Timeline
04:23
Grab a coffee and a pastry at FIG. It opens early, so you can secure a seat and fuel up before the park fills up. The bistro is just a short walk from the bluffs.
04:53
Walk to Chess Park @ Palisades Park. It is only four minutes from the anchor point. Arrive here while the morning light is still soft and the park is quiet. Watch the locals play chess with the Pacific Ocean as your backdrop.
05:53
Palisades Park Santa Monica CA
Stroll east along the bluff to Palisades Park Santa Monica CA. The walk is brief, taking you deeper into the park’s greenery. Find a bench facing the water as the sun climbs higher.
06:23
Make your way to the main viewing spot at Palisades Park. By sunrise, the golden light is beginning to hit the coastal mountains. This is the prime moment to take in the full 1.6-mile stretch of the coastline.
07:53
End your walk at Santa Monica Place. It is a five-minute walk from the park. Browse the indoor-outdoor mall, pick up a souvenir, or simply sit in one of the pavilions to watch the city wake up.
Local tip
The chess area is best visited early. Once the sun is fully up, the tables fill with serious players.
Check before you go
- FIG opens at 07:00 on weekdays and weekends. Arriving by 06:23 (sunrise) means you may need to wait briefly or grab a pastry to go if you arrive exactly at sunrise, but it is open by the time you are ready to eat.
- Palisades Park is open to the public at all times.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Santa Monica (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).