Santa Monica
is southern California living at it’s best. The beautiful Santa Monica pier has been seen in countless movies and TV shows, and visitors can often watch scenes being filmed right on the beach. Santa Monica is three and a half miles of perfect white sand beach, sunny skies, and palm trees swaying in the warm ocean breezes. You can fish off the pier, go swimming in the ocean, play volleyball on the beach, play tag with the surf, or just sit back and work on your tan. You can see the original Muscle Beach, and for some of the best views of the Bay, visit Palisades Park atop Santa Monica’s famous sandstone cliffs. The Santa Monica Pier is famous for its’ beautifully restored historic carousel, and now it is also home to an amusement park. The city also has over 400 fine restaurants, dozens of art galleries, theater, street performers, and nightclubs. There are four distinct shopping districts for visitors and residents to enjoy in Santa Monica; the Main Street Shopping District, Montana Avenue, the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place. You will find fashion boutiques, arts and antiques, farmer’s markets, and home décor studios. Shopping in Santa Monica is upscale and chic and an adventure in itself. For even more pampering, you’ll find many spas, salons and fitness centers available for your pleasure in and around Santa Monica. Located just 8 miles north of Los Angeles International Airport, Santa Monica makes a convenient, and beautiful, southern California vacation destination.
Surrounding areas: Brentwood, California (2.1 mi), Venice, California (2.2 mi), Pacific Palisades, California (3.1 mi), Venice Beach, California (3.3 mi), Marina Del Rey, California (3.4 mi), Westwood, California (3.8 mi), Playa Del Rey, California (5.1 mi)
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Santa Monica Vacation Rentals
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Santa Monica Weather & Climate
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Southern California enjoys a mild year round climate that is classified as Mediterranean. There are two distinct seasonal changes, categorized by the amount of rainfall received - a dry summer and wet winter with modest variation in temperature. In the dry season, a Pacific high-pressure system dominates the weather pattern creating warm and very dry air and a thick marine layer that typically advances inland during the night and burns off to hazy sunshine by midday. Surface pollutants trapped under the marine layer, or fog, create L.A.'s infamous "smog." In winter, the high system is no longer dominant and storms fed by subtropical moisture bring lots of rain into southern California during the months of November through March. Afternoon sea breezes of 10 to 15 mph are common. Strong offshore winds, known as "Santa Anas," though not uncommon, rarely cause damage.
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| Month |
High Temp |
Low Temp |
Rainfall |
Ocean Temp |
| January |
63°F |
50°F |
3.06 in. |
58°F |
| February |
63°F |
51°F |
3.29 in. |
58°F |
| March |
62°F |
52°F |
2.56 in. |
60°F |
| April |
63°F |
53°F |
0.53 in. |
60°F |
| May |
63°F |
56°F |
0.25 in. |
60°F |
| June |
65°F |
59°F |
0.04 in. |
62°F |
| July |
68°F |
62°F |
0.01 in. |
64°F |
| August |
70°F |
63°F |
0.13 in. |
68°F |
| September |
70°F |
62°F |
0.17 in. |
69°F |
| October |
69°F |
59°F |
0.36 in. |
68°F |
| November |
67°F |
54°F |
1.02 in. |
64°F |
| December |
64°F |
50°F |
1.85 in. |
60°F |
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Santa Monica Map & Transportation
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| Click each thumbnail image to enlarge. |
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When traveling by air:
The closest airports in the area are the Los Angeles International airport (LAX) located about 6 miles southeast of Santa Monica in Los Angeles, California, the Van Nuys airport (VNY) located approximately 12 miles north of Santa Monica in Los Angeles ( Van Nuys ), California, the Bob Hope airport (BUR) located roughly 14 miles northeast of Santa Monica in Burbank, California, and finally the Long Beach airport (LGB) located around 23 miles southeast of Santa Monica in Long Beach, California.
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Santa Monica Attractions
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| | | Amusement and Theme Parks |
| Pacific Park | Santa Monica | CA | | | | Universal Studios Hollywood | Universal City | CA | 10.9 mi. | | | Knott's Berry Farm | Buena Park | CA | 29.8 mi. | | | Six Flags Magic Mountain | Valencia | CA | 30.1 mi. | | | Adventure City | Anaheim | CA | 35.1 mi. | | | Disney's California Adventure | Anaheim | CA | 35.1 mi. | | | Disneyland | Anaheim | CA | 35.1 mi. | | | Scandia Amusement Park | Ontario | CA | 47.7 mi. | | | Boomers Family Fun Center | Upland | CA | 48.1 mi. | | | Castle Amusement Park | Riverside | CA | 62.5 mi. | | | Pharaohs Lost Kingdom | Redlands | CA | 74.5 mi. | | | Legoland California | Carlsbad | CA | 88.5 mi. | |
| | | Water Parks |
| Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Santa Clarita | CA | 25.8 mi. | | | Soak City U.S.A. | Buena Park | CA | 29.8 mi. | | | Six Flags Hurricane Harbor | Valencia | CA | 30.1 mi. | | | Raging Waters | San Dimas | CA | 39.1 mi. | | | The Haunted Galleon and Volcano Island | Lake Elsinore | CA | 70.7 mi. | | | Pharaoh's Waterpark | Redlands | CA | 74.5 mi. | | | Oasis Waterpark | Palm Springs | CA | 112.0 mi. | |
| | | Golf Courses |
| Brentwood Country Club | Brentwood | CA | 1.7 mi. | | | Penmar Golf Course | Venice | CA | 1.7 mi. | | | Brentwood Lake | Brentwood | CA | 2.0 mi. | | | Shadow Lakes Golf Club | Brentwood | CA | 2.0 mi. | | | Westchester Golf Course | Los Angeles | CA | 6.0 mi. | | | Griffith Park Golf Courses | Los Angeles | CA | 7.5 mi. | | | Los Feliz Golf Course | Los Angeles | CA | 7.5 mi. | | | Maggie Hathaway Par 3 Golf Course | Los Angeles | CA | 7.5 mi. | | | Rancho Park Golf Course | Los Angeles | CA | 7.5 mi. | | | Lakes at El Segundo | El Segundo | CA | 8.8 mi. | | | Sepulveda Golf Complex | Encino | CA | 8.9 mi. | | | Rancho Maria Golf Club | Santa Maria | CA | 9.0 mi. | | | Sunset Ridge Golf Center | Santa Maria | CA | 9.0 mi. | | | Studio City Golf Course | Studio City | CA | 9.6 mi. | | | Marriott Golf Course | Manhattan Beach | CA | 10.2 mi. | | | Woodley Lakes Golf Course | Van Nuys | CA | 11.2 mi. | | | Van Nuys Golf Course | Van Nuys | CA | 11.7 mi. | | | Chester Washington Golf Course | Los Angeles | CA | 12.0 mi. | | | Roosevelt Municipal Golf Course | Los Angeles | CA | 12.8 mi. | | | Rancho Del Rey Golf Club | Atwater | CA | 14.6 mi. | | | Sea Aire Park Golf Course | Torrance | CA | 15.2 mi. | | | Mission Hills Golf Course | Sepulveda | CA | 15.6 mi. | | | De Bell Municipal Golf Course | Burbank | CA | 16.3 mi. | | | South Gate Municipal Golf Course | South Gate | CA | 16.3 mi. | | | Palos Verdes Golf Club | Palos Verdes Estates | CA | 16.4 mi. | | | Scholl Canyon Golf & Tennis Club | Glendale | CA | 16.8 mi. | | | Malibu Country Club | Malibu | CA | 17.1 mi. | | | Hansen Dam Golf Course | Pacoima | CA | 17.2 mi. | | | Dominguez Golf & Practice Center | Carson | CA | 17.6 mi. | | | Compton Par 3 Golf Course | Compton | CA | 18.1 mi. | |
| | | Ski Areas |
| Ski Sunrise | Wrightwood | CA | 53.9 mi. | | | Snow Valley | Running Springs | CA | 79.7 mi. | |
| | | State Parks |
| Santa Monica Beach State Park | | CA | 1.4 mi. | | | Santa Monica Beach State Park | | CA | 1.4 mi. | | | Will Rogers Beach State Park | | CA | 2.3 mi. | | | Will Rogers State Park | | CA | 2.5 mi. | | | Dockweiler Beach State Park | | CA | 7.6 mi. | | | Manhattan Beach State Park | | CA | 10.6 mi. | | | Redondo Beach State Park | | CA | 15.1 mi. | | | Malibu Creek State Park | | CA | 15.2 mi. | | | White Point State Park | | CA | 23.7 mi. | | | Placerita Canyon State Park | | CA | 24.2 mi. | | | Alamitos Bay State Park | | CA | 28.9 mi. | | | Point Mugu State Park | | CA | 30.8 mi. | | | Bolsa Chica Beach State Park | | CA | 34.2 mi. | | | Huntington Beach State Park | | CA | 40.0 mi. | |
| | | Museums |
| Angels Attic | Santa Monica | CA | | (Miscellaneous) | | | Museum of Flying | Santa Monica | CA | | (Technology) | | | California Heritage Museum | Santa Monica | CA | | (History) | | | West Valley Museum | Woodland Hills | CA | 12.4 mi. | (History) | | Museum of Tolerance | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (History) | | Carole and Barry Kaye Museum of Miniatures | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Miscellaneous) | | Modern Fresco Gallery | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Miscellaneous) | | Museum of Web Art | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Miscellaneous) | | Autry Museum of Western Heritage | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Multidisciplinary) | | California African-American Museum | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Multidisciplinary) | | J. Paul Getty Museum | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Multidisciplinary) | | L. RON HUBBARD LIFE EXHIBITION MUSEUM | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Multidisciplinary) | | Reale-Rydell Computer Museum | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Technology) | | Getty Museum | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Art) | | Korean American Museum of Art and Cultural Center | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Art) | | Los Angeles County Museum of Art | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Art) | | Museum of Fred | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Art) | | Western Museum of Scouting | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | (Children's) | | Norton Simon | Pasadena | CA | 21.2 mi. | (Art) | | Long Beach Museum of Art | Long Beach | CA | 24.4 mi. | (Art) |
| | | Zoos and Aquariums |
| Los Angeles Zoo | Los Angeles | CA | 13.8 mi. | | | Birch Aquarium | La Jolla | CA | 36.6 mi. | | | Santa Ana Zoo | Santa Ana | CA | 40.1 mi. | | | Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens | Santa Barbara | CA | 74.8 mi. | | | San Diego Wild Animal Park | San Diego | CA | 118.4 mi. | | | San Diego Zoo | San Diego | CA | 118.4 mi. | | | Sea World of San Diego | San Diego | CA | 118.4 mi. | |
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Disclaimer: We recommend you conduct your own research regarding all accomodations and attractions found on this website. The distances shown on this website are straight-line distances as the crow flies. The road distance may be considerably longer. You assume all liability for use of any information found on this website. No information is confirmed or warranted in any way. By using our services you agree to the terms and conditions of this disclaimer.
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