Palisades Park

Palisades Park is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. It sits high above the ocean on a long stretch of Ocean Avenue, giving amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and the coastal mountains. The palm trees and fresh coastal vibe make it perfect for taking photos and relaxing. Sunset is the best time to go, the sky looks magical! Many people enjoy picnics on the grass or jogging along the path. It’s also just a short walk from Third Street Promenade, which is a nice bonus. A great spot to unwind and enjoy nature in Santa Monica!

A very nice area to get a long walk, run, jog in with ocean breezes. I was pleased how well maintained the area is. There a number of benches along the way to sit and take in ocean views, people, and best of all some very friendly squirrels. The only drawback are the expensive parking meters that are hard for short people to manage. There is parking across the street, for free, but finding spaces is difficult. And you have to cross a very busy Ocean Avenue as well.

How this isn't a full five stars escapes me. What is there to take a star from? The handful of unhomed? Yeah, that's a bummer. It's a bummer they exist and it would be nice of there weren't but that's the society and culture we live in. The park is wonderful. Extremely well maintained. Flora is fantastic. Even fauna, birds, squirrels and lots of people walking their dogs. Beautiful views of the pacific. Access to the beach below. Towering palm trees. Old and fascinating hardwoods, eucalyptus trees, lovely. Grass in great shape and plenty of it. Benches to relax. Bathrooms. There are no legitimate reasons, at least today, to not rate the park 5 stars.

Visited on a windy day, right after the rain, but still, it was a very nice experience. Taking a long walk along the beach, 🌴 trees everywhere. It is a very well organized and kept park. The views are spectacular!

Favorite Place To Meditate And Simply Reset. The Ocean Breeze, Atmosphere, The Vibes, Even The City Workers Keep The Restrooms Clean, The Keep The Transients In Order And It's Just A Lovely Place. Go See For Yourself!

Nice strip of park overlooking PCH and connecting to the Santa Monica pier conveniently. We went walking on Saturday afternoon in March and saw a tons of ground squirrels munching grass. Also saw a few other squirrels, crows and a hawk. Many people choose to picnic on the grass or jog along the path. Also super close to third street promenade which is a nice bonus.

A nice-seeing park for the beach and the sunset. Lots of people jogging here.

Wonderful place to set up a wildfire base camp. National Guard security staff was courteous although uninformed about anything except the exact spot they were guarding. Porta-potties were cleaned on a regular basis. The donated food trucks served hearty meal, although a bit spicy for my taste. Waking up to beaches, open waves and playing dolphins was pretty amazing.

You still get an occasional homeless person roaming through, but not as bad as 2021-2023. The further north you get away from the pier, the less Riff Raff you will find. The Park is nice. The grass is cut low. If you go closer to the North end, you'll find some tables to do a picnic at. Otherwise it's just patches of grass here and there. Bring your own toilet paper and a$$ gaskets if you absolutely must use the bathroom. Bathrooms are Unisex, gender neutral, single stalls with individual locking doors. Parking is metered 9am - 6pm daily, with a 5 hour limit. Otherwise it's "free" between 6:01pm - 8:59am. There is NO Parking on Tuesday between 7am-9am, probably for street sweeping/cleaning.

Palisades Park is adjacent to the Santa Monica Pier. It's a nice park with lots of grass area and bench seating. You may picnic, take a nap, or chill and overlook the Pacific ocean on a sunny day. Please be warned that there will be vendors who will try to sell you miscellaneous items. If you don't want to be bothered with the vendors, I would recommend not walking towards their way. Just walk around them. It's quite a long park. My eldest daughter and I got a chance to stroll through it. There's a beautiful rose garden within the park. The grounds are well kept and maintained. It is located along a very busy street so do be careful as there may be alot of traffic. Nevertheless, it's a great place to sit and enjoy the view and possibly watch the sunset if you stay long enough.

Came here to meet up for the monthly Camber App walk. The park itself has a memorial rose garden which was our meeting spot for the walk. Park is just past the pier, but on a cliff and has a really nice view of the beach. It's a narrow strip of land but wide enough for nice stroll, sit and take in the views or to do some yoga outside and under the towering palm trees. Parking is on the street or at the park itself and it's metered parking topping out at 2 hours for about $5.75. We went down one of the staircases and crossed over the bridge to the beach and walked down to the pier and back. It's a nice park to have a picnic with friends or lay around and do nothing.

This park feels quintessential Southern California. It's pretty long at over a mile and a half and is nice to walk along admiring the views of the ocean. Fun fact is they shot a scene of Xanadu here. My favorite part of the park is the rose garden which lies at Ocean and Palisades Avenue. Roses in all shades are represented and there are a few benches around to sit and enjoy. It's great for sunset views over the Pacific.

Nice park for a walk along the bluffs. Lots of delicious vistas on a clear day. If the tide is right you can see the remnants of the old breakwater. The grounds are well kept and clean. Highly recommended. You can even walk a short distance to the beach and pier.

In Santa Monica? Isn't it required to take a walk through Palisades Park? Beautiful views of the water, lots of options for crossing over to the beach, and great people watching! It's a must in Santa Monica.

It's a great place to take a walk as long as you can ignore all the homeless and their trash.

This park was like a breath of fresh air everyone following procedures and protocols here. Park is picked up meaning no trash laying around The restrooms were available and were spotless. Durning my walk they had services the restrooms twice. There are plenty benches and several other spits to sit and enjoy being 6 feet apart. The views are killer here. I came at a good time plenty parking was available once I was done with my walk the park began to get busy.

Palisades Park in Santa Monica, which admittedly does have a bit of a confusing name, is arguably one of the most stunningly beautiful Promenade's in LA County. The Palisades Park features of variety of plant life different trees, palms, the beautiful and well-maintained Rosegarden, Cypress trees, and plenty of grass if you have a doggy friend. I love to come here rain, shine or clouds and just walk. It's a great place to get your steps in. With the beautiful backdrop of the ocean behind and the bustling city of Santa Monica to your east, there is plenty to see. It always is full of other walkers of every age group, plenty of dogs, and plenty of people performing some type of exercise. I do adore the stretch. With the Pacific Ocean at the cliffs edge the view is never the same. Depending on the time of day or the light, you can literally experience some different visual every time you go. It's a great area to view the boardwalk and the Ferris wheel too. It's a scenic vantage to view some of the best aspects of Santa Monica! Highly recommend

Ample metered parking but beware, I got a ticket here. I was very careful to note the time yet still came back to a ticket. Currently waiting for my credit card company to send proof of time and hopefully get it dismissed. So make sure to take a photo of your meter! It's a lovely park with beautiful views (overlooking the beach) as well as statues. It has ample benches and bathrooms. Great place to walk, run, write, read, relax, and watch the sunset.

Palisades Park in Santa Monica is above on the hill overlooking Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica Beach. The area close to the pier is always crowded with tourists, locals and some homeless. Further towards Montana Ave is not so crowded and a good area to walk along the dirt or grassy path. My fur baby Fendi loves the walk here, she gets to socialize with other dogs along the path. Love the green and ocean breeze and views of everything. Highly recommend and mostly definitely returning more frequently.

This park is such a wonderful little place. Full of people in the mornings exercising with and without dogs. They offer metered street parking directly in front of the park which makes parking so easy. Social distancing signs are posted and most people had on the "required" face masks or shield. There are benches and a restroom with outside sinks. The park's location is not far from the Santa Monica Pier and therefore the beach.

This is a very known LA spot to come out and see but when you arrive, its pretty much one-note. Yes its visually eye-popping and it's in many Hollywood movies. It's the homeless, street beggars, and vendors trying to sale you junk, is what taints the look and image of this tourist attraction.

This park is really nice. The ocean view is just amazing and they have this serene feel to it with all the flowers, it's a nice park to visit with the family; however, it is a tourist spot and it keeps busy daily. I've visited so many times now and it's a nice clean area to take a nice long walk or just to get some fresh air. This is definitely a nice place to visit if you're an outdoor type of person. During the day you have tons of food trucks lined up on the side of the road and tons of random entertainment/side shows. The down side is, so many homeless people roaming around. It's really sad seeing that. Not a whole lot of parking and you may have to walk a little bit, but nice place to hangout at on a nice day.

Awesome place to take a stroll or go for a run with spectacular views and scenery. FYI-The city of Santa Monica has place a number of plaques and tributes honoring fellow Santa Monican's who have contributed to the richness and beauty of Santa Monica. Palisades Park starts next to Santa Monica Pier, along Ocean Ave. Palisades Park offers great views of pier and the beach and a big perk and must is the California Incline, which everybody should walk and or run to get to the beach.

This is a public space.. don't be a lil bitch and whine about homeless People.. they have no where to live and if you look at CL prices you will grasp why. Also lotta drugs have been sold in that park for decades. Fun Fact

Great place to avoid the sandy beaches without losing the view! Yes there are lots of homeless people, but for he most part they keep to themselves. It's the perfect place to take a stroll and look out to the ocean. It's so convenient to walk across the street and end up on the Promenade for some shopping and dining. It's also a great place to have a picnic or to workout.

Close to where the Pacific Coast Highway starts, this park area serves a quaint neighborhood of historic homes, modern apartments, highrises and yes, assisted living facilities. How lucky are those folks that live across the street? A beautiful hike-bike trail runs along the ridge and a view off the cliff into the pacific ocean is priceless. This is a special place and worth seeking out if you are close. Its a great jumping-off point to continue down the PCH to Malibu and beyond.

No better place to come find easy parking, take a short walk and watch the sunset. Street cleaning is once a week on the side streets. I take one of the best by electrical scoters, usually located at the corner of the main streets like 4th and Montana. If you going there at night watch out walking on the grass... you might step in something ... aka stick to the trails and avoid the dark corners.

I think of Palisades Park as Brentwood's Santa Monica. From Brentwood, just shoot all the way down San Vicente towards the ocean, and you'll land at Palisades Park. A little slice of SoCal livin', where you'll find joggers, bikers, happy dogs, and a gorgeous view of our Pacific Ocean. Ahhhh. Come here to center yourself, and soak in the beauty. I love our palm tree lined trails, the green grass, rose gardens, gazebos, people who exude healthy living, the gait of a happy dog, beautiful sunsets, ocean air. What's not to love? This is California livin'. =)

This is a very pretty park. The plans and greenery here are quite pretty. The ocean breeze adds to the relaxing atmosphere. The combination of the gentle wind, perspective of the coast below, mostly sunny weather almost year-round, winding path and plants here result in a uniquely refreshing stroll. The steps to the beach then return back up again provide challenging, quickly executed exercise nearby, if desired. This is also close to some fun dining areas, volleyball courts on the sand below, shops and streets leading to houses with picturesque gardens to amble by. This is a comforting, delightful surprise in the midst of this city.

A beautiful narrow, but long park that overlooks the ocean. Great views and a picturesque walkway that offers countless photo opportunities. I love this park and it's next to the famous Santa Monica Pier. The only downside is the homeless there, but I never had a problem with them. George Vreeland Hill

Stress out. No worries come here and walk around. Just need to rent a bike and bike along the park. This park layout reminds me of home in Vancouver BC - Coal Harbour Seawall. Its very very very spectacular here. Nice view of the beach. Its relaxing. I walked along the park and I enjoyed it a lot. There are a few lookout points. Only issue is parking is not free here. well I found meter parking and its $2 per hour.

Picture perfect Santa Monica! You can see the pier to the south and Malibu to the north. The beach and the coastal line along PCH take my breath away no matter how many times I come here. If you want quiet time, having a picnic or walking a dog, try north of the California incline (more or less). If you go south toward the pier, there are many tourists and street performers. It's fun and full of energy, but not quiet. It's true there are quite few homeless people as some reviewers pointed out, but the park is well maintained. There are public bathrooms and benches, too. Parking is easy. There are many metered parking along Ocean Ave (coins and credit cards only). I highly recommend Palisades Park to anyone. It's a must when you visit Santa Monica. ****************************** If you found something useful in my review, please hit "useful" so that I can improve my reviews. If you love food and traveling, follow me, or better yet, let's become friends on Yelp! Thank you and happy Yelping!

Palisades Park is a 5-acre park linear park overlooking the Pacific and its a wonderful place for walkers, bikers and people watchers, and to exercise workout. Park is located between Colorado Avenue and Adelaide Drive above Highway 1. It is organized and well kept. I like to run/walk/exercise on the park every morning. Weekend mornings are the best. Street metered parking available. Overall, I highly recommend you visit this park in Santa Monica because it has the best view.

I love coming for walks here. Starting at san Vicente and going to the pier it is a beautiful flat area to take a stroll or a jog. You can see people enjoying picnics, taking pictures of the ocean in the background, or exercising. As you go through the park there are benches to sit on to take in the view. Artwork to appreciate and a beautiful rose garden. If you haven't been I highly recommend checking it out. Bonus: you can bring your dog along for the walk!

My favorite park in my neighborhood to walk my dog or workout. I come here during all times of the day. I love the rose garden, stairs to Santa Monica beach and view of the ocean. Parking on the street is free after 6pm. Dog heaven!!! My dog and I are here everyday when I'm home.

Beautiful urban park over looking the gorgeous Santa Monica Beach. Stroll, sit, eat lunch, run, do yoga, chill out, play ball with your kids, sing along with the impromptu bands that play here, watch the sunset, run into a neighbor, read a book, admire the view. It's a great place to be happy and connect!

It's small serene place in town that allows me to have a breather every weekday. It's basically a sidewalk where they added palm trees and benches. With the view of the ocean, it really gives you serenity.

I guess when you live somewhere the true beauty of what surrounds you gets lost at times. I hope that feeling never leaves me. In the mornings I run the paths by the fence and watch the ocean, breathing in fresh air and tasting the salty breeze. The park is full of life with people doing yoga, tai chi, stretching, walking, running with and without their dogs. Women marching with a power latte in hand. On most Sunday's by the rose garden is a band that plays mixed music that some dance to. A lovely lady in her 90's asked me to dance with her one day. How could you think of saying no? She wore me out! Thank you Ada. In the evening you find the same activity,s but a slower pace enhanced by lovers going for a evening stroll. More dog walkers and people gazing at the beautiful sunsets. I have taken well over 500 photos of these serendipitous night falls. This is the place that heaven loans you for a day to relax and take it all in...

Excellent park on the California coast. I really enjoy spending time here. If you want to exercise, the park is long and easy to walk or jog + there are many stairs nearby going down the hill. To get to the popular "Santa Monica Stairs" walk or jog to the north end of the park (check out the totem pole & the great view). Take Ocean Ave. inland and almost immediately merge onto Adelaide Dr. The stairs will be on your left. http://www.yelp.com/biz/santa-monica-stairs-santa-monica The park is lined with benches and there so many great spots to stop and enjoy the views. I enjoy the scenery at the South end, near the Santa Monica Pier. The views of the pier are beautiful especially at night when the ferris wheel is lit. I enjoy the views of the beach houses just north of the pier and if you look closely you can see a real Barbie Malibu Mansion: http://www.lovelyish.com/2012/10/05/a-real-barbie-dream-house-and-other-cutecrazy-living-spaces/ Avoid the public restrooms near the Pier (at the Camera Obscura http://www.yelp.com/biz/camera-obscura-santa-monica). Most of the nearby restrooms are single stalls with sinks outside, these near the Pier & Camera have a public area & sinks + private stalls inside. Crazy homeless people frequent these and I have gotten odd death threats. Santa Monica PD just laughs and says, "yea, there are crazy people over there, don't go there." There is so much to do around here: 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place Mall, The Pier, the beach and lots of restaurants on Ocean Ave.

Affordable meter parking, great views enjoyed my run today! Lots of dogs and people to see along the way. Not too packed

Every time I feel stressed out, I come here to relax. There are restrooms, and a water fountain. There is paid parking off of PCH. I usually come here during sunset, when it's not crowded. At that time, there are less people and the atmosphere is peacefull and calm. I recommend anyone to come here when they're feeling down and let nature distract you for a bit.

I imagine the Santa Monica urban planners having this conversation: "Well we planned out this beautiful seaside town .. but there's this super narrow bit of land right against the edge of the bluffs that we forgot to factor into our design .." "Any bright ideas?" "Let's just wing it and throw some grass, palm trees, bathrooms, benches, and paths down and see what happens - at least it'll look nice!" ".. .. .." "Alright, let's do that." Well their 'mistake' turned into Palisades Park which doesn't disappoint. This park exists along Ocean Ave between California and San Vicente (where the official Palisades Park signs are placed). I loved running the dirt path as there is always the ocean on one side and busy SaMo on the other; I felt like I was literally running along the borderline between two alien worlds! Definitely a mixed crowd here with runners, artists, families, homeless, and exercise groups; a super eclectic mix that adds to the surreality of this park. The views of the ocean are also breathtaking and worth many stops while walking through the park. If you're headed to the beach/Pier this is definitely a place to walk through and visit!

Great place for a walk on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. Best at sunset!

Great place to see everyone & everything!! Close to all. Great views of the ocean. ****TON'S OF HOMELESS SLEEPING HERE DURING THE DAY **** I'm not a tourist and I enjoy this park for small amounts of time. Tourists are EVERYWHERE tho and especially on the weekends it's a zoo. Nice park tho with a decent bathroom for emergencies!!

A stretch of green space above the freeway, Palisades Park runs parallels to the Pacific coast at the higher elevation, so it offers a spectacular view of the pier, the beach, and the coast! Especially on a beautiful sunny day that is typical in SoCal, walking in Palisades Park is a relaxing experience to be had. However, there are many homeless people that call this place home and though all of them mind to their own businesses, you probably don't want to idle here at nighttime by yourself. There are plenty of parking around that is free for the first 90 minutes or so, so I recommend coming from Third Street Promenade and walking through this park to reach the Santa Monica Pier!

The only place to get away from the homeless in Santa Monica. This is my happy place. Dog friendly and fun to walk with a buddy.

Fun place to enjoy a walk with dogs, friends or family along the ocean view of the park.

This is such a beautiful park located on sidewalk of Ocean Blvd. BUT I wish the city of Santa Monica would do something about homeless problem here and all the urine odor you can smell while walking, ugh! This is a popular landmark for both locals and tourists, better to be well kept and pleasant for families.

I love this hike. I'm in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy and this hike is perfect for me. Great exercise, beautiful views, and always parking. We usually hike up 2.5 miles one way and then turn around. You can go further to the highest point.

"Meanwhile the sea ebbs and flows in the grander tides of Earth whose stages are measurable not in hours but in millennia-tides so vast they are irresistible and uncomprehended by the senses. Their ultimate cause may be joined to be deep within the fury center of earth or it may lie somewhere in the dark spaces of the universe." - Rachel Carson, biologist, writer, ecologist* - Millennium Wall, Palisades Park** My out-of-town guests interested in typical touristy treks, get tossed my car keys because I'm not a Disney or Universal Studios kinda gal, never have been, never will be. Those with curiosity to truly explore MY So-Cal are encouraged to lace up their kicks, slather sunscreen, snag some H-2-O, and come along with me. I always park on San Vicente Boulevard to start my Palisades Park tour with a moment at the Millennium Wall and a brief nod north to the Alaskan Totem Pole, then, 14-blocks south, mostly on the decompressed granite walkway, with stops for photo ops, all the way to the Santa Monica Pier. On a clear day, you can see Catalina Island! Rose Garden, California Incline, Camera Obscurra are just a few of Palisades Park's highlights** I highlight. Sociologically, I ask my fellow foot soldiers to observe how this open space is harmoniously utilized by the high-rise neighbors across the street, the recreational exercisers, other tourists, the personal trainers holding "class", the homeless, and even the animal visitors (canines must be leashed) in addition to inhabitants, specifically the squirrels which in 2007 were fed Depo Provera® to control their population. Once at the pier, there's great need to refuel but as a discerning diner and with so many options along Ocean Avenue available to casually dressed patrons, I discourage filling up except for fluids. Actually, what I encourage is heading north to the car with a detour across Pacific Coast Highway, to Back On The Beach (when/if open) http://www.yelp.com/biz/back-on-the-beach-santa-monica for a "Fred Salad", a glass of vino, a pit stop for energy to call it just another day in So-Cal, Santa Monica... * http://www.rachelcarson.org/ ** http://www.smgov.net/departments/pcd/agendas/Landmarks-Commission/2007/20070312/Palisades%20Park%20Landmark%20Assessment%20Report.pdf

Whenever I'm shopping at Third Street Promenade, when it's almost time for sunset, I would walk over to the park which is just 5 minutes away. Love the view of the sunset as well as the view of Santa Monica Pier and Beach, it's magnificent! Makes you feel relaxed and forget about any unhappy things that happened on that day. It's usually not crowded, if you happen to be near the area, take a stroll there.

Whether you're getting your sweat on by biking, hiking, strolling, lunging, there are few places to workout outside that offer such spectacular views. Whether you're gazing at the beautiful sky, beach and palm trees, people-watching by the promenade, or the lights on the pier, it's truly a sight to see. Be inspired by the people working out all around you, or take a stroll with a loved one and appreciate all the beauty around you.

There's a great story behind the 18-foot-tall sculpture of Saint Monica in Palisades Park! Our city namesake, Monica, was born in 300 A.D. and shed many tears in her lifetime due to the evil deeds of her son, St. Augustine of Hippo. For these reasons, St. Monica came to represent the virtues of unconditional love, strength and patience. Anyway, in the 18th century a missionary named Father Juan Crespí was searching for water and discovered a natural spring. He was reminded of the tears Monica shed for her son. (The spring is still around, on the site of present day Uni High.) An art deco sculpture of Saint Monica, completed by Eugene Morahan in 1934, now stands watch over the bluffs at Palisades Park, along with a variety of other sculptures and art installations.

Love this park and walk here all the time in the PM. My only complaint is that the people who go here, leave trash around and walk their dogs off leash. Otherwise the city does a great job of maintaining this park. I am lucky to enjoy it.

This park is located on the bluffs of Santa Monica. It delivers a paved walking trail, as well as a dirt jogging trail along the stretch of Ocean Avenue between the pier and San Vicente Blvd. The trails are very scenic, and have several statues and memorials lining the way. Restrooms are also spaced every several hundred meters, and are maintained adequately. The people you'll see running these trails are mostly SM locals. They are a good crowd. However, there are quite a bit of homeless people that can get violent at times. This is the bad side of SM. I have nothing against the homeless at all, I have a heart after all. I do have something against those who abuse drugs, and attack people when they are high. To stay safe from any hooligans, just travel in groups of two or more. I've done so, and never had trouble. On a lighter note, the views from the park toward the ocean are spectacular, especially when the sun sets. Photographers take notice!

My favorite destination to embrace LA. It makes you just want to click your heels three times and say there is no place like California.

It is surprising how few reviews there are for this park, considering the traffic it gets. When I lived in Santa Monica, I walked the length of it nearly every day. Palisades Park is where the real L.A. meets the movie L.A. Homeless people hang out here, yes. And why not? It's paradise. The city runs to the ocean and is stopped by a crumbling cliff. It's here that Palisades Park, a strip of immaculate green grass crisscrossed by paved and earth paths lined with trees and benches, stretches for several miles. There's a war memorial, a world-class rose garden, large-scale sculpture, drinking fountains and clean restrooms. What more do you want? People run, walk dogs, walk and talk and just sit here to look out at the ocean, the white beaches of Santa Monica and the curve of the mountains that become Malibu. From here you can see the entire Santa Monica Bay including the pier, sailboats in the water, volleyball players on the beach and the PCH below. Close enough to breathe the fresh air coming off the water and yet only steps away from Happy Hour cocktails. You'll hear no less than five different languages being spoken and might observe traditional garb from Asia, the Middle East or Africa. Tourists from all over the world, aspiring and successful models, actors, musicians and immigrants all gather here. They might be obese, in shape, young, very old or just desperately clinging to their youth. This is Los Angeles and we love L.A.

This is one of the truly free, great things to do in LA! This is a great walking path on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean. Great view of the Santa Monica pier. People here are running, walking, doing yoga, etc. Lots of people walk their dogs along this path; I saw so many cute ones! (I'm referring to the dogs as being cute, in case that wasn't clear. I'm sure the people are okay, too, I was just more interested in checking out their furry friends). You can find free parking on the residential streets- like I said, this is something that is actually free. If you can't find parking, you'll just need to park in a lot (not free). I didn't have a problem finding street parking. There are bridges going over PCH to the beach, so you can stroll over to the beach if you want. There is a rose garden, which I loved, and some fun art pieces. Lots of big, beautiful palm trees, too. I walked here the other day and had a great lunch at the Fairmont after, and there are plenty of other places to grab a bite on the promenade. Definitely come here on a sunny day!