Santa Monica State Beach
Beach · Santa Monica
California
"Just west of Los Angeles, this highly frequented destination centers on an iconic pier with a famous roller coaster that offers spectacular sunset views from the top of the tracks. Nearby beachfront accommodations run from luxury bungalows at the Fairmont Miramar (private patios and rentable beach cruisers) to the design-forward Sandbourne Santa Monica, Autograph Collection, which offers direct beach access and complimentary beach chairs, umbrellas, and boogie boards." - Adeline Duff Adeline Duff Adeline Duff is a writer and editor who specializes in beauty, wellness, and travel. A former Travel + Leisure editor, she discovered her passion for exploring the beauty habits of other cultures while working for the brand. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"The famous Santa Monica Pier draws people from all over the state with its classic amusement park complete with a roller coaster, games, and golden-fried carnival treats. Heal the Bay Aquarium beneath the Ferris wheel offers hands-on educational fun for the kids. This vibrant stretch along the Pacific is also a prime spot for partaking in all the usual beach activities: sunbathing, swimming, surfing, volleyball, and sunset viewing. You can also bike, jog, or walk along the paved path to iconic Venice Beach down the way." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"Santa Monica is one of the most iconic beaches in the Greater Los Angeles area. Its long white sandy beaches, pier, and Annenberg Community Beach House define it, and it's always teeming with activity and people. Roller coaster rides, Segways, pancakes, luxury hotels —you can get almost anything you need on Santa Monica Beach and its famous white sand's not too bad either. If you don't find something to do there, you're not looking." - Maxwell Williams, Krista Simmons
