Things to do in Santa Monica

153 activities, venues and outings in Santa Monica, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 153.

DoAmusement park
Santa Monica Pier
A bustling boardwalk whose huge Ferris Wheel is the city's icon, with terrific coastline views of Malibu and the Southbay. The long pier holds Pacific Park, an old-fashioned amusement park with reasonable by-the-ride pricing, including a small roller coaster and the Ferris wheel. The Pier has restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, and some street performers. At almost all hours you'll find at least a few people fishing as well. The Pier is within easy walking distance to the Promenade.
Limited wheelchair access
DoBeach
Santa Monica Beach
A large, wide, beautiful beach on either side of the pier. Perry's rents bikes and roller blades or bring your own for use on the world famous strand that links all of the Westside beach cities. For some of the best people watching in the world, follow the strand south a couple of miles to Venice Beach. Hire a bike or skates and travel along the cycle path (there are a number of shops to hire from around and on the pier).
Do
Third Street Promenade
A very successful Urban mall project: a vibrant, outdoor street full of restaurants, movie theaters, shopping, bookstores, and bars. Those who enjoy street performances will be impressed by the quality of musicians, dancers, and others. The Promenade is located only three blocks from the beach, the Promenade is one of L.A.'s most popular places to "hang out" for people of all ages.
Do
Trapeze School New York
TSNY
Trapeze School New York at Santa Monica Pier is a school of flying trapeze and aerial arts open to the public and for all skill levels and ages. Also offered are corporate workshops, events and parties, birthday parties and performance workshops.
7 days a week$47-65
DoTheme park
Pacific Park
Pacific Park is an oceanfront amusement park located on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. It is the only amusement park on the West Coast located directly on a pier, and the only admission-free amusement park in Los Angeles County. Pacific Park faces the Pacific Ocean, towards the direction of Santa Catalina Island.
DoBeach
Will Rogers State Beach
Will Rogers State Beach is a beach park on the Santa Monica Bay, at the Pacific coast of Southern California. Located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, the beach is owned by the California Department of Parks and Recreation; it is managed and maintained by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.
DoPark
Virginia Avenue Park
Virginia Avenue Park is a 9.5 acres (3.8 ha) park located in the Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica, California. Originally opened in 1976, the park was redeveloped and expanded in the 1990s and early 2000s, reopening in 2005. The park hosts a number of community activities such as a weekly farmers market, afterschool programs, and social program assistance.
Open now · closes 11 pm
DoPark
Douglas Park
Douglas Park is a 10.7 acres (4.3 ha) park in Santa Monica, California. Formerly the site of an aircraft factory and movie studio lot, the park is named after Donald Douglas and hosts a number of facilities, including a bowling green and Los Angeles County's largest municipal pond.
DoPark
Ozone Park
Santa Monica (Spanish: Santa Mónica, lit. 'Saint Monica') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. As of the 2020 census, Santa Monica had a population of 93,076.
DoPark
Palisades Park
Palisades Park is a 26.4-acre (10.7 ha) park in Santa Monica, California. The park is located along a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) section of Ocean Avenue on top of an uplifted unconsolidated sedimentary coastal Quaternary terrace with exposed bluffs, offering views of both the Pacific Ocean and the coastal mountains. Originally named Linda Vista Park, it was established in 1892 following donations by city founders Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker and John Percival Jones.
DoPark
Gandara Park
Gandara Park is a 3.8 acre residential park located in Santa Monica, California, United States.
DoPark
Tongva Park
Tongva Park is a 6.2-acre (2.5 ha) park in Santa Monica, California. The park is named after the indigenous Tongva people, who have lived in the Los Angeles area for thousands of years. The park is located just south of Colorado Avenue, between Ocean Avenue and Main Street.
Open now · closes 11 pm
DoTheatre
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is a multi-purpose convention center at 1855 Main Street in Santa Monica, California, owned by the City of Santa Monica. It was built in 1958 by Millie and Severson General Contractors and designed by Welton Becket and as a concert venue, it has a seating capacity of 3,000. It is a city-designated landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
DoCinema
Aero Theatre
The Aero Theatre is a single-screen movie theater in Santa Monica, California, built in 1939 and opened in 1940.
DoPark
Crescent Bay Park
2000 North Ocean Avenue
DoPark
Hotchkiss Park
3rd St
DoPark
Los Amigos Park
500 Hollister Ave
DoPark
Marine Park
1406 Marine St
DoBeach
Palisades Beach
DoPark
Joslyn Park
633 Kensington Rd
DoPark
Memorial Park
1401 Olympic Blvd
DoPark
Park Drive Park
2415 Broadway
DoPark
Reed Park
1133 7th St
DoPark
Schader Park
1425 Cloverfield Boulevard
Open now · closes 11 pm
DoPark
Beach Park 1
2600 Barnard Way
DoTheatre
Eli Broad Stage
1310 11th Street
DoPark
Euclid Park
1525 Euclid Street
DoPark
Goose Egg Park
600 Palisades Ave
DoPark
Ishihara Park
2909 Exposition Blvd
DoTheatre
Santa Monica Playhouse
1211 4th St
DoPark
South Beach Park
3400 Barnard Way
DoCinema
AMC Santa Monica 7
1310 Third Street Promenade
DoArts centre
Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center
1310 11th Street
DoPark
Ashland Park
1650 Ashland Avenue
DoPark
Barnard Way Linear Park
2440 Barnard Way
DoPark
Colorado Center Park
Broadway &, 26th St
DoCinema
Laemmle Monica Film Center
1332 2nd Street
DoPark
Ocean View Park
2701 Barnard Way
DoPark
Chess Park
1652 Ocean Front Walk
DoBeach
Bay Street Beach
Ocean Front Walk

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Santa Monica (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps. Some descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).