The Santa Monica Pier

When in Los Angeles, you can sometimes get tired of the city life from all the tall buildings and skyscrapers. A nice way to take a break would be to go to the Santa Monica Pier, where you can engage in all sorts of recreational activities, play sports, and eat some good food you would normally find at a carnival. The beach in Santa Monica is an extremely popular tourist destination due to the great weather and relatively clean environment compared to the smog filled air in Downtown LA. Additionally, the Pacific Coast Highway is a beautiful drive where you can marvel at the beautiful ocean and the valleys on the other side.

When you finish having fun at the beach, you can walk to the 3rd Street Promenade, which is an outdoor shopping mall that spans several blocks of 3rd Street. The shops are mostly clothing shops, but there are so many that you are bound to find one that you like. In addition to the shops, there is a great variety of restaurants. Some are quick bites that you can get for cheap, but others can be more luxurious and elegant to have a fancy meal at. The 3rd Street Promenade is a popular spot for many students at nearby universities to go on dates, but in general, it is a great place for friends to just hangout on the weekend.

Not too far from Santa Monica is Abbot Kinney, which is like a more chill version of 3rd Street Promenade. There are usually less people, and the vibe is much more relaxed. Right next to Abbot Kinney is also Venice Beach. Venice Beach is home to muscle beach, where people like to have a minimal workout lifestyle while still building strong muscles. At Venice Beach, you are also likely to run into several skateboarders due to the popular skate culture.