Overview
Santa Monica is where Los Angeles meets the beach, the one made famous by the Baywatch TV series of yesteryear. It's the oldest and the biggest of LA's resort areas, perched on palm-shaded bluffs above the blue Pacific. There are miles of prepared paths for walking, jogging, cycling and skating.
You can hire bikes to explore this area and adjoining Venice and the famous Muscle Beach; book a surfing lesson; wander round the beach stalls selling their funky wares or stroll Santa Monica Pier. Don't miss the Third Street Promenade, three blocks of car-free shopping, dining and imbibing.
