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THINGS
TO DO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
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Santa Monica
Beach
Los Angeles Day Trip
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by Matthew
Martz. |
With the
Pacific Ocean as its backdrop, Santa Monica is the perfect
destination with its blend of sunny beaches, acclaimed
shopping areas, and star gazing for A-list celebrities.
Located just minutes from downtown Los Angeles, and
just steps from the beach, Santa Monica is an ideal
beachside resort for all sorts of excursions, including
guided tours of nearby Hollywood studio lots, a walk
along the historic boardwalk or Santa Monica Pier
Amother popular place to walk is the pedestrian-only
Third Street Promenade that is often filled with artists,
musicians and a variety of other street performers.
With so much to do, Santa Monica creates the perfect
setting for a romantic daytrip or family outing.
A great way to start your visit to Santa Monica is
by visiting the California Heritage Square Museum located
in the heart of fun and funky Main Street. Housed in
a 19th-century Victorian style home, this museum offers
a unique glimpse at local history with a series of period
rooms depicting the Santa Monica way of life from the
1890s through the 1930s.
The Main Street Farmers' Market is also held in the
museum's parking lot on Sundays.
Once you've learned a little about the Santa Monica
lifestyle, it's time to experience it, and there is
no better way than by taking a stroll down the Ocean
Front Walk, a wide, paved footpath lined with palm trees,
shops and restaurants that weaves its way along the
sandstone bluffs overlooking the Pacific between Palisades
Park and the pier.
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Starting at
the north end of the walk, with its amazing view of the
ocean, running trails, bike paths is Palisades Park. This
recreational area has been featured in many movies and TV
shows and is truly a hidden gem in the bumper to bumper
concrete jungle of west LA.
Continuing south, you will stumble upon
the Marion Davies Guest House. This iconic structure built
in the 1920s is the last remaining building on what was
once William Randolph Hearst's fabulous ocean front estate,
where Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Leslie
Howard and other stars of the day all enjoyed themselves
at one of Marion's famous parties. A free tour of the
house offers another fantastic peek into the history of
Santa Monica.
Traveling towards the pier, Santa Monica State Beach Park
provides a great place swimming, tanning, making sand
castles or viewing of one of the magnificent sunrises
or sunsets. Here you will find sandy beaches with plenty
of lifeguard stations, some nice wave action, kiddy playgrounds,
public restrooms and showers.
If you keep on following the cement pathway,
a couple blocks away is Third Street Promenade.
Developed in the late 1980s by the City
of Santa Monica in an effort to rejuvenate the waning
downtown area, Third Street Promenade is the area's most
popular pedestrian shopping precinct.
Located a mere three blocks from the Pacific
Ocean with its enormous flagship stores
movie multiplexes, and restaurants, it is a day of fun
for both adults and kids who love to play in the many
fountains designed as giant dinosaurs placed throughout
the four-block stretch. This is a part of town where you
are sure to shop 'til you drop, and you can make an entire
day out of it by visiting the nearby Santa Monica Pier
with its myriad of carnival rides shops and attractions.
For a more relaxing activity, visit legendary
Chess Park just south of the pier off the Santa Monica
Bike Path, with its public chess tables and a human-scale
chessboard set into the sidewalk.
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Finally, for an aeronautical adventure,
the Santa Monica Airport -- the oldest operating airport
in Los Angeles County --located just three miles southeast
of Chess Park is an absolute must see.
Unlike most municipal airports, this historic
airfield is more than just a landing strip.
It boasts two public observation decks,
a pair of highly praised restaurants, a theater, art studio,
soccer field, dog park, picnic and play areas, and an
outdoor antique market on the first and fourth Sundays
of each month.
The Runway View Deck and the Public Sky-deck
are located on the east and west ends of the Airport and
are free to view landing and departing aircraft and take
photographs while listening to the air and ground activity
broadcasts from the control tower over loudspeakers overhead.
Santa Monica Visitors can also enjoy a picnic
on the view deck as well as on the grassy area in front
of the Airport Administration building can view a different
angle by heading over to Clover Park at the corner of 25th
Street and Ocean Park Boulevard - where there is a viewing
area with a telescope focused on the runway.
Santa Monica a is located just off the 10 Freeway approximately
15 miles from downtown Los Angeles and 55 miles from southern
Orange County.
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Santa
Monica Pier is home to Pacific Park
and the worlds first solar powered ferris wheel. |
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Newport
Dunes year-round aquatic playground
and campground at the Newport Back Bay. |
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Venice
Beach one-of-a-kind location and a
must see for both locals and out of town visitors. |
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Jalama
Beach campground north of Santa Barbara.
Beach cottages available. |
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