Don’t call it a comeback. Santa Monica has been here for years — 151 to be exact. However, after post-pandemic lulls in tourism and vibrancy, the Southern California city is enjoying a renaissance, thanks to notable hotel openings and renovations, acclaimed restaurant debuts and the city’s reinvigorated commitment to safety and improvement.
“Like in most major cities, there’s a cyclical nature to Los Angeles neighborhoods having buzz and becoming destinations as certain establishments open or undergo reinventions,” says Philip Pavel, managing director of The Georgian, an Art Deco hotel gem that received a wonderfully Wes Anderson-esque makeover in 2023. “[Many] cycles in recent years involved east-side communities like Highland Park. It was only natural in California that it would come back to the beach.”
That’s because the beach and the fun in the sun have long been two of Southern California’s biggest vacation selling points. Santa Monica is certainly one of the Golden State’s most famous stretches of sand with an iconic Ferris wheel and historic pier, panoramic views of the Pacific, a mountainous backdrop and the 22-mile Marvin Braude Bike Trail. It also happens to be the birthplace of beach volleyball and vertical skateboarding, home of the first Hot Dog on a Stick and the end of historic Route 66, which celebrates its centennial this year.
“Santa Monica offers a version of Los Angeles that feels both iconic and modern, aspirational and livable,” says Houssem Tasco, hotel manager at Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Regent Santa Monica Beach, which opened in late 2024. “The destination uniquely balances dynamic energy with a relaxed coastal rhythm. One of its greatest draws is its walkability with beach paths, shopping, dining and cultural attractions all within easy reach on foot.”
Making it even easier for travelers to take advantage of all Santa Monica has to offer is an explosion of top-notch hotels over the last five years, including Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Oceana, LXR Hotels & Resorts. Other properties, like Four-Star Shutters on the Beach and Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Viceroy Santa Monica, underwent renovations or unveiled updated restaurants, amenities and wellness programming.
While much of the renewed interest can be traced to hospitality offerings, it won’t hurt the tourist experience that the city approved a $60 million multi-year “realignment plan” last October to address growing public safety concerns, deteriorating public spaces and declining revenue. The multi-pronged project, which is already underway, incorporates increased police presence and homeless outreach, native landscaping, streamlined permitting and other new business incentives, and street, sidewalk and signage repair.
“After navigating real challenges in recent years, the city has emerged as a resilient, forward-looking community deeply proud of what it offers,” Tasco says. “The dining/hospitality scene continues to evolve, and this year’s Route 66 centennial further elevates Santa Monica’s international profile.”
A new two-day music festival from the team behind Coachella will do the same, taking place next to the pier annually through at least 2028. The inaugural Ocean Way Festival (September 26 and 27) will be headlined by Olivia Dean and the Killers, and feature art installations, food pop-ups, a bike valet and a Kelly Wearstler-designed VIP beach club. It is expected to draw 30,000 to 35,000 attendees.
Even if none of the above appeals to your particular travel tastes, Pavel reminds that an oceanside pit stop is, and always has been, good for the soul. “Whether it’s the rich oxygenated air, cool breeze or calm rhythm of lapping waves, the beach makes you more relaxed,” he says. “I have worked in high-end hospitality my entire life, and guests are just more tranquil when they witness those glorious sunsets every night. With everything going on in the world today, who wouldn’t want their pulse slowed, to be unhurried and to breathe a little easier?”
To make your trip planning less stressful, here’s our guide for what not to miss on your next Santa Monica visit.
STAY
For those who prioritize self-care, Santa Monica Proper Hotel introduced the Recovery Suite, a bookable wellness center kitted with a red-light bed, cold plunge, dry sauna, Hyperice and Therabody recovery tools and an Ammortal Chamber (a pod with biohacking technologies).
Regent Santa Monica Beach has the only Guerlain Wellness Spa on the West Coast. The 10,000-square-foot space offers California-inspired treatments, including Solar Shape, a sculpting post-sun skincare solution and a crystal-powered sound bath. And to celebrate Route 66’s centennial, the sumptuous hotel put together a package that combines an ocean-view room with a classic car rental, a scarf and vegan leather driving gloves.
Speaking of anniversaries, the Renaissance Revival building that houses Four-Star Casa del Mar also turns 100 in 2026. Expect a $192.60 Macallan-inspired prix fixe menu at Terrazza that pays tribute to the property’s founding year and a lobby display of historic hotel photos to mark the special occasion. Pop across the street to its sister property, the aforementioned Shutters, for Route 66-inspired bites and cocktails in the Living Room.
If you prefer more of a residential feel, book Oceana Santa Monica. Its former life as an apartment complex led to sprawling and sophisticated suites, and its blufftop location, front and center for the nightly sunset show, is a bit removed from the main tourist zone. Fans of old Hollywood should request room 203, where actor Stan Laurel once lived, and order the cocktail the hotel named after him.
Art aficionados should consider The Georgian, which boasts its own gallery and hosts late-night jazz concerts and piano jams in its sultry subterranean restaurant, The Georgian Room.
EAT & DRINK
It will be even harder to narrow down where to dine when in town thanks to the culinary scene’s diversity, quality and talent roster. Some of the best restaurants reside in hotels, including Shutters’ Forbes Travel Guide Recommended 1 Pico, Regent’s Orla (Michael Mina’s Mediterranean-Middle Eastern master class) and Proper’s Calabra (which is also one of L.A.’s best rooftop bars).
The intimate size and hot-spot status of La Monique at Oceana can make it a difficult reservation to score, but the decadent French-leaning menu (including mini French onion soup grilled cheese, escargot poppers and a sweet corn-crab-uni agnolotti in beurre blanc) is worth any amount of extra effort.
Seline, a 14- to 17-course epicurean adventure told through seasonal and regional ingredients, innovative techniques and showy plating that makes use of bones, antlers and bowls within bowls, has been racking up accolades in 2026. It gets bonus points for the unique nonalcoholic pairings, most of which are made in house, like the banana chai chicory root milk punch.
There are classics like Rustic Canyon, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and Wally’s, a wine store, cheese/charcuterie counter and lively full-service eatery serving signatures like truffle rotisserie chicken, pizza topped with olives and anchovies, and bespoke martinis that are perfectly tuned to your taste using a helpful diagram.
Newer kids on the block include seafood-forward Crudo e Nudo, Xuntos‘ Spanish tapas and Holy Basil’s westside outpost. Fitoor offers contemporary Indian fare, bright cocktails and beachy brunch steps from the pier. Tartine is fittingly tucked inside a former funeral home chapel, where breakfast delights such as golden pastries, fresh breads and fruity jams are heaven on Earth.
DO
Obviously, the first stop should be the beach. Many resorts provide or can arrange surf lessons, beach butlers or a boat outing. The Beach Oasis can create a private beach club for up to 20 guests with everything from umbrellas to a volleyball court.
Borrow a bike and join skaters and joggers on the most popular bike path in L.A., the 22-mile shoreline-skirting paved Marvin Braude Bike Trail. The Strand, as it’s known by locals, runs from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance.
No trip is complete without visiting the Santa Monica Pier, which hosts concerts, movie screenings, street performers and other events throughout the year. Take a photo with the Route 66 “end of the trail” sign, ride the historic merry-go-round, learn about 100 species of sea creatures at the Heal the Bay Aquarium or try to catch your own fish as people have done here since 1909.
The best place to see the sunset and panoramic views of the bay and the Santa Monica Mountains is the blufftop Palisades Park. Its meandering palm-dotted paths, grassy patches and punishingly steep stairs attract fitness fanatics, dog walkers and tourists, which makes for fascinating people-watching.
For some culture, the Bergamot Station Arts Center, housed inside a former railroad station, is a collective of fine art galleries, including Nuart and Richard Heller, a theater and comedy club. International contemporary art fair Frieze Los Angeles launched in 2019 and has been held at the Santa Monica Airport since 2023. And the BroadStage, a performing arts venue on Santa Monica College’s campus, hosts a variety of concerts and dance shows and serves as the home base of the Santa Monica International Jazz Festival.
Find a souvenir in the high-end boutiques on Montana Avenue, the independent shops and vintage stores along Main Street or the brand-name peddlers at Santa Monica Place. The latter also hosts a semi-regular Makers Hive Market and offers cooking classes at The Gourmandise School. Foodies should browse seasonal bounty at the downtown Farmers Market (Wednesdays and Saturdays), too, as it’s the not-so-secret weapon of every L.A. chef.
