- Open-air shopping centers lined with endless entertainment options
- Gorgeous beaches with outdoor gyms and boardwalks
- Parks, paths, and plenty of courts to go around
- Friendly, beach-life atmosphere with lively, city-life energy
Local Lifestyle
Sandwiched between the gorgeous Pacific Ocean and the bustling city of Los Angeles, Santa Monica is the epitome of southern California living. Soak up the low-maintenance, casual nature of living on the beach while still having access to all of the top-tier amenities found in a metropolitan area. The unique mash-up of these two different vibes makes it just as easy to walk from errand to errand as it is to walk down the boardwalk.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
To say the main streets of Santa Monica are lined with shopping, dining, and entertainment options would be an understatement. Some of these strips are what the city is best known for. Downtown Santa Monica is home to a couple of the largest shopping hubs in the area and offers everything from charming bistros to upscale boutiques. You can also find one of the city’s four weekly Farmers Markets there. Soak up the city’s eclectic culture by enjoying the talents of street performers or visit the Santa Monica History Museum to learn about its rich history.
The options don’t end where the beach begins, either. One of the biggest draws of Santa Monica is the active, outdoor lifestyle it offers. Residents can play arcade games or attend a group fitness class on The Santa Monica Pier. They spend the afternoon at the Annenberg Community Beach House, running through the splash pads or duking it out on the beach volleyball courts. Santa Monica Beach is 3.5 miles of pristine, high-quality beach entertainment for all ages and interests.
Things to Do
In addition to the local staples, Santa Monica is a popular venue for many events. The city’s beach-front location and dreamy weather make it a great home for outdoor concert series like Main Street’s Summer Soulstice.
Looking to raise the stakes a little bit? Sign up for the annual Pier 360, a competition full of beach and sea challenges complete with live music and festival fun for all ages. But don’t let this beach town fool you. It knows how to celebrate the cold holidays, too, as it lines its main streets with lights and transforms into a winter wonderland for year-round fun.
Schools
