Culture of Santa Monica. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces
The most touristic and much visited destination of the resort city of Santa Monica is the Promenade accumulating a major part of entertainment establishments, stores, restaurants and bars. This street locates two ancient cinemas of the city which have been working since 1929. These movie halls are the Criterion Theater and Aero Theater. These movie theaters are among the most remarkable landmarks of the city and are worth attention of all the city visitors without exception. Another age old movie theater named Majestic was closed after a massive earthquake of 1994. The theater is now under reconstruction.
1. Tourists planning to visit local stores, boutiques and shopping centers should have handy carrying bags. Every shop and store of the city packs goods in environmentally safe paper begs … Open
Santa Monica is a city that combines the elements of ancient and modern. This place attracts tourists by its practically year-round sunny days (325 days a year), a magnificent beach at the … Open
Walking along the old pier, aged more than a hundred years, tourists will find a «Route 66» sign. The city of Santa Monica is a final destination of the famous Route 66 which is running though the entire country. It is a good tradition for many tourists to take photos with this sign as a keepsake. During an exploration tour through the city tourists may enjoy the beauty of local buildings and constructions. Some of the city constructions are impressively old.
Santa Monica, a small beachfront city, offers its guests plenty of marvelous restaurants and cozy cafes which are scattered all over the city and located in every shopping center. In the … Open
Another interesting building in the city is the Gehry Residence, which is where lives the “guru of deconstructionism”, the author of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Frank Gehry. Like all the works of the architect, his house is very unusual and the neighbors were unhappy about this (of course, when Gehry was not yet a famous architect). He bought the estate (which was originally a bungalow built in 1920) in 1977, and redid it only in 1991 for the needs of his growing family. The original residence was built in the Dutch colonial style, but today its style is rather difficult to determine. Notwithstanding, the elements of deconstruction are well visible. Some critics consider the house to be his first creation in the style of deconstruction, but the architect himself denies this.
One of the main distinctive features of the city of Santa Monica is a welcoming and easy atmosphere. The resort is heavily visited by tourists from all over the world. Local residents treat … Open
Lovers of pastoral atmosphere should definitely go to the beautiful Ocean Park Ranch, which is incredibly striking for its scenic expanses. The environs of Santa Monica are rich in natural attractions. For example, in the picturesque Will Rogers State Historic Park, tourists can see beautiful mountains that amaze with their unimaginable beauty. The green zone is great for hiking, as well as for conducting a family picnic. Among the parks located within the city line, it is worth highlighting a few more beautiful green areas, a walk through which will be a great addition to sightseeing. Among them are the Palisades Park, the Dorothy Green Park, as well as the Virginia Avenue Park.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Santa Monica and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.
City tours, excursions and tickets in Santa Monica and surroundings
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Reference information
Art galleries in Santa Monica and around
♥ Art museum 'Santa Monica Museum of Art' Santa Monica, 2.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Hammer Museum' Los Angeles, 6.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'J. Paul Getty Museum' Los Angeles, 6.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Los Angeles County Museum of Art' Los Angeles, 13 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'The Broad' Los Angeles, 22.4 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Santa Monica Museum of Art' Santa Monica, 2.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Hammer Museum' Los Angeles, 6.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'J. Paul Getty Museum' Los Angeles, 6.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Los Angeles County Museum of Art' Los Angeles, 13 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'The Broad' Los Angeles, 22.4 km from the center. On the map Photo
Cathedrals and basilicas near Santa Monica
♥ Co-Cathedral of St. Anne, North Hollywood, 18 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Former Cathedral of St. Vibiana, Los Angeles, 22.8 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, 23 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Mission San Fernando Rey de España, Los Angeles, 28.4 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Glendale, 28.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, San Gabriel, 36.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Christ Cathedral, Garden Grove, 60.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Co-Cathedral of St. Anne, North Hollywood, 18 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Former Cathedral of St. Vibiana, Los Angeles, 22.8 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, 23 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Mission San Fernando Rey de España, Los Angeles, 28.4 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Glendale, 28.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, San Gabriel, 36.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Christ Cathedral, Garden Grove, 60.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
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If you haven’t visited this event yet, there is still time to book a hotel in Dubai because Expo 2020 Dubai runs until 31 March 2022. People who are unable to visit the emirate can make a virtual tour on the Expo 2020 website. By the way, the virtual visitation has already reached 31.6 million by the end of December. Read this
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If you haven’t visited this event yet, there is still time to book a hotel in Dubai because Expo 2020 Dubai runs until 31 March 2022. People who are unable to visit the emirate can make a virtual tour on the Expo 2020 website. By the way, the virtual visitation has already reached 31.6 million by the end of December. Read this
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Photogallery of cultural heritage of Santa Monica
Landmarks of culture on Santa Monica map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc
Culture guide to Santa Monica. Which fascinating sights to visit once you are in Santa Monica: temples, churches, museums, theaters and castles. Recommendations (with addresses, phone numbers and links) on the places 'must visit' in Santa Monica. Plan your own city excursion by using this page info!