Getaway Guide: Santa Monica

The salty ocean spray blows across the highway as the Southern California beaches come more clearly into view. An inexplicable energy rises from the sandy ground, creating a childlike sense of excitement as the faint sounds of joyous screams are heard coming from the pier. All signs of city life are left behind as you drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, through the McClure Tunnel, and along the seemingly endless shores, that makes Santa Monica a quintessential beach town.

Santa Monica, California temperatures hover below 70 degrees during November, welcoming consistent surf and satisfying swells. In warmer months, the weather is accommodating, sitting at a comfortable 70 to 80 degrees. Though this coastal oasis only covers 8.3 square miles of land and about three miles of coastline, there are a number of things to do in Santa Monica, from surfing and skating to wandering around the farmers market and seeing the end of Route 66 at the Santa Monica Pier. The oceanside city’s fresh air and turquoise waters embody the spirit of an endless summer, so pack your bathing suit, grab your outdoor gear, buckle up, and hit the road for an unforgettable weekend in Santa Monica, California.

DAY 1

Arriving

Cruising between Anaheim and Santa Monica, the craving for the sandy shores of the Pacific Ocean begins to grow. The need to relax has fully settled in, and nowhere sounds better than the beaches of Santa Monica. 

After an hour of driving through the concrete-laden city, the urbanscape is replaced with green foliage, eucalyptus trees, and the occasional cypress. You have arrived at one of the best getaway destinations in the state. This calls for some coffee. 

When it comes to historical coffee shops in Santa Monica, it doesn’t get much better than Dogtown Coffee. Housed in the building once home to Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions, Dogtown Coffee serves up the Santa Monica spirit in every cup of micro-roasted, local, and organic coffee. Opt for the Salty Dog, a caramel iced coffee with a decadent cold brew mixed with sweet caramel and finished off with a sea salt–infused foam. And after a taste of some of the delicious snacks the coffee shop offers, why not head back to the car and drive along the coast to the Saturday farmers market. 

Though side streets offer a more direct route to the market, it’s hard to pass up the opportunity to see the ocean glistening in the morning sun. The cyan waters are dotted with the occasional ambitious surfer catching the cresting waves, hoping to avoid riptides like those present at the Venice Fishing Pier a town over. Families lay out their beach blankets, post their umbrellas in the sand, and prepare to build sandcastles as the day warms up and the waters become much more inviting. Though it’s a quick drive, there is something memorable about these shores that lingers as you hook inland toward the Third Street Promenade. 

There is plenty of fall produce at the Santa Monica farmers market between the artisanal olives, fresh organic dates, and locally grown pecans. Unlike most cities throughout California, Santa Monica is home to three different markets; of these, the Saturday event is mostly geared toward home chefs. The Wednesday market is more focused on supplying local goods to the nearby eateries, and the Sunday setup is full of prepared goods for the whole family. Being surrounded by so many local farmers and residents, it’s easy to imagine making Santa Monica your permanent home. 

Afternoon

A cup of coffee in bed seals the deal. Though you’re not ready to return to real life after such an incredible weekend away, there’s still enough time left to enjoy Santa Monica there’s no use in focusing on the inevitable. Once you’ve packed and successfully checked out of your hotel, and thrown the luggage in the car, brunch at the Blue Daisy, among the top Santa Monica restaurants,  seems like the perfect reward. 

Enjoy delicious crepes and sandwiches that are filling enough to make for a satisfying eat, but won’t hamper your day, leaving you plenty of energy to enjoy your waning hours in Santa Monica.

A few hours of forgetting about the rest of the world is enough to make you feel like a new person, but as the morning’s bites begin to wear off, it becomes essential to grab something to eat. The sand seems to stick to every inch of skin—including the bits that didn’t even touch the sand—but some vigorous toweling off takes care of most of it. A quick change of clothes and a dose of leave-in conditioner renew the vacation glow, so it’s off to Stella Barra Pizzeria to satiate your hunger. 

Since Stella Barra is located near Dogtown Coffee, the roads begin to look more familiar, but the warmth of this eatery feels entirely new. The marble bar top, industrial furniture, and thick wooden tables welcome hungry guests looking for a luxurious meal. As a California-style pizza joint, Stella Barra constantly changes its menu to accommodate the freshest local and sustainable ingredients from the nearby farmers' markets.

After luxuriating in these incredible dishes, it’s finally time to move on to the main event. There are nearly a dozen pizzas to choose from, so it’s difficult to decide, but the prosciutto and egg pizza with Parmesan cream sauce and a dash of chili flakes is never the wrong choice. For a bit of simplicity, order the classic margherita or pepperoni Pizza, which will be a major step up from your usual pizza outing. 

Once your fully satisfying meal comes to an end, climb back in the car and make your way to the Viceroy Santa Monica. While there is no shortage of  Santa Monica hotels, there is nothing quite like the elegance of the Viceroy. Striped floors complement the city- and ocean-view rooms as the soft linens beg for a cozy night in. Though the comfort of the suites offers enticing opportunities to take it easy, there are so many fun things to do in Santa Monica that just can’t wait.

The first stop is the Camera Obscura Art Lab along Ocean Avenue. While there are dozens of activities—including crafts, cultural programs, painting lessons, and salsa classes—are offered here, the main attraction can only be seen if you exchange your driver's license for the key to the camera obscura. After climbing a set of stairs, you’ll enter a dark room with a white disk in the center that shows the projections of whatever is passing by outside. Like the camera obscura in San Francisco, this is one of California's last functional camera obscura devices.

Continue the cultural exploration of Santa Monica by making your way to Bergamot Station. Bergamot Station has a rich history. It started as a railroad station before being turned into a celery-packing house, an ice-making plant, then a water heater manufacturing facility before finally getting a new life as the renowned art complex it is today. This unique spot in downtown Santa Monica hosts over a dozen global artists and is the ideal place to see a wide range of artwork for free. 

Evening

The day seems to be over in a flash, and it doesn’t seem possible that half of your vacation could already be behind you. Trying to shake this reality from your mind, drive back towards the ocean to get a closer look at the Santa Monica Pier and its surrounding attractions. While it might appear to be a tourist trap, the pier is actually home to some of the best things to do in Santa Monica. From riding the carousel and checking out the Ferris wheel at Pacific Park to stopping by the Original Muscle Beach and seeing the end of Route 66, spending time in this area is easy. So grab a funnel cake, have a caricature drawn, and take plenty of touristy photos to make the most of this carefree destination before the night is over.

DAY 2

Morning

A cup of coffee in bed seals the deal. Though you’re not ready to return to real life after such an incredible weekend away, there’s still enough time left to enjoy Santa Monica that there’s no use in focusing on the inevitable. Once you’ve packed and successfully checked out of your hotel, and thrown the luggage in the car, brunch at the Blue Daisy, among the top Santa Monica restaurants,  seems like the perfect reward. 

Enjoy delicious crepes and sandwiches that are filling enough to make for a satisfying eat, but won’t hamper your day, leaving you plenty of energy to enjoy your waning hours in Santa Monica.

Afternoon

While the coastal vibes and surfing spots tug at your heartstrings, there are too many things to do near Santa Monica that come highly recommended and thus can’t be ignored. Since Malibu is so close by, a quick trip isn’t optional—even if it is just for a drive to Point Dume to watch the rock climbers for a few moments or to Malibu Farms for a quick drink. 

With time running out and numerous Santa Monica attractions left on the to-do list, you should already be planning your next trip. A hike in the Santa Monica Mountains, a meal at Rustic Canyon, a dip in the pool at the William Randolph Hearst–designed Annenberg Community Beach House, and a concert at McCabe’s Guitar Shop are all unique experiences only available in this small region of California—so you don’t want to miss out.