Santa Monica California

Nobody is going to SoCal without going to Santa Monica. However, most people think only of the beach and Santa Monica Pier. There is much more. Santa Monica not only has a lot of money; they have shopping and food. Lots of both. Yes, you can get the tourist stuff and if you have the means, they have high end shops for unique everything.

In other words, you can park the car and walk to see a clean modern culturally rich community without spending any money or you can load up that credit card and buy things you won't find in your mall back home.

Remember, you didn't come to SoCal to stay at the pool in a Motel 6. If you did you probably should have stayed home read about it. These are experiences meant to be, well, experienced. You have read about the culture in southern California. This is it.

The pier in Santa Monica is a must see. The symbolic end of the mother road route 66 is at the pier. However, the official end of route 66 is at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard. But it's more fun for it to be the pier.

The pier is like a mini amusement park. In the summer the pier and the beaches are full of tourists and LA residents. People watching and fun food are what the pier and beaches are all about. From the pier and the beaches, you can see all the way to Malibu and the coastal enclaves. If you’re driving you can access the Pacific Coast Highway, the "PCH" from Santa Monica and head up the coast on a scenic drive to all of the popular beaches heading north.

Malibu, Point Dume, Sunset Beach, Palisades and many more all with great views and restaurants along the way. And if you are staying in closer to the city of LA or Burbank, you can catch one of the highways or canyon roads back to where you may be staying. We have a favorite place to stay in Burbank with easy access to Burbank Airport.

Our favorite place is the Hotel Amarano, only 10 minutes from Burbank Airport. Burbank, of course is where most of the entertainment studios are, including Warner Brothers. Clean, quiet and great restaurants. Catch my favorite places to eat on my Burbank article.

Santa Monica is high end, upscale and pricey and you can feel it. Where does everyone get their money? If you find out, tell me. You will see cars that you probably will not see at home, unless you live in southern California.

Santa Monica. Gotta see? Yep. Of course.

Have fun.

Jack Wilson