Santa Monica travel guide
Santa Monica Tourism | Santa Monica Guide
You're Going to Love Santa Monica
With a population of 89,736, Santa Monica is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Santa Monica has to offer.
Where to Eat in Santa Monica
Downtown is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Santa Monica. These include popular favourites such as Tar & Roses (602 Santa Monica Blvd), Hillstone - Santa Monica (202 Wilshire Blvd) and Melisse (1104 Wilshire Blvd.). If you’re looking for affordable options, The Lobster (1602 Ocean Avenue) and FIG (101 Wilshire Blvd) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Élephante (1332 2nd St) and Lunetta (2424 Pico Boulevard) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Santa Monica.
When to visit Santa Monica
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santa Monica in August, when the average temperature is 21 °C, and the highest can go up to 24 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as 8 °C, with an average temperature of 13 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 86 mm. In contrast, June is usually the driest month of the year in Santa Monica, with an average rainfall of 3 mm.
How to Get to Santa Monica
Plane
Santa Monica is served by 2 airports: Santa Monica (SMO) and Los Angeles Airport (LAX). The closest to the city centre of Santa Monica is Santa Monica, which is located 2 miles from the city centre. Further away is Los Angeles Airport, 7 miles from the centre of Santa Monica. The shortest flight to Santa Monica from the United Arab Emirates departs from Dubai and takes around 16h 15m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Santa Monica. The train journey from Santa Monica to Burbank takes 0h 27m and costs around AED 40 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Fullerton, expect to pay about AED 51 for a 0h 39m trip.
Car
Another option to get to Santa Monica is to pick up a car hire from Los Angeles, which is about 11 miles from Santa Monica. You’ll find branches of Thrifty and Dollar, among others, in Los Angeles.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santa Monica, including Bus, FlixBus and Busbud. From Santa Barbara, the bus ride to Santa Monica takes 120 miles and will cost you around AED 118. From San Diego, the ticket costs about AED 154 for a journey of 125 miles.
Airlines serving Santa Monica
Where to stay in Santa Monica
From 5-star hotels such as the Santa Monica Proper Hotel to great affordable options like the Palihouse Santa Monica, Santa Monica offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around AED 983 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to AED 2,053 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Sea Shore Motel and Ocean Park Hotel. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Santa Monica, with prices from AED 59 to AED 6,171 per night. Ocean Park is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Santa Monica are about 4% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Santa Monica
Most booked hotels in Santa Monica
Hiring a car in Santa Monica
Expect to pay AED 3.82 per litre in Santa Monica (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between AED 45.84 and AED 61.11.