Santa Monica Attractions

With a carousel, an arcade, an amusement park, a trapeze school, restaurants and a summer outdoor concert series, the Santa Monica Pier offers a wide range of activities for the whole family. The Santa Monica Pier celebrated its Centennial on September 9, 2009, making it one of California’s oldest pleasure piers.

Our outdoor farmers’ markets are the place to find fresh, beautiful produce and cut flowers from local, organic California farmers, as well as live music, chef exhibitions, artisanal cheeses and gourmet items. In fact, many top Southern California chefs and restaurateurs are regulars at our markets.

The original Santa Monica Muscle Beach – an outdoor, beachside facility with a range of workout equipment – was made famous by Jack LaLanne, the godfather of physical fitness.

Chess Park is for those looking for a mental workout. Though the level of play is high, and overall tone pretty serious, challengers are always welcome, as are observers.

Within Santa Monica’s 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²) are over 420 acres of public open green parks with facilities for everything from basketball to softball, swimming to tennis and even lawn bowling.

Santa Monica’s proximity to greater Los Angeles and Southern California is another reason that Santa Monica has so many repeat visitors – nearby options range from Hollywood to Beverly Hills, Disneyland to the Universal Studios, all within an hour’s drive.