Spotlight: Santa Monica California

Santa Monica is famous for the Ferris wheel on the pier and the sunny beaches so for your next vacation I have all the best places to relax and enjoy the California lifestyle Santa Monica has to offer.

Annenburg community beach house

The first place on my list is the Annenburg community beach house founded by Wallis Annenburg in 2009 who renovated it for public use after learning the city was having trouble maintaining it. The millionaire had apparently visited the former Sand and Sea club as a child and had fond memories. I guess making a good impression counts! You never know who will be the next millionaire! If you are traveling with kids this is a great place to bring them to the beach because of the fun sand playground and clean facilities. They also offer beach volleyball classes for kids during the summer! There is parking available at the beach house so you don't have to deal with the hassle of street parking in downtown Santa Monica. This is a fun place to hang out and go to the beach.

There is also the Marion Davies guest house a historical site left over from the mansion of William Randolph Hearst, the famous newspaper mogul, that was originally built on the property but fell down after an earthquake in 1994. The guest house, however remains in its former glory with Tiffany lamps and all. Tours are offered daily where you can learn about the architecture of Julia Morgan as well as all the famous guests like Charlie Chaplan who stayed there. It is very interesting and I definitely recommend it if you are looking to get a piece of local history.

The original Tiffany chandelier hangs in the entrance hall.

A picture of the Hurst beach house before it was destroyed in the earthquake.

Another decorative room of the house with a picture of Davies performing on stage.

Real gold decorations on the tile in the bathrooms. 

Each tile was handlaid and painted to create the art deco designs.

A sitting room filled with 1920s furniture.

The elaborate ironwork on the patio furniture was beautiful.

the view from the guest house. I sure would've liked to stay there!

Santa Monica pier

The famous Santa Monica pier is a must see for travelers. Parking is a nightmare though and there is no way of getting around it so be prepared to pay a high price for parking. there is the famous theme park on the pier with the roller coaster and Ferris wheel but it is closed during the winter months. Walking the pier is fun because there are many cute little souvenir shops as well as an arcade and Churro stands! There are many restaurants on the pier although my favorite is the Bubba Gumps because of the great views and delicious sea food!

3rd street promenade

This can be a great place to take your kids or a fun place to hang out with friends. And it is very affordable especially if you use the summer discount.
This can be a great place to take your kids or a fun place to hang out with friends. And it is very affordable especially if you use the summer discount.
The 3rd street promenade in downtown Santa Monica is a great shopping location as well as a fun place to people watch. There are many fun stores like H and M and Max Studio and there is always someone playing music or entertainment of some kind on the boulevard. Apparently many famous musicians have been discovered here! I love to people watch for trends and hang out. If you are looking for a shopping and nightlife destination this is definitely it. My favorite place to eat is at the California Pizza Kitchen at the end of the street. CPK has delicious California cuisine my favorite dish is the BBQ chicken pizza.

So these are my top favorite spots in Santa Monica California. I hope you enjoy!