Day 4
Santa Monica
• Take an early morning stroll through beautiful Palisades Park before heading along Ocean Avenue for breakfast at Cora’s Coffee Shoppe, a renovated old-school, locals favorite serving healthy fare such as orange pancakes with fresh berries, fresh baked pastries and Illy coffee.
• For a little rest and relaxation hit Santa Monica beach and enjoy the surf and sand, get your blood flowing with an invigorating bike ride or rollerblade along the 22-mile South Bay Bicycle Trail (bikes can be rented at Perry’s, with a number of locations, including the intersection of Ocean Park Blvd. and on Santa Monica Pier). For something new but just as enjoyable, rent a Segway, a self-balancing, electrically powered two-wheeled human transporter! If you’d rather shop than surf, stroll the upscale boutiques of Montana Avenue, a favorite among celebrities, locals and tourists alike.
• Next, experience world-class shopping and street performers along the three-block pedestrian-only Third Street Promenade then soak up some sun while dining al fresco at one of a variety of restaurants, such as Barney’s Beanery, Bravo Cucino or Lago. If you’re in a casual mood for pizza, try Abbott’s Pizza on Pico Boulevard near 20th Street, voted best by Zagat’s, L.A. Weekly and the New York Times.
• Work off lunch at the famous Santa Monica Pier. Walk to the end of the pier and snap photos of the Pacific stretching into the horizon, then enjoy the only amusement park perched over water — Pacific Park — where you can take a spin on a solar-powered Ferris wheel. After leaving Pacific Park, consider a ride on the historic carousel inside the Looff Hippodrome or head to the Pier’s lower level and explore the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium.
• Indulge in a late afternoon spa treatment at one of 14 top-notch day spas, such as Willow Spa, Exhale Spa, ONE the Spa at Shutters, or The Spa at Le Merigot.
• Sip a beverage and watch the sun set over the Pacific from the 1920s Verandah Lounge at Hotel Casa del Mar then select a fine dining restaurant along Ocean Avenue – sushi at Sushi Roku, seafood at The Lobster, steak at BOA, Italian at classic i Cugini or Polynesian fare at MA’KAI. If you’d rather check out the scene away from the beach, head to Wilshire Restaurant.
• Wrap up the day with a wine tasting experience at Pourtal Wine Bar or a martini at Copa D’oro both just off Ocean Avenue and close to Third Street Promenade. Late-nighters can also opt for live music at one of the many lounges in town; or for a DJ music experience, try Dakota Lounge on Wilshire or the recently opened Cache on Main.