West of downtown LA and by the Pacific Ocean is the lovely Santa Monica with a great town centre and fantastic beach – probably best known as the Bay Watch Beach! I stayed in a great little boutique hotel right in the centre, which was perfectly located for both the town and the beach. This was the last stop on my great road trip that started in Las Vegas.
The beach area is a hive of activity. There is Santa Monica pier, which is home to the Pacific Park amusement park, Hippodrome Carousel and the aquarium. Right next door to the pier is the famous Muscle Beach. This big outdoor gym was established in the 1930s and is a must for all you keen gym bunnies out there! This is also the place to hire a bike or engage in a long stroll down the never-ending promenade that takes you past an array of hotels, restaurants and such like.
If you’re looking for a bit more culture, then head down to the town centre where you’ll find a selection of art galleries, museums and theatres – apparently more than half the inhabitants of Santa Monica work in the arts!
