Santa Monica Beach—a wide swath of sand that is home to the Santa Monica Pier—offers an equally wide range of activities. Once you’re done soaking up the sun, take a stroll on the pier and enjoy a bird's-eye view of the Pacific Ocean. Take a ride on the famous Ferris wheel, visit the arcade, or grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants near the beach. The Third Street Promenade, one of LA's famous outdoor shopping malls, is also just a 10-minute walk from the pier.

An iconic beach and another popular hang-out spot is Santa Monica State Beach. Along its 3.5 miles (5.6km), the beach offers an array of things to do, whether you’re looking to soak up the sun on the sandy beach or enjoy a fun day or evening on the Santa Monica Pier – a historical landmark that dates back to 1909. Bring your roller skates or bike along the 22-mile (35km) paved trail next to the beach, jump in the water with your surfboard or visit Pacific, the on-site amusement park on the Pier.

You don’t have to travel down PCH to Huntington Beach if you want to get your surf on. Santa Monica Beach offers the perfect coast to jam out to those Beach Boy songs while spotting eye-candy along the way. North of the Santa Monica Pier, you will find luscious and soft sand that you can walk along at night under a twinkling highway of stars or choose to lotion up and brave the sun during the day. If you decide to surf the magical waters, there are plenty of local instructors to teach you.