All places
Every place in the guide, with Eat first. Use the categories to narrow it down.
Eat
A one-Michelin-star Californian dinner on Wilshire, with a walk-in bar.
A lively Main Street dinner for Southeast Asian curries — packed even on Mondays.
A family-friendly Cal-Italian pizzeria in Sunset Park, built around the patio and the pies.
A lively downtown rooftop for sunset drinks, a scene, and whipped eggplant.
A casual Wilshire bakery café for pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries.
A casual Pico neighborhood restaurant for brunch, lunch, and a pork chop at dinner.
A local, family-friendly Italian spot for pizza, pasta, and a good brunch.
A local farm-to-table spot on Wilshire, built around the farmers' market.
Drink
A Thursday–Saturday evening lounge at the Fairmont Miramar, with $22 cocktails and a smart-casual door.
An 18th-floor hotel restaurant and bar for the ocean view, cocktails, and a weekday happy hour.
Coffee
A Main Street coffee shop in the old Zephyr surf space, known for breakfast burritos and the Salty Dog.
A sister-run Wilshire bakery for Lebanese-leaning pastries, sourdough, coffee, and matcha.
The Westside outpost of the San Francisco bakery, for country loaf, morning buns, and a casual lunch.
Parks & Beaches
Annenberg Community Beach House
A public beach house on PCH with a free playground and splash pad, plus a seasonal paid historic pool.
A big Sunset Park lawn for playgrounds, picnic barbecues, and sports fields, with parking on site.
A Wilshire neighborhood park with a playground, a duck pond, lawns, and tennis.
A free bluff-top park on Ocean Avenue, with bay views and a path from the Pier to Adelaide Drive.
A downtown neighborhood park with a playground, tennis, and basketball, plus the Miles Memorial Playhouse.
The city's long stretch of sand, with a bike path, volleyball courts, and paid beach lots.
A flat paved beach path through Santa Monica — bikes, strollers, and walkers, with a separate walking path alongside.
A Pico community park with playgrounds, a seasonal splash pad, and a Saturday farmers market.
Things to Do
A small aquarium under the Pier with local species — as of Oct 2026, regular weekend drop-in hours are paused.
A stretch of independent shops and cafés from 7th to 17th — calmer, and slower, than the Promenade.
A compact aviation museum at Santa Monica Airport, with aircraft, open cockpits, and a Sunday simulator.
The original outdoor gym on the sand just south of the Pier — free equipment, not the Venice pit.
An ungated amusement park on the Pier, with the Pacific Wheel, a coaster, and pay-as-you-go rides.
A free-to-walk pier with a carousel, rides, fishing, and restaurants — busy, and under construction at the entrance.
A car-free downtown shopping street of stores, restaurants, and a twice-weekly farmers market.