Santa Monica

I always wanted to go there. Tell the truth about the pros and cons.

 

An hour is long enough. Fly to LAX, grab a car (or an UBER UBER UBER) to the pier, see the pier and the rollerbladers and the guys working out, have lunch at Shutters on the Beach, go back to the airport and go to Vegas.

 

I second Shutters, wife and I love it there.

 

I have been to Santa Monica a couple of times, once with the Hollywood tour from Las Vegas and last year when we hired a SUV and drove to LA ourselves. Both times spent about an hour and a half there on the pier and the beach, last year we drove back through Santa Monica, didn't seem a lot there apart from the pier.

 

Breeze wants to see why Whitey lived/hid out there !

 

If you've always wanted to go, then by all means go. Every visitor and California native has a thought as to what's the bomb when it comes to the beach experience. The best bet is to find out for yourself. I don't see you flying out for one kick of the tires so that leaves you time to head up and check out Santa Barbara -- the So Cal beach town -- and back south to Laguna or what not.

(I'm kinda a Pismo guy, but that's not So Cal.)

 

I find that the things I really want to do, I am disappointed because I hype myself up for it so much. If you always wanted to go there, you might as well go to get it out of your system. I live in Southern Cal, but I only go to Santa Monica because somebody happened to make dinner plans at a restaurant there. I've only gone a couple of times to walk the Third Street Promenade. I still haven't gone to the pier. Too far for me to bar hop or pub crawl.

 

My wife and I will be in Santa Monica next month (and Santa Barbara, San Francisco and San Diego). Santa Monica has an incredible beach scene with a classic boardwalk and beach walk. Their are excellent boutique hotels right there near the beach and several good restaurants nearby as well. Walking or biking is appropriate for the area.

Enjoy.

Bill

 

I'd go with La Jolla, but Santa Barbara is up there.

Bill

 

Down south, I'm more of a Laguna guy. Actually not a big SM fan. Too L.A. HB is fun. I'm a Solano fan down SD way. Guess that's why it is such a LONG stretch of coast ... something for everyone.

 

Go buy stuff on the Third Street Promenade so I can put more money on the craps table

 

That's actually a good suggestion - for those into shopping. My wife thinks The Promenade has a good eclectic mix of shops. Me - I like the bars/restaurants on it.

Bill

 

Yes, you are so right - a wonderful stretch with multiple attractions. I was raised in some of those coastal towns and may just move back someday. Though, with so many options. it would truly be a hard choice to separate the diamonds from the pearls.

Bill

 

Just some suggestions if you want to get a feel for So.Cal. area just based on my limited knowledge from being stationed there many moons ago. Theres a bunch of hotels at the airport right off the freeway.
A good location if you rent a car . From there you can check out Venice Beach, Santa Monica and go up thru Malibu to Ventura and Santa Barbara on Hwy 101. If you want to do some touring you can also go down Sunset Blvd. from the 101 and see Beverly Hills,Rodeo Drive, ride up Mulholland Drive to the top. etc. Strongly suggest you do this on weekend to avoid traffic.
Nice area to see,would I move there,maybe not.

 

I should have been more precise, buy stuff from the carts along the Promenade! :evillaugh

 

I visited an old aunt who lived in Culver City back in 1980. I forget the name of the beach I went to, it wasn't far from LAX. We went a few places around town. Some tourist traps. I hated Disneyland.

I really wanted to try fishing off of the pier at Santa Monica. I also would like to see the area where Hank Moody lived in Californication. I guess that's Venice.

The aunt somehow eked out an existence playing as an extra and actually had one line in a movie, so I got a private behind the scenes tour of MGM. I believe her late husband was in studio management or something.

I was also in L.A. for two days in 1966 before shipping out to Okinawa. The aunt took me to a dive bar where Cousin Beryl (she was about 40, I was 17) tried to shove her tongue down my throat.

So, it's been 36 years and not the same place, I know. It's just a bucket list item.

 

Just a clarification, if going from the bay beach cities through Malibu to Oxnard and Ventura, it is Hwy. 1. The 101 is inland coming out of downtown, then through the valley and on to Ventura.

 

I was born & raised in Venice, and lived in Santa Monica for 3-4 years at one point.

As someone who has seen just about enough of that area over 30 years, I highly, highly recommend renting a bike and biking up & down the beach's bike path if you can. As long as the weather's nice, it doesn't matter if it's a weekday or a weekend.

 

+1 on this.

 

OK now I remember,thanks.