Review: Santa Monica State Beach

Give us the wide-angle view: What kind of beach are we talking about?
Santa Monica is one of the most iconic beaches in the Greater Los Angeles area. Its long white sandy beaches, the pier, and the Annenberg Community Beach House define it, and it's always teeming with activity and people.

How accessible is it?
One of the reasons Santa Monica Beach is such a popular destination is its accessibility. Since 2016, the Metro Rail Expo Line has transported L.A.'s beachgoers from Downtown all the way to the beach. That access has transformed Santa Monica Beach into an incredibly vibrant place with a diverse a group of people. Getting around Santa Monica Beach is just as easy, with bike rentals everywhere, and the electric "Bird" scooters parked along the beach.

Decent services and facilities, would you say?
You can get almost anything you need on Santa Monica Beach. Want to ride a Segway? There's a stand for that. Enjoy roller coasters? Get tickets to Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. Want some pancakes? Indulge in a high-end brunch of lemon ricotta pancakes with blackberries ($23) at Coast, in the luxury hotel Shutters on the Beach. There’s also a video game arcade, acrobats, and on and on.

How’s the actual beach stuff—sand and surf?
Dipping into the water at Santa Monica Beach can be an adventure. First off, it will be crowded on summer days—that's a given. Second, from time to time, the water quality goes down, especially near the pier. But on cleaner days, the beach is buoyant with bodysurfers, surfers in wetsuits dropping into the waves that form by the pier, and even intrepid swimmers.

Can we go barefoot?
The white sands of Santa Monica are legendary. That attracts a crowd, of course, but luckily the beach is wide enough that you should still be able to find a spot.

Anything special we should look for?
Once you get out of the mass of people by the pier, the 26-Mile Bike Path becomes less crowded and more manageable for a morning ride.

If we’re thinking about going, what—and who—is this beach best for?
If you don't find something to do at Santa Monica Beach, you're not looking. Coming out here on weekdays can be less crowded, though it never gets totally quiet. Weekends are for those who enjoy crowds.