Curator’s statement
I loved visiting Santa Monica so much throughout the past two decades that I finally made the decision to move here in 2018. Nowadays, I'm always on the hunt to find the best new restaurants, hotels and activities.
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Where to stay in Los Angeles
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Things to do in Los Angeles
Shop
Main Street Santa Monica
Two blocks from the beach and offers diverse shops and galleries where many locals peruse.
Montana
Upscale and elegant shopping with 150+ stores and cafes. Locals frequent here more than the promenade. Grab a sandwich from Bread Head on Montana.
Abbot Kinney in Venice
Mile long strip of fashion, art and food minutes from Venice Beach. Shops are ever changing but a few personal favorites are Heist for upscale Womens wear and Goodies for affordable home goods. If you happen to be visiting on the first Friday of the month you’re in luck- Abbot Kinney hosts ‘First Fridays’ a food truck event beginning at 5pm.
Third street promenade
Outdoor pedestrian esplanade boasting popular restaurants and shopping chains such as Bloomingdales, Zara and Anthropologie.
Hike
Inspiration Point
2.2 mile loop located in the Will Rogers State Park in the Pacific Palisades. A generally easy route that takes about an hour to complete. Popular for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking.
Solstice Canyon
A moderate three mile loop trail near Malibu that takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete. Some of my favorite views!
West Mandeville Fire Road
3.7 miles, moderate, entrance located in Brentwood off of Westridge road. Out and back, little shade!
Los Leones
4.5 miles, moderately challenging out and back trail. Initially leads through a wooded area before opening up to views of the canyons and ocean.
Paseo Miramar
Palisades based. 5.5 miles moderately difficult, steep initially and leads to beautiful coastal views at the end.
Other things to do
Santa Monica Beach - Located alongside the PCH- visit the beach near the pier by Ocean Park or travel a bit further north to Will Rogers in the Palisades or Broad Beach in Malibu.
Bike around town - Utilize one of the many bike paths in Santa Monica or Venice.
Play tennis or pickle ball at Memorial Park on Olympic Boulevard or the Santa Monica Pickleball center at 2501 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403, USA.
Paddle board/kayak on the Marina in Marina Del Rey.
Rent a boat in Marina Del Rey.
Take a stroll along the Venice Canals.
See a show at the legendary Hollywood Bowl or The Greek Theatre.
Enjoy a sunset bonfire at Dockweiler Beach.
Visit the beautiful gardens and museum at the Getty Villa.
Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery- bring along blankets or beach chairs while you attend a movie screening on the open grassy field inside the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where you’re welcome to BYO food, beery and wine although they also sell food onsite. A dj spins music as the sun sets and again after the movie. Genres range from classics, romance, drama, thrillers, kids, slumber party themes, horror and comedy depending on the time of year. Season runs Spring - Fall.
The Venice Beach Skate Park - visit the iconic public skatepark that's been located on the beach in Venice since 2009.
Rosenthals Winery - visit this relaxed wine bar with sea views and live music + food trucks on some weekends. Hot tip visit locals favorite Colada Thai right next door to soak up the wine!
Malibu Pier - stroll along this iconic pier and people watch or visit one of the shops/restaurants along the way
Malibu Country Mart - visit this outdoor, upscale boutique mall which hosts shops and restaurants. Some favorites include SunLife Organics for smoothies, Alfred coffee, Broad St Oyster Co for lobster rolls, Luckys for a steak dinner or Tra di Noi for classic Italian.
Farmers Markets
Downtown Santa Monica - Weds 8:30am- 1:30pm and Saturdays 8am- 1pm.
Main Street- Sundays 8:30am - 1:30pm.
Pico Boulevard- Saturdays- 8am- 1pm.
Parks
Ocean View Park - Hang on this beachside park that boasts a gorgeous grassy area, a basketball court, six public tennis courts and a path that connects to the beach.
Clover Park - A massive park in the Ocean Park area that hosts a wide range of facilities such as tennis courts, baseball fields, picnic tables, playgrounds and paths for bike riding.
Tongva Park - Across the the Santa Monica Pier Tongva Park hosts gardens, walking paths, a splash pad, playgrounds and a natural amphitheater.
Palisades Park - Think palm trees and ocean views. The perfect place for picnics and sunset views.
Day Trips
Topanga, Ojai, Santa Barbara, Los Alamos, Laguna Beach, Palos Verdes.
Places to eat & drink in Los Angeles
To Eat
Laylas Bagels
For the NY’ers visiting seeking a bagel as good as home.
Alfred Coffee on Abbot Kinney
Makes my favorite latte in town. Bop around AK when you visit.
Intelligentsia
Also on Abbot Kinney in Venice. High end coffee bar chain in an industrial setting.
Blue Bottle
ALSO on Abbot Kinney. No shortage of excellent coffee shops here!
Groundworks
Locations on Main St Santa Monica and Rose Ave in Venice.
Love Coffee Bar
An independent, modern specialty coffee shop on Ocean Park in Santa Monica.
Sidecar donuts
Best, fancy donuts in town in my opinion.
Breakfast by Salt's Cure
Excellent pancakes, a must try in my book.
Blueys
Classic Aussie cafe.
Back on the beach Cafe
A cute cafe on the sand in Santa Monica serving seasonal Californian fare.
Lady + Larder
My favorite sandwich shop in LA and thankfully its around the corner from my house! Also a specialty cheese, beer, wine and floral shop that makes gorgeous charcuterie boards to go. ‘Yes Honey’ is my favorite!
Lares
Long standing local Mexican eatery serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Ggiata
While there are a few locations throughout LA, recently opened on Windward in Venice serving specialty Italian sandwiches.
Bodega Wine Bar
Cute coffee shop/wine bar that works just as well for day time work meetings as it does for evening happy hours.
Great White
Trendy new American classics.
Cassia
Casually cool spot that serves upscale - French/asian/seafood fare.
Felix
Evan Funkes traditional Italian cuisine. Don’t skip the focaccia.
The Misfit
Great for happy hour - also dont miss the chocolate chip cookies.
Scopa Italian Roots
Trendy Italian with great cocktails.
Golden Bull
Classic old school steakhouse also known for their martinis.
Fia Steak
A special occasion steakhouse - recommend requesting a table inside, nearby the kitchen/bar.
Prime Pizza
Fantastic pizza, also highly recommend the gluten free option for those who are seeking it!
Heavy Handed
Simple and classic smash burgers, fries and shakes.
Hi Ho Burger
Grass fed Wagyu beer burgers and fresh fries.
Gjusta
Daytime or evening locals love it almost as much as visitors do!
Cholada
My favorite, classic, hole in the wall Thai in LA.
Night + Market Sahm
Bustling, loud and brightly decorated, modern twists on Thai with beer + natural wines.
Bavel
In downtown Los Angeles, but my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in the city. Nice ambiance and great cocktails as well.
Chelsea Restaurant
A modern American restaurant and bar that blends international flavors in a chic environment.
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Travel Advisor
Gianna Quattrini
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Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out my guide, Guide to Puglia & the Surrounding Region.
This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to California.