When Spanish explorer Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo dropped anchor here in 1542, little did he know what treasures lay ashore. Neither did we when we arrived 455 years later.
Santa Monica is palm-lined parks and avenues, elegant old hotels on Ocean Avenue, and lovely ethnic neighborhoods. A good walking city, its ocean breezes — braced with the scent of exotic flowers — evoke the charm of a seaside community steeped in European/Mediterranean tradition.
Who knew?
What started as an overnight at Shutters on The Beach — a refreshing 198-room hotel — turned into a two-day eye-opener of one of Southern California’s fabled beach towns, a community of nearly 90,000 that attracts more than 3 million visitors a year.
Eight miles from L.A. Airport at the crossroads of the Pacific Coast Highway and the Santa Monica Freeway, otherwise named Interstate Highway 10, Santa Monica is unique. In the state that invented the freeway, it’s a cozy, walkable 8 1/2 square miles with two sand-combed beaches; 400 restaurants, cafes and pubs; 65 museums and galleries; boutiques; and a balmy climate. It’s also home to the famed Santa Monica Pier, the West Coast’s oldest (circa 1908) pleasure pier, which underwent a $45 million renovation in 1996.
Among the pier’s many attractions is the spectacular new Pacific Park, with its roller coaster and giant Ferris wheel. There are also arcades, restaurants and the 1922 Loff Carousel with its 44 handcrafted steeds.
Not too long ago, the sands just south of the pier, directly in front of the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, were the site of Muscle Beach, a small place of such large reputation that it sparked a national fitness craze. Jack LaLanne and visitors from around the world honed their bodies here. Rings, swings and a multitude of chin-up bars remain, but it appears that the locals are now more interested in exercising their intellectual muscles at the nearby International Chess Park where every move is timed and matches have been known to become testy.
While there is talk of Muscle Beach being restored to its original grandeur, joggers, walkers, bikers and bladers share a paved 26-mile strand that plies Will Rogers and Santa Monica State Beaches (the widest on the West Coast) from Pacific Palisades to Venice and beyond Marina del Rey, a path they call their gym. Along the way, volleyball and street hockey games are played, and picnickers and families frolic. The sights and sounds of the Pacific are best savored here, including those of TV’s “Baywatch,” which is filmed nearby.
Near the pier along the base of the stairs, a variety of shops rents volleyballs, surfboards, roller blades and bicycles. For a solid workout, start at the pier and head north to the path’s end, then return under the pier and continue south to the crest of Venice Beach.
Home to many celebrities, and a favorite backdrop for Hollywood movies including “Forrest Gump,” “The Net,” “Speed,” and “Get Shorty,” Santa Monica’s mild Mediterranean climate makes for year-round sightseeing, with a yearly average of 300 days of sunshine and winter temperatures often shooting into the 70s.
Once you arrive in Santa Monica, stop by the Visitor Center at 1400 Ocean Ave. (Palisades Park) for maps and information on attractions, sightseeing tours, bus-route schedules, accommodations and special local events.
The 25-cent electric Tide Shuttle links many of the city’s shopping areas, running a loop from Main Street to Third Street Promenade every 15 minutes. But, given Santa Monica’s rich cultural heritage, from the early Spanish settlers to the diverse backgrounds of today’s residents, walking is the way to go.
Within the Bayside District is Third Street Promenade, a European-style pedestrian avenue that converts into a block party in the evening. Buzzing with hundreds of stores, more than 75 restaurants and 17 theater screens, the three-block walk is threaded with a lush array of animal topiary, sparkling lights, fountains, and espresso carts. At the base of the promenade is Santa Monica Place. Stores here reflect the attitude of the community — creative, artsy and unique.
Meanwhile, between Pico and Marine, Main Street — with its art galleries, antiques shops and coffee shops — is anything but mainstream. It includes the upscale Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois on Main, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Schatzi on Main and Hans Rockenwagner’s namesake eatery. Puck, by the way, has three restaurants here.
Across town, stretching 10 blocks between 7th and 17th Streets, is upscale Montana Avenue where high fashion, equisite hand knits, evening gowns and custom tailoring are commonplace. Lined with cafes, yoga centers and health-oriented shops, it’s a great place to spot celebrities who live nearby. Not quite Rodeo Drive, but close.
Helping give rise to the city’s character is the booming art scene. It’s all over town, on the walls of buildings, sidewalks, street underpasses, parking garages and beachfronts, to say nothing of the art museums and collectors’ galleries.
Santa Monica’s leap to the forefront of the Los Angles art world is further validated by the continuing flow of major art galleries into the city. The influx of credible galleries began in 1986, when James Corcoran chose Santa Monica as the site for his gallery. Today’s headliners include the 5.5-acre Bergamot Station, which in turn includes the Santa Monica Museum of Art and 23 contemporary galleries.
In nearby Malibu, the famed J. Paul Getty Museum, an exact replica of a Roman country villa, will be reopened in three years. Meanwhile, the new J. Paul Getty Center is scheduled to open in Los Angeles this fall.
For the aviation enthusiast, the $3 million Museum of Flying is an ultramodern display of historic aircraft inspired by aviation pioneer Donald Douglas Sr. Set against the runway of Santa Monica Airport, the museum features vintage Douglas and World War II-era aircraft, artifacts and photographs. It houses the Douglas World Cruiser, the first plane to fly around the world; the P-51 Mustang; the Spitfire Mark XIV; and the Voyager trans-global experimental plane. For kids, the museum offers AirVenture, a hands-on area with exhibits and simulators.
Situated between the Pacific and thousands of acres of rugged wilderness, the city’s scenic northern border abounds in outdoor adventures. The 150,000-acre Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area offers camping, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, nature walks, bird watching, astronomy programs and botany lectures.
Will Rogers State Historic Park, the 186-acre ranch of the late humorist, features hiking and horseback riding, stables, free spectator polo matches on Sundays and tours of the cowboy/philospher’s ranch house. Guided hiking, jogging and city tours also can be arranged.
Just minutes from Beverly Hills, Century City, Hollywood and UCLA/Westwood, Santa Monica is a choice location for Southern California vacationing. It’s also within easy driving distance of Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm and the Queen Mary.
If this is Southern California, then it’s getting a bum rap back East.
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For a free copy of the Santa Monica Official Visitor Guide 1997/98, telephone 310-393-7593, or write to the Santa Monica Visitor Center at 1400 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, Calif. 90401. In addition, the convention and visitors bureau has recently launched a World Wide Web site for on-line buffs at www.santamonica.com.)
