Santa Monica

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Santa Monica

THE COASTAL CITY THAT NEIGHBORS MALIBU, VENICE, PACIFIC PALISADES, AND BRENTWOOD

In the 1800s, orator Tom Fitch called Santa Monica “the Zenith City by the Sunset Sea.” The 21st-century version of Santa Monica fulfills its early promise with a bustling downtown and beach that attract millions of visitors each year. Pacific Coast Highway connects SaMo with elite coastal draws Malibu and Pacific Palisades. Venice and its main drag Abbot Kinney Boulevard attracts an eclectic crowd; upscale Brentwood is home to the Getty Center and numerous A-listers.

SANTA MONICA

Third Street Promenade, three pedestrian-only blocks on 3rd Street between Broadway and Wilshire Boulevard, teems with visitors browsing dozens of shops, including H&M and Anthropologie, and gawking at the myriad street artists.

The Promenade is lined with all manner of eateries, as do the surrounding streets, with versatile dining experiences such as cozy pub Ye Olde King’s Head as well as Michelin-starred siblings Rustic Canyon for small plates and Cassia for Asian fusion.

Anchoring the Promenade at Broadway is Santa Monica Place, an open-air shopping center with Nordstrom, 80 boutiques, and a top-level Dining Deck. Steps away is the western terminus of the Metro Expo Line, which connects Santa Monica by light rail to downtown Los Angeles.

Santa Monica Pier, built in 1909, is at the end of Colorado Avenue and features Pacific Park, a mini amusement park with food stands and rides. Take a ride on the Pacific Wheel, a solar-powered and LED-lit Ferris wheel.

MALIBU

A few miles north of Santa Monica along Pacific Coast Highway is Malibu. Many of the city’s best destinations are visible from PCH, including renowned restaurants with ocean views, notably the casual Malibu Seafood and the upscale Nobu Malibu. Celebrity-frequented Malibu Country Mart serves as the area’s town square; its Lucky’s steakhouse is new. Adjacent Malibu Village and Malibu Lumber Yard offer plenty more shops and restaurants.

PACIFIC PALISADES

There’s more than what initially meets the eye in seemingly sleepy Pacific Palisades. Palisades Village—from the developer of The Grove and the Americana at Brand—has more than 40 boutiques. The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine on Sunset Boulevard is a 10-acre oasis with a koi- and swan-filled lake. The area’s crown jewel is the Getty Villa, inspired by a Julius Caesar–era villa and dedicated to the study of the art and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Night Flight cocktail at Citrin; Central Garden at the Getty; the Venice canals OPPOSITE: Santa Monica Pier

VENICE

In the early 1900s, Abbot Kinney developed Venice as an American version of the Italian city; the canals in his version are now lined with multimillion-dollar residences. His namesake Abbot Kinney Boulevard is Venice’s coolest street, with restaurants such as Gjelina and distinctive boutiques that make for an altogether entertaining stroll. Ocean Front Walk is often populated by street performers, vendors, and Muscle Beach bodybuilders.

BRENTWOOD

Marilyn Monroe once called this affluent enclave northeast of Santa Monica home; it remains a favorite celebrity stomping ground. San Vicente Boulevard functions as the neighborhood’s main street, with independent shops, bakeries, cafés, and restaurants. The Brentwood Country Mart, an open-air shopping center, offers upscale retail.

The architecturally stunning Getty Center is a hilltop museum worth a visit.