I thought LA was beautiful enough 🇺🇸… until I visited Santa Monica.

🚖 Transport: Starting near the Hollywood Hills, we recommend setting off around 9 AM. It takes about 30-45 minutes to reach by car. 🚇 Metro: Not driving? Take the Metro E Line—its last stop is Santa Monica Station. It’s just a 10-minute walk from there to the beach. 1️⃣ First Stop: Third Street Promenade This pedestrian street is at the heart of Santa Monica. Park your car and start exploring! The roughly one-kilometer stretch is filled with popular restaurants, bookstores, cafés, and handmade craft shops—all accompanied by live music from street performers 🎶. The vibe is amazing! Perfect spot for lunch. 2️⃣ Second Stop: Santa Monica Beach After lunch, head straight to the beach 🏖️. It’s one of the closest beaches to LA, so it does get crowded. That said, it’s known to be safer than many other beaches in the area. 3️⃣ Third Stop: Santa Monica Pier You absolutely have to be here around sunset—this was the highlight for me! The pier was built in 1909, and the Route 66 endpoint sign at the entrance is such an iconic photo spot 📸. Besides the epic sunset views, the pier is also home to a classic Ferris wheel 🎡 and a roller coaster 🎢. For just $15, you can ride the coaster twice! At golden hour, the sky and lights create a truly magical atmosphere. 🍽️ Dinner We chose The Albright, a seafood restaurant right on the pier. Their seafood is super fresh—lobster roll and fish & chips are delicious 🍤. Enjoy your meal with a sunset view! Price is around $40 per person. 🏠 Airbnb Even though we could’ve driven back to LA after dinner, we decided to spend a night by the ocean 🌊. We found an amazing Airbnb near Santa Monica Beach: ✨ Name: Panoramic Ocean View with Balcony & Cal King Bed ✨ Rating: 4.90 ✨ Price: ¥3000 / 2 guests 📍 Location: Less than 10 minutes’ walk to all Santa Monica attractions 🛁 Stay Experience: The host, Mike, was warm and helpful 🏻, offering great local dining recommendations. Our favorite part was the huge window facing the ocean—so beautiful and full of ambiance 😍. The place was fully equipped and very clean. #California #LosAngeles #LATravel #LAWeekends #WeekendGetaway #TravelAbroad #DayTrip #CaliforniaSunset #USA #TravelUSA