Timeline
15:52
Pick up a cheese board or snacks at Lady & Larder. The shop is open until 17:00, so you have time to browse and buy before the light changes.
16:22
Walk 13 minutes west to Santa Monica Pier. Arrive with enough time to find a spot on the boardwalk or near the Ferris wheel where the view of the horizon is clear.
17:07
Watch the sun set toward the WSW. The golden light from 16:30 will have warmed the scene, and the sky will turn as the sun dips below the horizon.
17:37
Head to Seaside on the Pier for dinner. It is located right on the pier, so you can keep watching the twilight or just enjoy the ocean view with a meal. It stays open until 20:30 on weekends.
Local tip
The walk from the Civic Auditorium to the Pier is westward. If you want to avoid the crowd at the Pier during the sunset, you can grab your cheese and snacks first, then walk over. Seaside on the Pier is a solid choice for ending the night because it stays open late and keeps the ocean view.
Check before you go
- Lady & Larder closes at 17:00. Make sure you buy your snacks before then.
- Seaside on the Pier is open Mo-Fr 11:00-19:00 and Sa-Su 11:00-20:30. Check the day of your visit.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Santa Monica (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).