Santa Monica

Santa Monica is a happy collision of the natural and the urban: clean air, beautiful beaches, scenic mountains, plus a pedestrian-friendly downtown, hundreds of fine-dining options and several pleasant shopping streets. Denizens make the best of the beach breezes, as evidenced by the many pedestrians, bicyclists, in-line skaters and skateboarders. Nearby neighborhoods that line Pacific Coast Highway—Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa del Rey, Malibu and Topanga among them—have distinctive personalities.

Montana Avenue

Montana Avenue is one of L.A.’s hottest destinations for chic shopping. Boutiques between 6th and 17th streets include upscale designer clothing boutique Aura plus the Blues Jean Bar for denim, Roseark for fine and contemporary jewelry and Anat B. for well-priced designer knockoffs. See film classics and cult favorites at historic Aero Theater. Among hip destinations is Father’s Office, a pub serving what may be L.A.’s best burger, and American eatery R+D Kitchen. The Spielbergs, Beattys and Hankses treat the cozy, tree-lined avenue as their main street.

Main Street

Main Street is the site of the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau Information Center (1920 Main St., 310.393.7593) and is a quieter, lower-key destination than the lively Third Street Promenade. Between Pico Boulevard and Rose Avenue are galleries, yoga studios and boutiques such as Monkie, Planet Blue and Green Life, a green-goods store befitting the ecoconscious ‘hood. See plays at the Frank Gehry-designed Edgemar Center for the Arts. Sip aperitifs at Saluté Wine Bar and dine at Chinois on Main, among Wolfgang Puck’s best. The Library Alehouse and O’Brien’s Irish Pub make for a lively bar scene. The hopping Sunday farmers market is adjacent to the California Heritage Museum.

Third Street

Shops and cafes are open late at pedestrian-only Third Street Promenade (from Broadway to Wilshire Boulevard). The street entertainers are always captivating, as are the street vendors. The newly reopened Santa Monica Place at Broadway and Third is a trilevel, open-air mall featuring department stores Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s, more than 50 boutiques and a top-level Dining Deck with six restaurants, a food court and gourmet market.

Adjacent 2nd and 4th streets, and cross streets Broadway and Wilshire Boulevard, have draws, too. Find fine-dining options along 4th Street as well as Fred Segal on Broadway and vintage shop Wasteland. Unwind at Tikkun Holistic Spa at 4th Street and Broadway; hang at bars Chloe and Copa d’Oro.

At the end of Colorado Avenue is Santa Monica Pier, built in 1909; its Pacific Park has a roller coaster, a solar-powered Ferris wheel and bumper cars. Sun worshipers can head north on Pacific Coast Highway to Annenberg Community Beach House.

BERGAMOT STATION

Art destination Bergamot Station (2525 Michigan Ave.) is an industrial, campuslike complex named for the trolley stop there in the late 1800s. It’s home to the Santa Monica Museum of Art, 33 galleries and shops and a cafe.

Venice

The eclectic spirit of Venice founder Abbot Kinney lives on. Abbot’s Habit coffee shop, exquisite Jin Patisserie and boutiques such as A. Kinney Court are the draws on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, as are hip restaurants and bars including Gjelina and the Otheroom. Ocean Front Walk is awash with colorful humanity: artisans, T-shirt vendors and the renowned drum circle. Mr. Universe wannabes hang at Muscle Beach near 18th Street.

Marina del Rey

Marina del Rey boasts the largest man-made, small-craft harbor in the world and activities such as bicycling and sailing. The Waterside at Marina del Rey shopping center has sushi spot Sugarfish and boutiques such as M. Fredric and Theodore; there’s live music on Sunday afternoons. The beach community of Playa del Rey, with its quiet cafes and kitschy dive bars, is the last destination before southern neighbors El Segundo and Manhattan Beach.

BRENTWOOD

The affluent but laid-back neighborhood of Brentwood is home to numerous stars, like Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, who blend in with the other neighborhood folk, strolling San Vicente Boulevard with its indie boutiques and salons, coffee shops and many Japanese and Italian restaurants. Brentwood Country Mart, at San Vicente Boulevard and 26th Street, offers casual dining and boutiques including James Perse, Broken English and Toy Crazy. But the biggest draw is nearby Getty Center, a spectacular travertine-clad hilltop museum featuring European art from the Middle Ages to the present.

PACIFIC PALISADES

An upscale, slightly sleepy enclave, Pacific Palisades is the site of Will Rogers State Historic Park, a popular place for hiking and horseback riding. It also has pleasant boutique shopping; wander the streets between Via de la Paz and Monument Street near Sunset Boulevard to find a number of specialty stores, including designer clothing store Elyse Walker, stationery shop Black Ink and Intemperantia Chocolates.

Malibu

The fabled spot where Gidget once hung out is a 27-mile stretch of coastal vistas and cliffs boasting some of the most expensive real estate in the L.A. area; celebrity residents include Bob Dylan, David Geffen and
Matthew McConaughey.

The Getty Villa is the Getty Center’s coastal counterpart. The spectacular villa has been a magnet for splendor seekers since Getty, inspired by a Julius Caesar–era retreat, built it in the 1970s and filled it with Greco-Roman antiquities. Advance timed tickets are required. Find views at restaurants along Pacific Coast Highway, such as Gladstone’s and Duke’s. Adjacent to the Malibu Lagoon and Bird Sanctuary, the Adamson House is filled with historic tile.

Malibu Country Mart offers fashion-forward boutiques such as Vince, Diesel and Canvas, plus restaurants such as sushi destination Nobu Malibu. There’s a children’s play area near Tra Di Noi and excellent celeb spotting. Adjacent to the mart, Malibu Lumber Yard has high-end boutiques such as Alice + Olivia, Maxfield and James Perse.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area offers activities such as hiking, horseback riding and bird-watching.

TOPANGA

Just north on Pacific Coast Highway, follow scenic Topanga Canyon Boulevard to the hippie enclave of Topanga for hiking trails, gift shops and earth-conscious dining such as Inn of the Seventh Ray. Also creekside is the lively Abuelitas Mexican restaurant and bar. Pine Tree Circle center offers independent boutiques, galleries and cafes. Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum offers Shakespeare plays in the summer.

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