Easy Day Trips Around Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica is a beautiful coastal city that is part of the greater Los Angeles area. There are so many things to do in the city alone and the surrounding area, some of which are perfect for all day excursions. Here are five of the very best!

Santa Monica Pier

350 Santa Monica Pier
I-10 and CA Hwy 1

The perfect place for families to spend the day together, the Santa Monica Pier has something for everybody.

Adults and kids alike will enjoy Pacific Park, which hosts many fun games and rides (including Westcoaster, the only oceanfront, steel roller coaster on the West Coast!) at an admission price of absolutely nothing. Cost of rides vary, and the best way to go is to get an Unlimited Ride wristband - which, when buying in advance online, is around $17 for general ($9 for under 42") or $60 for the Family 4-Pack. At $75 you also have the option of receiving 4 Unlimited Ride wristbands as well as 4 meal tickets for the food court.

The Playland Arcade is another wonderful feature of the pier, with over 200 fun games to immerse yourself in. There is something for all age levels here, so even if you are traveling with tiny tots, they are sure to have a fun time as well. Even better, the hours stay open late (past midnight) so there is guaranteed enjoyment for even the late-night gamers.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is also a delight for families, featuring interactive displays, touch tanks with tide pool animals, and several large habitat tanks hosting animals and habitats found in the Santa Monica Bay. Aquarium hours are Tuesday-Friday, 2pm-6pm, and Saturday-Sunday 12:30pm-6pm. Cost of admission is free for kids 12 and under (or for those with the Go L.A. card), and everyone else is $2-$5.

Another treat is the Twilight Dance Series, which provides free concerts every Thursday evening throughout the summer.

To get to the pier: The Santa Monica Pier can be reached from I-10, I-405 or the Pacific Coast Highway. For extensive driving directions, visit their website.

Bergamot Station

2525 Michigan Avenue
Santa Monica

Open Tuesday - Friday 10am-6pm; Saturday 11am-5:30pm.

Museum: Tuesday - Saturday 11am-6pm.

Upon first glance, the Bergamot Station seems to be nothing but a bunch of old abandoned warehouses, but in actuality it is really the home of 30+ art galleries - the largest art gallery complex in the west. Art lovers will easily be able to spend an entire day here, with the many galleries and the Santa Monica Museum of Art. The Gallery Cafe provides great food and a nice atmosphere to rest in.

Parking and admission are free, but the museum asks for a suggested donation of $5.

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Directions

Will Rogers State Park

1501 Will Rogers State Park Road
Santa Monica

The famous actor's home and ranch cover around 186 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains. Now open to the public, those traveling alone and families alike can enjoy the plentitude of hiking and horseback riding trails, as well as watching polo matches for free every Sunday from April to October. Riding lessons are also offered from Monday - Saturday.

A moderate 3-mile hiking trail is available for everyone; for those looking for more adventure, the Backbone Trail takes you into the Santa Monica Mountains and leads all the way to Point Mugu.

Ranch tours (including of Rogers' home) and wi-fi service are available.

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Directions

Legends Beach Bike Tour

Before leaving Santa Monica or the Los Angeles area, try to take the time for this delightful experience. About two hours reserved for the tour alone, you will bike along the Santa Monica Pier, the Santa Monica Beach, past famous homes of Hollywood stars, and Venice. The tour stops in a few places of interest (such as Muscle Beach and the Venice canals just to name a couple) to give you a chance to rest and take photos. All the while your tour guide will communicate to you via headset, and tell you all about the history of what you are seeing.

The tour is perfect to do alone, with friends, or with family if you don't have small children. There is an extensive selection of bikes to choose from, and the ride takes place on bike paths and boardwalks with absolutely no hills, so virtually anyone can enjoy the fun. At a special request, the tour can also be customized to include brunch, lunch or pub stops.

The cost is $30 per person and well worth the price.

Call (310) 939-0000 for reservations or information.

Marina Del Rey

Just south of Santa Monica is a quaint little community known as Marina del Rey, which is the perfect spot for boaters or just lovers of the outdoors. The main feature is a giant 800-acre marina with some unique shopping and restaurants also nearby. All kinds of boat rentals are offered at different places, including Fisherman's village, which provides jet-skis, powerboats, and even sail boats and kayaks by the hour. There are also weekend evening dinner cruises and Sunday Champagne brunch cruises, either one perfect for a romantic time. If boating is not your thing, there are still many other things to do, such as shopping and walking or rollerblading along the beach.

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