Santa Monica Beach is a great time, especially for someone who has not been to town. It is safe and nice. If you use Pacific Ave. to get to the ramp leading down to the Pier parking you can stop at Palisades Park. It is lovely there and you are above the beach. You can take great photos from there, especially at sunset and when you want a large photo of the beach or pier. Parking is for a fee at the Santa Monica Pier parking. It is below the pier. From there you can go to the beach and lay in the sun or swim. The water looks so clean, but it is not. Beware of fish hooks and just don't swim there everyday, it is not as clean as it looks. It is a walk from parking to the beach because the because the beach is wide with sand. You can get to the Pier by using the steps that go right up to the Pier. Around this area you can walk, there are great places to eat and the Pier is super fun with rides and places to eat and games. It is also a great place to take photos. Have fun. Oh, you can also use your bike, get on the path anywhere and it will take you to the beach. On the boardwalk is Muscle Beach, which has a lot of gym equipment and you will see lots of very well built people working out there. Don't ever leave your bike unlocked, ever. read more

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One of the first places I came when I arrived in California. It's one of the reasons I moved out to LA from NY. The energy mixed with calm at the time was refreshing for me. The workout area became one of my outdoor gyms. In the ocean became my sanctuary. It's also a great place to people watch. Never a dull moment, but there is certainly also calm moments as well early in the morning. read more

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I have gone to Santa Monica State Beach a few times, and it is definitely a great Los Angeles experience. The beach is really wide, but most people spend their time up on the massive pier with the rides and food stands. It gets extremely crowded on the weekends, which makes parking pretty difficult if you do not arrive early. Even with the huge crowds, it is a really fun place to walk around and soak in the lively atmosphere right by the ocean. read more

After our lunch at Seaside on the Pier we decided to walk along the beach, then back up to downtown 3rd Street. The steps and bridge (closest to the Pier) that take you down to the beach area are kinda gross. Once you get to the beach, the walkways are paved, wide and well maintained overall. I really like the separation between the walking and biking sides. It gets quieter and less crowded as you get further from the Pier. We enjoyed the ocean views, admired the beautiful homes and surrounding areas. The cool ocean breeze made the long walk easy to manage. The walkways and bridge back to downtown were better. Overall a nice place to spend a relaxing afternoon. We plan to bring our bikes next time to explore further down the beach. read more

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Relaxing with a nice view and fresh air here at this beach! A lot have changed since I have been here. There are bicycle lanes and many street parking spaces. Easy to park and walk around the beach. Easy accessibility. Third street promenade is closed by here with restaurants and coffee shops added more charm to the experience of visiting the Santa Monica beach. This beach can get crowded in the hot summer days especially on the weekends and holidays. Really nice to walk around the beach at this time around 6-7pm. Breezy weather makes it comfortable to walk around after busy and stressful work days. California beaches are best ways to de-stress and a must visit destinations. read more

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Parking was difficult since they had street closures and lots of people visiting because hot temperatures in the city. The beach was fairly clean. There was a beautiful sunset and quite a few dogs on the beach but none of them were called out. They all seemed well behaved. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica State Beach is always a fun place for the kids to explore! We love coming here to dip our toes in the water, or, as my son does, jump in when the waves come crashing in. He loves building elaborate sandcastles. We often enjoy a stroll along the beach. Parking is plentiful in the lot, and there are many vendors selling various items. Be mindful of the seagulls; they can be quite persistent when it comes to snacks! While the water is a bit chilly, it's incredibly refreshing to cool off after spending time in the hot sun. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Ready to build another sandcastle! - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I just needed a private escape with little to no people and the sound of the ocean. If I didn't have to pay for parking, I would have stayed much longer, but the police attendants were out on what was a beautiful cool & sunny day!! It wasn't hot, so dipping my toes in the sand wasn't an issue, but definitely bring some shade to help enjoy it for more than an hour. Not a lot of trash at my location, just off PCHY near North Beach Playground. I would definitely return as the Beach volleyball courts are nearby! read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Been coming to this beach since I was a little kid. My whole family would have get togethers. I am a true L.A native that grew up coming to Santa Monica Beach coming from the Baldwin Hills area. This beach is nothing like what it used to be. Its become a tourist destination now. Although plenty of locals still use this beach and have fun. So many good restaurants, and parking is hard to find. Better get here early. Boardwalk is the most fun. You wont find many surfers surfing here. Its just a beach where people like to walk around, rather than go swimming here. read more

The beach is obviously the best part of this place. Would definitely be a 5 - star place if the city and the people decided to better care for it. Lots of trash on the beach, homeless people everywhere, seagulls eating everywhere. But hey you're at the beach. I really enjoyed walking down and feeling the water. There were several lifeguards posted making it safe if you happen to want to go in all the way. Really cool spot to watch the sunset. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Santa Monica state beach gets a 3 star rating from me. It's a beautiful beach but It's just not my favorite beach. It's just OK. As it's hard to find parking and it gets Hella crowded read more

This is a nice beach with sand that we way too hot! I didn't realize that this part of the beach was also known as the inkwell. And the only relationship to that name was a movie of the same name. They have a placque on a tree, but nothing else. We sat and folks went into the water while I watched their stuff. They have a big barn looking thing where you can take a shower afterwards. But it's a nice beach. I could see the Santa Monica Pier off in the distance which was cool. I don't know that I'd be back because my sister now lives in a different part of Los Angeles, but it was fun being there for this visit. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - The pier, north of us. - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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The beach was so much fun! I love that they offer a beautiful pier with rides and surrounding restaurants. I went while a public event was going on and it made our experience so much better. They have bathrooms, showers, and outdoor gym as well. It's definitely a California staple. Although I know it's not in their control the beach water is on the dirtier side. If you're looking for clean waters more than activities I would head to another location. Other than the parking it was great! read more

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One of my best friends loves this beach and raved about it. I'm not really a beach person, but enjoyed this beach. A little crowded, but I feel like that's typical for California from what I've seen. Definitely come prepared with shade if you are not a fan of large amounts of sun! Very glad I prepared to make this a better experience. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Sand castle fun with my new seagull buddy - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica Beach is very nice and well kept. I have been here for a Children's Hospital of Los Angeles fundraising event and a Heal the Bay beach cleanup volunteer event recently. They were both fun events. I would love to participate in them again. The beach brings people together that's for sure. It's a great place to spend the morning, afternoon, and evening. It's right where the Santa Monica Pier is located. You can't go wrong with a beautiful beach, great foods and drinks, entertainment, and shopping. There are many food and other vendors all lined up on the sidewalk along side the pier area. It's quite a long walk from the parking lot to the waters, but once you get there, the walk is all worth it. Please be forewarned that there may be homeless people lying on the beach. Btw, there is plenty of parking. Pay $15 for all day. Sorry no validation. read more

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Santa Monica Beach is one of the most iconic beaches to visit in California. There are many parking lots around as well as restrooms. Parking is not free so that was a bit of a pain. There are parking garages that are cheaper walking distance away from the beach. There are also a lot of dining options nearby. I came here in May 2024 and walked down the boardwalk and it was crowded for the off-season. Even the beach was swamped with people. It is a tourist destination, so I did expect the crowd. Despite the sun shining down, there was a cool breeze from the water. There are many vendors on the boardwalk, including some selling sunglasses and hats. There is a playground, basketball, tennis, and volleyball court as well. Dogs are not actually allowed on the beach. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Very nice, accessible beach, close to downtown Santa Monica, right near the Pier. It is a lively, a tad on the crowded side beach, if our are looking for more privacy, there are other options along the coast, but this beach isn't that kind. It's more like that vacation vibe, you are on the main drag and things are happening. Restrooms aren't super clean, but you get the picture. Can bring your own food, there are options around, but expensive and more on the junk food side. The ocean is on the cold side, that being our Pacific ocean here. Parking is pricey, but the views are nice and you can't beat the sunsets here, I like to linger and wait for that magic hour. Seating on the beach, taking it all in, makes it for a nice, unforgettable moment. read more

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This is our favorite place it's become a little tradition to be here married then honeymooned here and now we are here forever read more

Santa Monica State Beach - HoneyMooners!!!!! July2017 - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

We come to this beach after going to the pier. It's a tourist beach. It is convenient for us to go to, and has restrooms. But it's also dirty. The water itself is dirty and the trash in the sand all over. A lot of us southern California locals pick up after ourselves and after others, but people visiting seem to use this beach as a dumping ground and expect that other people will clean it for them or something. Which is true, we do clean up after other people's messes here. It's like this at any tourist beach in SoCal sadly. read more

The beach is fine for a walk or people-watching, but it felt crowded and a bit chaotic during my visit. It's nice enough, though it didn't stand out compared to other beaches nearby. read more

It is such a beautiful beach to escape the stress of Los Angeles. It's a happy place, beautiful and full of life and things to do. My only recommendation is for the city to actually clean up the fake homeless! And what I mean by that is those crazy drugged up zombies that city allows them to walk around and cause chaos. Once again the 1989's homeless are different than these mentally insane! It's these once in Santa Monica and Venice beach that should be taken Way. read more

the state beach is a relaxing experience. although the area is known for its tourism and high-life environments, this state beach is calming and its a good option for a smooth LA vibe read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Made it to Santa Monica Beach today. I chose this specific Beach because according to the LA beaches website it has an ADA pathway. What I didn't know is that this ADA pathway differs from all the other ADA pathways I've used and while this one is wheelchair accessible, it's not accessible to someone like me with limited mobility. The wood planks are too uneven and too far apart for me to safely traverse without having someone's arm to hold on to. Unfortunately that means I'm sitting way back here by the parking lot. I'm on the sand but the only thing separating me from my car is the bikeway / walkway. At least I'm enjoying a nice picnic lunch before I turn around and head home. read more

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I love this beach! So much to do, see, and explore. I've been here many times, but the view of the pier will never get old. It's a great place to spend the day. Enjoy :) read more

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I've lived almost my entire life in L.A. but have only made it to the beach a handful of times. It's always felt like a huge chore, with all the packing and traffic and sunscreen and sand. This summer, though, my three-year-old Leo B. has discovered a deep love for the ocean, so when Santa Monica Beach regulars Melissa K. and Kevin L. invited us for a day at Ocean Park last weekend, we decided to deal with the hassle and go. I was shocked to find that with only a reasonably early start time, arriving around 11:30, there was no traffic and parking was easy, in a $12 lot with plenty of spaces. (The same lot appeared to be a horrific clogged nightmare when we left a few hours later.) Kevin also spent the morning running around in search of a beach tent, and between that and a few folding chairs, we had a lovely, relaxing set-up. It had to be pretty far up, which meant either me or my husband Matt B. was away from the group at all times, as our kid would not leave the water, but it was still about as comfortable as I've ever been at the beach. My only complaint is that the bathrooms were kind of gross and didn't have toilet paper, but I wasn't expecting better. The beach was beautiful and clean, with soft velvety sand and a gentle tide. Leo loved every minute we were there, and I had a fantastic time hanging out with my baby and friends while poor Matt got sunburned digging a hole in the sand with our first child. I was impressed with Santa Monica Beach, or at least this Ocean Park stretch of it, and may finally let go of my nearly lifelong aversion to beach outings. It's a good thing, since I apparently have a beach bum of a son. read more

Santa Monica State Beach is pure magic! Despite the crowd, the vibe is joyful and laid-back, capturing the essence of a perfect California day. This is the classic beach experience you're looking for! read more

Santa Monica State Beach - View from the pier - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Nothing soothes the soul like a walk in the beach. It's time to seas the day! Without further ado let's do this sexy beach review! ;D Santa Monica State Beach is one of the iconic beaches of Southern California operated by the city of SM. It's located just south west from DTLA. Tourists and visitors come to the Santa Monica State Beach because it is large, at 3.5 miles in length has a maintained, soft sandy beach, and walking distance to popular hotels, shops and restaurants and a majestic view of the Pacific Ocean and SM mountain. Moreover, it has beach volleyball courts, and bike rentals. Beach goers were friendly and respectful. SMB offers copious amount of parking lots through out beach at a reasonable fee. This beach offers great sunset and sunrise. Overall, I always enjoy going to this iconic beach. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - One of many friendly beach goer in Santa Monica. Lol. ;D #HandModel #LyfIsABeach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This is one great beach!!! This beach is so so SoCal!! It's huge, super clean, and has so many things to do. You can rent bikes from multiple places and ride the beach path. If you go a ways north of the Santa Monica Pier, there are a lot of volleyball nets set up on the sand if that's what you want to get in to. This place is active all day and well into the evening. The 'original' Muscle Beach is here also if you want to get your workout on, which a lot of people did, especially in the mornings and evenings. They have big restrooms and change rooms and they are always clean, shout out to the workers here, they do an excellent job!! The SoCal sunsets here are awesome, if you come here, make sure you put that on your list!! I love the beach, I could have hung out here all day easily!! read more

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Time & Date: Saturday, 6/19/21 @ 4pm Parking: parking structures near 3rd St free for 1.5hr Crowd: not too crazy but still a good amount of people Santa Monica is definitely a more touristy beach to visit in LA, so because there's more human traffic there I tend to stay away. One of my favorite parts of LA beaches are the beach homes along the shore, I can look at beach houses all day haha. If you want to play volleyball, there are nets available! The pier is also right on the beach, with food, a theme park, and gift shops! TLDR: If you don't like touristy places, go to another beach! read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

We really enjoyed ourselves here. There's plenty of room and people were spaced out. The beach is clean and the water is cold at first. Once you get in, you don't want to get out. The waves were very nice and it was just so relaxing to feel the nice cool breeze. We spent many hours boogie boarding. There are people walking around selling umbrellas, boogie boards, sand toys and towels. We bought another boogie board for $20. $10 less than the ones at the beach stores. They also accept credit cards if you don't have cash. We will definitely come back soon. It was so nice to get away for a while. read more

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My favorite beach in LA! The state beach is different than the plain ol' beach and I think some reviews are getting confused. There is Santa Monica Beach and then there is Santa Monica State Beach...close but very different experiences. The State beach is down farther from the pier, not right next to it. Parking is $10, no trash, very clean beach, bathrooms are fine, etc. When it gets over 80, it gets pretty busy even during COVID-19 times. When it's down in the 60s, the crowd is just perfect in my opinion. Most people wear masks when walking around (not all which drives me crazy) and most people stay 6' apart or more. When it's in the 60s the crowd is great but it can get chilly after sitting for awhile. Bring a blanket! Or a wind blocking tent! Love this beach and planning on going back & relaxing as much as I can. read more

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The Santa Monica State Beach is a pretty long stretch of beach, and there are paid parking lots down it - with bathrooms and restaurants and playgrounds as well. It is a nice beach with lots of things to see and do. read more

Went for a swim this morning. Water was a very refreshing 73 degrees. The surf was nice for some light body surfing. The showers / restrooms were very clean in the early morning. A nice plank boardwalk makes the beach very approachable from the $2 lot. Surprisingly busy at 7:00 in the morning. The overnight cleaning made the beach litter on the light side. Still can't figure why so many just leave their trash. It was a nice morning excursion. read more

Went here back in 2016 with my girlfriend on our first trip together when we first got together. Loved walking around the pier the many different restaurants to eat at. And of course the rides and the beautiful beach view and the area itself planning on making another trip here in the summer this year. read more

Still crowded despite of covid 19. Most people don't honor the 6 ft distance. And forget the face coverings. Dirty water, plenty of trash everywhere. Lots of families bringing their picnic here, and just could care less about keeping the beach clean. Restroom was very unkempt as well. And far! Not to mention the long line! $15 all day parking (same as Huntington Beach). We were at the beach 1pm-5pm, went to the pier for some hot dogs, cotton candies and coffee, back to the water 6pm-830pm. $15 well spent. When we went back at 6pm, the crowd transformed from families with small children to youngsters/ young adults that mostly 420 friendly and bring in their booze. Saw couple that was drunk and fell down. The guy was so drunk (or high), he didn't realize his too-big-short fell down. The lifeguard had to tell him to pull his pants up. You get the idea of the crowd. 2 years and 5 years ago I had the same impressions of this beach, but giving it benefit of a doubt, since the children are older maybe they would enjoy it, with all the free "entertainment" at the pier, etc. Apparently, NOPE! Still the same! But overall, I made the best out of it. I was happy that now, Starbucks was across the Heal the Bay aquarium. As long as I got my coffee, I'm good! Lots of sellers of body boards for children for $15 each (seems it was just a foam board with cover). I got two for $25 (some Dollar Tree have it in the beginning of summer). The umbrella shade was $20 each. I had one in the car, too lazy to carry it out and didn't want to trigger my back problem, so I was glad I could pay $20 for one shade. Lots of ice creams sellers. $6 per ice cream. Thought it was such a rip off but I still got 3 for each kid since we were in local vacation ; tweety, ninja turtle & cookies and cream cup. After I paid, she told me in Spanish that she didn't have spoon. So how could my son eat the ice cream? Of course she wouldn't do refund. Whatever. He ended up using the lid as a spoon. Just beware. First and last buying it. read more

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They sell volleyballs for $17 if you don't have one or forget to bring one. Thought it was worth mentioning. Lots of volleyball nets all set up for beach volleyball, I love it. Even though it's a popular tourist spot, lots of locals come because it's just a wonderful environment. Lively, great boardwalk, volleyball, beautiful views, and the pier. Oh also great doggos! read more

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Love walking this beach. Great views of the mountains on one side and Santa Monica pier on the other. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I remember the second date that my boyfriend and I went on, a year and a half ago, to Santa Monica. I love this beach! We've since returned dozens of times. One of my favorite last-minute dates or general pick-me-up activities was to go to Santa Monica beach, maybe walk on the pier, breathe in the ocean air, listen to the waves, and then get a bite to eat afterwards once we were hungry. The beach gets surprisingly empty at night and especially during the winter months. For awhile, we'd go for Saturday morning runs along the walkway here. This is such a great place to run if you haven't been exercising for awhile because there is so much to distract your mind! read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Some of my favorite memories from last year were on this beach. - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Beautiful beach and on such a chilly day it was surprising to see wildlife still out and about. Loving Santa Monica. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Wildlife just outside of the parking lot! - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I love going to Santa Monica... California has so many beaches and piers but Santa Monica is one of them that is so close to my heart! I love how many restaurants this place is surrounded with, which is easy access! And I love how they keep up and maintain the rides here and all the carnival games, the arcades the street stores, small vendors (souvenirs, creacatures, balloon vendors etc) such a great spot to bring anyone here no matter how many times you've already been here! I just wish they keep up with the Restroom, maintain it more as it's a very very PUBLIC restroom. And at night I wish they put more lights near the swings where kids play and have more security to patrol. read more

Santa Monica State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Monica, California