Santa Monica State Beach

Just west of downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica State Beach stretches for an astonishing 8 miles of soft sand. Cleaned and raked on a daily basis, it will host the beach volleyball competition of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The archetypal West Coast beach town, Santa Monica State Beach has a pier with an amusement park that contains a carousel dating from 1922 and is listed as a National Historic Landmark. There is also an aquarium making the beach a great options for families.

There is a children’s playground to the north of the pier. To the south, you’ll find the Muscle Beach outdoor gym at Venice Beach. The beach is also dotted with picnic areas, lifeguard stations, chess tables, and public toilets. The waves aren’t usually too crowded, which means surfers have the space to practice their art.

Like the majority of California’s state beaches, dogs are not allowed onto the sands of Santa Monica State Beach. In addition no smoking is permitted on the beach either.