Adam and I recently had the opportunity to check out sunny Southern California! And I’m happy to report, it did not disappoint. We split up our trip and spent about 3 days in the Santa Monica area and 3 in West Hollywood. It was a great trip and we tried to fit A LOT in, and I think we successfully did so! It was one of those vacations where we needed a vacation from our vacation when we got home!
Sharing with you a few things we did in Santa Monica!
Our stay
We stayed at the Wyndham Santa Monica At The Pier . Honestly, it was a great location- maybe a three-minute walk to the pier and super close to other restaurants/bars we wanted to check out. The hotel service and cleanliness was great as well and I would definitely stay here again. The only issue was there were a few sketchy people around the area, but they didn’t bother us at all.
Getting around
Since we were pretty close to everything, we started off just walking everywhere we went. That was until we discovered electronic scooters that were on almost every sidewalk throughout the city. We used Bird Scooters. I can’t get over how much fun it was to ride them! Feeling the wind through my hair as I watched the palm trees wiz past me. SO much fun! And, they were easy to use and purchase. All through their app- the app scanned our license and credit card and we were on our way. I was a little scared to ride at first but they were super easy to get the hang of! I don’t even have any photos of us on them because we were having too much fun. But literally they’re everywhere so if yours runs out of juice, there will be a new one waiting for you just around the corner! (and the app also helps you locate them)!
A couple bar/restaurant recos
- The Lobster– Great (semi-fancy) restaurant right by the entrance of the pier. Adam got Shellfish & Black Chitarra Pasta and loved it. So for all you seafood lovers- highly recommend it. I don’t like seafood so I got the Roasted Free Range Half Mary’s Chicken. One of the BEST meals I’ve ever had. And, the BEST view of the sunset. Check out the pic below.
- Esters Wine Shop & Bar– Cute little place with a ton of wine to choose from. Also a ton of cheese to choose from! We snacked on bread and cheese. Wine, bread, cheese- all I need in life.
- Bodega Wine Bar– this place was packed when we went (and it was a Tuesday!), but it’s a hip bar/restaurant with lots of young people. Great atmosphere and of course we enjoyed some drinks.
- Father’s Office-Craft beer place a little more inwards. A hidden gem. GREAT burger and fries. And a bunch of different beers to choose from.
- ONYX Rooftop Bar– We went here later in the evening but the rooftop had a very cool view. The vibe felt a little off and the decor was questionable but the view was nice to enjoy.
- Elephante–Trendy bar with a small patio rooftop. We got drinks and looked out at the water!
The pier itself was cool too, like a mini amusement park! We didn’t go on any rides, but there was a ton of little vendors, games and rides to check out. Plus, a great view of the sunset at the end of the pier.
While scooting around on our first day, we were able to watch the sunset- check out this view below. You really see it all- the sand, ocean, mountains, palm trees- all of my favorite things. I could’ve stood there all day.
We also got to experience a day in Venice- what a place. Stay tuned for that post! 😊