2013 2014 2 santamonica official visitors guide santamonica.com 3 contents W santa monica DEPARTMENTS 08 SANTA MONICA 76 ART Unique Beach City Creative in the City santamonica a publication of santa monica convention and visitors bureau 12 BEACH 86 ACTIVE official visitors guide Classic California Get Fit Visit Santa Monica 20 EAT & NIGHTLIFE 93 HOTELS Dining by District Stay in Style @GoSantaMonica @SeeSantaMonica 52 SHOP 100 TRAVEL TIPS Cool and Casual All the Details @LoveSantaMonica L–R: Sondra Stocker, Kristen Beinke, ThatGirlProductions.com. Kristen Beinke, Sondra Stocker, L–R: 4 santamonica official visitors guide santamonica.com 5 contents W santa monica FEATURETTES 10 DISTRICTS 74 SPAS Santa Monica's Eight Districts Pamper Thyself santamonica a publication of santa monica convention and visitors bureau 18 SUPER SUNSETS 83 GET CREATIVE official visitors guide Spectacular Experiences Unleash Your Artistic Genius 27 CHEFS 91 BICYCLING IN SANTA MONICA Living the Life Get Rolling 32 HEALTHY LIVING 96 HOTEL GRID Farmers' Markets and More A Quick and Easy Guide 56 GET THE LOOK 103 VISITOR CENTERS 104 SANTA MONICA MAPS Santa Monica Style Get Useful Information Navigating the City L–R: Kristen Beinke, Sarah Calabro, SemiPrecious. Sarah Calabro, Kristen Beinke, L–R: 6 santamonica official visitors guide SANTA MONICA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU 1920 Main Street, Suite B Santa Monica, CA 90405 310.319.6263 | Fax: 310.319.6273 Consumer: 800.544.5319 (Nationwide) Sales: 800.771.2322 (Nationwide) President & CEO Misti Kerns | [email protected] Vice President of Marketing Kim Baker | [email protected] For general information: santamonica.com | [email protected] For visitor information, contact: Santa Monica Walk-In Visitor Information Center 1920 Main Street, Suite B | 310.393.7593; 800.544.5319 Santa Monica Visitor Information Kiosk 1400 Ocean Avenue (Palisades Park) | 310.393.0410 Santa Monica Pier Shop & Visitor Center 200 Santa Monica Pier (Carousel Building) | 310.804.7457 Santa Monica Visitor Information Cart Third Street Promenade (1300 block) | 310.309.9139 See all Visitor Center hours on page 103. STRIKER MEDIA GROUP 1316 Third Street Promenade, Suite B2 Santa Monica, CA 90401 310.394.3413 | Fax: 310.394.3414 StrikerMedia.com Publisher Art Director Lyndell F. Gooch Ivy Brown Director of Operations Graphic Designers Christine Thomas Bill Booty, Dani Lemus Editor/Writer Advertising Sales Matt Jaffe Matthew Gibbons For advertising information: 800.578.5013 | [email protected] Cover Photos, L–R: Kristen Beinke, ThatGirlProductions.com, Sondra Stocker, Sondra Stocker, Kristen Beinke. Printed in the USA © 2013 The 2013–2014 Santa Monica Official Visitors Guide is published for Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau by Striker Media Group. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information presented in this guide is up-to-date and accurate. Due to the vast number of sources used in collecting the data, Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau and Striker Media Group assume no responsibilities for errors, changes, or omissions. santamonica.com 7 welcome et along a beautiful 3.5-mile stretch pretty impressive company for a city with farmers’ markets, Santa Monica is in the Sof coastline, Santa Monica blends an a population of under 100,000. culinary vanguard, and helped pioneer the unmistakable California beach town vibe movement for organic and locally sourced Spend time here and you’ll quickly dis- with touches of Riviera-style romance and ingredients. cover just how much Santa Monica packs Hollywood glamour to create a destination into its compact, easily explored area. Local chefs belong to a celebrated that is truly like nowhere else in the world. Along the oceanfront, you’ll find world- creative community in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is where the city meets class hotels and celebrated restaurants The city has been an artistic center for the sea. And whether you’re an urban with incredible views of the Pacific. You Southern California for generations, and sophisticate or a surfer (or like many can bike for hours, go surfing, and play a remarkable 43 percent of local residents locals, a combination of the two), Santa beach volleyball on the very sands where work in creative businesses—believed Monica is an endlessly compelling city: the sport began. to be the largest concentration in any beautiful, creative, stylish, and a haven for American city. With more than 120 galleries, Just as the beach plays a vital role in the anyone who loves to spend time outdoors. public art installations, theaters, and daily life of Santa Monica, so too does a museums, you’ll find culture everywhere. National Geographic even ranked it as one food scene that puts the city in the top of the “Top Ten Beach Cities in the World”— rank of American dining destinations. With Santa Monica’s creative energy, not to putting Santa Monica in a class with Bar- leading chefs inspired by the California mention its tempting access to the beach, celona, Sydney, and Rio de Janeiro. That’s bounty found at our award-winning has long made the city a hub for the Both pages: Sondra Stocker. Both pages: 8 santamonica official visitors guide With its incomparable oceanfront setting, world-class dining, and vibrant cultural scene, Santa Monica combines the laid-back appeal of a classic California beach town with big city sophistication. entertainment industry, including movie Santa Monica’s upscale boutiques pop production companies, post-production up frequently in magazines and websites, facilities, and music and recording firms. and the city helps set national fashion and In recent years, a wave of tech and design trends. So if shopping is your thing, Internet start-ups has rolled into town, Santa Monica is your heaven. so many, in fact, that Santa Monica has But Santa Monica isn’t just about the good earned the nickname Silicon Beach. life. It’s really about a life well-lived—active, Not surprisingly, Santa Monica’s blend enlightened, and with a commitment and of urban amenities, laid-back beach town connection to both the local and global atmosphere, and natural beauty also environment. It’s a city of surfers and yogis, makes it a popular residence for leading bikers and hikers, a place to gaze out on actors, musicians, and athletes. the Pacific and escape into the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. The city’s celebrity clientele has encour- aged clothing and interior designers to No matter what you do in this city, where set up shop in retail areas such as down- art, nature, and urban excitement all town (honored as one of America’s best converge, you’ll quickly discover that downtowns by Forbes), Santa Monica Santa Monica is as inspirational as it Place, Montana Avenue, and Main Street. is irresistible. Q santamonica.com 9 explore 8 DISTRICTS Downtown & Third Santa Monica Pier, Mid-City Main Street Street Promenade Ocean Avenue, WHAT’S THERE Theater fans and WHAT’S THERE Chic clothing stores, architecture buffs will love The Broad eco-friendly shops, art galleries, WHAT’S THERE A mix of national Ocean Front Walk Stage, centerpiece of Santa Monica California Heritage Museum, and a retailers, smaller boutiques, and the WHAT’S THERE Santa Monica Pier is College’s arts complex on its Madison weekly farmers’ market, plus all sorts outdoor Santa Monica Place, with its a true Southern California icon. Ocean Campus. For a look at Southern of restaurants, cafes, pubs, and clubs. ocean-view dining deck, incomparable Avenue is home to upscale hotels and California’s art scene, check out Be sure to check out what’s happening retail line-up, and artisan food hall, stylish restaurants on one side and Bergamot Station—home to the region’s around town at the Santa Monica The Market. ocean views on the other. (Pg 103: largest concentration of galleries and Walk-In Visitor Information Center THE SCENE This is the heart of the Visitor Information Kiosk info.) the Santa Monica Museum of Art. near the corner of Main Street and city thanks to its pedestrian-friendly Pico Boulevard. THE SCENE This historic area is a THE SCENE Mixing residential streets character and people-watching, espe- great place to get exercise, whether with wide boulevards lined with stores THE SCENE “A world away from cially along Third Street Promenade. along the beachfront bike trail or and restaurants, this is a surprising the ordinary, a block away from the With fine restaurants, as well as movie on the strolling and jogging path in and vibrant area. Mid-City is a hub beach.” That pretty much sums up theaters, nightclubs, and lounges, the Palisades Park. And nothing beats the for numerous entertainment-related Main Street’s combination of Santa neighborhood offers selection and vintage amusement park atmosphere companies, including Universal Music, Monica's beach lifestyle and the city’s convenience for a night out. and summer concerts on the pier. Sony, Viacom, and IMAX, as well as creative urban vibe. It’s a great area WHERE Just three blocks from the both established and start-up Internet to hang out with the locals and WHERE Santa Monica Pier is at the beach and pier. From Ocean Avenue companies that are part of the city’s experience a unique neighborhood, end of Colorado Boulevard. Ocean east to 7th Street and on multiple Silicon Beach tech community. and the nightlife scene is terrific too. Front Walk runs parallel to parts of the blocks surrounding Third Street famous 22-mile-long South Bay Bicycle WHERE Between Washington Avenue WHERE Main Street runs south from Promenade. Trail, while Ocean Avenue stretches on the north and Interstate 10 on the Colorado Avenue to the border with along the palisades above the beach. south; Lincoln Boulevard on the west Venice. Shopping is concentrated in and east to the border with Los Angeles.