Santa Monica – Perfect for a Big Family Getaway!
If you’re looking for a spot that’s sunny year-round, jam packed full of life, excitement and opportunities to explore with your big family, look no further than beautiful Santa Monica! With temperatures in the 70s and 80s nearly year round, gorgeous and expansive beaches and enough activities to keep a family of 10 busy for a year, your family is destined to have the vacation of a lifetime, no matter when you come! Here are the top 5 things you should do if you come visit!
Ride Bikes Up the Coast
You can rent bikes at just $6 dollars an hour (or double up and rent tandems for just $9!) and take advantage of The Strand, 8.5 miles of paved pathway that follows right along the ocean beach and takes you down to LA or up to Malibu. It’s always packed with runners, bikers and pooches out for leisurely strolls and the livelihood is magical. You’ll burn off some steam, take in all kinds of gorgeous beach scenes and of course, will have to stop at one of the many pit stops for an ice cream cone to give you some extra fuel!
Hang Out at the Pier
The Santa Monica Pier just so happens to be the oldest on the West Coast and it’s the home of the iconic Forrest Gump scene. Stop by the Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant to take some pictures, walk a little further and get your pictures drawn, chat with local fishermen and maybe even do some fishing of your own! Poles for rent on the pier. And of course: milkshakes, cotton candy and treats galore.
Pacific Park Amusement Park
It’s tough to top the Pacific Park Amusement Park where your kids can enjoy over 200 games, and you don’t even have to leave the pier! After you’ve covered the arcade games, you should take them on the 9 foot story Ferris wheel, go for the five-story roller coaster, the nine story Pacific Plunge, let them ride the carousel and then, to top it all off, take advantage of the Trapeze School of New York. Classes are up to two hours, start at beginning level and you can fit in 10 people, perfect for your big family! Oh, and it just so happens to be the home of the only over-water miniature golf course.
Celebrity Sight Seeing
You’ll likely never have a better shot than seeing a famous celebrity than in Santa Monica on Montana Avenue. You (parents!) will be able to go window shopping and enjoy some fun, trendy cafes while you’re at it, but your kids will want to keep their eyes peeled!
Park It!
Ready to catch your breath? Head over to Douglas Park where you can enjoy a beautifully designed park complete with duck pond. Toss some bread in to feed your soon-to-be-friends while you enjoy a relaxed lunch and grab food from one of the nearby vendors offering up delicious local cuisine at a steal! You’ll probably have some local entertainment singing or dancing too, so there’s no chance for boredom anywhere!
Freelancer Jocelyn Anne lives near Santa Monica and loves sharing it with her family and friends! While not exploring the city, you’ll find her at work where she writes about safety with gas heaters.
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