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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 20 August, 2023
Expert travel writer: Luciana Bellini

This old-school amusement park features a rollercoaster, an old-fashioned 1922 carousel, carnival games, an aquarium, a trapeze school and that famous 85ft ferris wheel. Yes, it’s a tourist trap, but this Santa Monica icon is a must-do if you’ve got kids in tow.

The bustling, charismatic Santa Monica Beach has diversions for all ages, from surf shacks to beach volleyball courts, along a two-mile stretch of golden sand backed by shops, restaurants and bars. With mild surf, it’s a great place to swim – and to try some surfing.

While you’re there

Hire a bike at Blazing Saddles on the pier and cycle along the footpath at the back of the beach.

Or why not try surfing? Learn to Surf LA offers year-round lessons (usually 1 hour 45 minutes) for all ages and abilities, at three LA beaches – including Santa Monica Beach.

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 4+
When: All year around

When to do it

The pier is open daily, 24/7. The amusement park is open daily; times vary by season but generally from 12pm-7pm (until around 12am Fridays and Saturday). Friday or Saturday night is best to ensure all the attractions are open.

If you can, time it for a Wednesday or Saturday morning/early afternoon, so that you can pop into the Arizona Avenue farmers’ market for gourmet eats and first-rate fresh produce. Bring them back to eat on the beach.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Shared 2 Hours Small Group Surf Lesson at Santa Monica

Santa Monica

Shared 2 Hours Small Group Surf Lesson at Santa Monica
We are a FUN SURF LA surf school based on Venice Beach. Our goal is for you to have an excellent experience surfing, whether it's your first time trying surfing or you are trying to advance your skills. For the first 30-40 minutes we will be training on the beach - then it’s one hour with the instructors in the ocean. The remaining time is yours to practice your skills and have fun with the surfboards that we provide you. We’ll be giving lessons on Venice Beach - one of the most famous beaches in California. You’ll be able to not only enjoy the ocean and get surfing experience, but also explore the unique spirit of the eccentric cultural hub of Venice Beach.

Price: $85

Min age: 12

Rating 4.83 / 5 [130 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Beach Grand Tour: LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills + Santa Monica

Los Angeles

Beach Grand Tour: LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills + Santa Monica
Experience a 7-hour, fully narrated tour onboard luxury tour buses. This tour offers 4 convenient  1-hour stops at Santa Monica Pier, Farmer's Market, Griffith Observatory and the Walk of Fame. See the Hollywood Sign, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip, movie locations and more.

Price: $95

Min age: 0

Rating 4.77 / 5 [734 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Los Angeles All Day Tour, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica

Los Angeles

Los Angeles All Day Tour, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica
See the best that the Los Angeles area has to offer on this full-day tour with our fun, exciting and knowledgeable tour guide.

Price: $95

Min age: 0

Rating 4.78 / 5 [139 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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The Best of LA Tour: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Griffith Park +More

Anaheim & Buena Park

The Best of LA Tour: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Griffith Park +More
Hotel pickup and drop-off from over 70 hotels in the Anaheim Resort Area and 150 hotels in the Los Angeles area. This is a fun and fantastic experience of the area’s most iconic sights and landmarks. This guided tour is perfect for families, couples and all ages! We have four 35-45 minute stops and 1-hour for lunch. On our tour you’ll experience the following: Santa Monica and the world famous Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, Muscle Beach, the famous canals and skate park, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Dr., the Beverly Hills sign, The iconic Farmer's Market at the Grove (serving a variety a great dishes), The Griffith Park observatory - where you have a perfect photo opportunity of the Hollywood Sign! The Hollywood walk of fame where you find your favorite celebrities' stars, the Grauman's Theatre (find famous hand and footprints), The Kodak Theatre (where the Oscars are held), the Sunset Strip, and much more whilst being entertained by fun, friendly, informative and hilarious guides!

Price: $99

Min age: 0

Rating 4.84 / 5 [513 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Private Surfing Lesson in Santa Monica

Santa Monica

Private Surfing Lesson in Santa Monica
Experience the excitement of surfing with one of the top rated surf schools in Los Angeles! With our private surf classes you will get the best quality surfing lesson. All our lead instructors are certified and have years of experience teaching worldwide. The lessons are held in the remote part of Venice Beach - one of the most reknown and iconic Californian beaches. Our private classes are great for students of all levels. If it's your first time surfing or you just recently started, our instructors will provide you with the detailed land lesson and make sure that you are confortable with the surfboard before taking you in the water. If you are already experienced and are looking to advance your skills, you can go straight to the line up wth the instructor coaching and supervising you throughout the entire lesson. Quality and your safety are our top priorities. We guarantee you the best surfing experience possible!

Price: $125

Min age: 7

Rating 4.90 / 5 [41 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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LA in a Day Tour: Hollywood, DTLA & Santa Monica

Los Angeles

LA in a Day Tour: Hollywood, DTLA & Santa Monica
L.A. is so big – how are you going to see the city in one day? Easy! Join our LA in a Day tour and see 3 completely different neighborhoods of the city - Hollywood, downtown and Santa Monica. There’s no breezing through on buses with a pre-recorded audio commentary playing (which is always out of sync), on this tour we show you the hidden nooks and crannies of the city that other tour companies don’t (including 7 different venues that have held the Academy Awards Ceremony) and give you a feel for the real Los Angeles. We're pioneers of the all day metro and walking tour of Los Angeles. Why did we create it? Because we want you to feel like you're an Angeleno for the day and to fall in love with the city like we did. * Tour starts 10 am daily * Travel on Los Angeles Metro included in ticket price * There’s a big range of food options and all types of diet can be accommodated (vegan, gluten-free etc)

Price: $130

Min age: 15

Rating 4.6 / 5 [10 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Santa Monica and Venice Beach Tour from Los Angeles

Los Angeles

Santa Monica and Venice Beach Tour from Los Angeles
Get an introduction to the famed beaches of Los Angeles, from Santa Monica to Venice Beach, on this 3-hour tour. Travel by comfortable Mercedes van, hopping out to explore each destination on foot with a guide. Sights include Santa Monica Pier; Venice Beach Boardwalk and its Muscle Beach; and the affluent seaside communities of Marina del Rey.

Price: $199

Min age: 0

Rating 4.8 / 5 [10 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Los Angeles

California, United States of America (USA)

Los Angeles

The bright lights of Tinseltown are home to surfer-filled beaches, glorious mountain hikes, glitz and glamour in spades and year-round sunshine.