Essentials
Whole Foods Market
225 Lincoln BlvdQuit a scene - wine bar, pizza, great juices
Newly remodeled store - Starbucks inside. Sells nice sandwiches and Sandwich fixing if you want to make your own.
583 locals recommend
Ralphs
910 Lincoln BlvdNewly remodeled store - Starbucks inside. Sells nice sandwiches and Sandwich fixing if you want to make your own.
BevMo!
3212 Wilshire BlvdAlcohol at good prices.
Trader Joe's
6150 Slauson AveLove TJs!
Trader Joe's
6150 Slauson AveLove TJs
Bob's Market
1650 Ocean Park BlvdShopping
Ross Dress for Less
1400 Lincoln BlvdBargains and easy walking distance (unless you buy too much)
Bloomingdale's
10250 Santa Monica BoulevardGreat make up, etc.
Food Scene
I have heard great things - hip gastropub with amazing sausages and fries.
243 locals recommend
Wurstküche Restaurant Venice Beach
625 Lincoln BlvdI have heard great things - hip gastropub with amazing sausages and fries.
Lots of vegan choices - and in the heart of the resurging Rose Ave
488 locals recommend
Cafe Gratitude
512 Rose AveLots of vegan choices - and in the heart of the resurging Rose Ave
Lots of really good and healthy choices. Great chocolate chip cookies. Check the hours - later is take out only.
41 locals recommend
Sauce on Ocean
1541 Ocean AvenueLots of really good and healthy choices. Great chocolate chip cookies. Check the hours - later is take out only.
Mendocino Farms
4724 Admiralty WaySuper delicious sandwiches
The Cow's End Cafe
34 Washington BlvdGreat place after waling the pier (or before!) Bicycle there!
Groundwork Coffee Co.
671 Rose AveGreat local coffee.
Coffee and everything else is great. DON'T try the sticky bun! It is addictive.
256 locals recommend
Urth Caffe Santa Monica
2327 Main StCoffee and everything else is great. DON'T try the sticky bun! It is addictive.
Pizza. Super good and good wine - and you can taste the wine before you buy. Good beer too. It is small and loud if you go later.
45 locals recommend
South End
2805 Abbot Kinney BlvdPizza. Super good and good wine - and you can taste the wine before you buy. Good beer too. It is small and loud if you go later.
Peet's Coffee
1401 Montana AveBest coffee chain IMHO
La Vecchia Cucina
2654 Main StGreat Italian Food
You have to drive, but if you are going to mid-city for the museums, this fantastic restaurant is not far.
17 locals recommend
A Food Affair
1515 S Robertson BlvdYou have to drive, but if you are going to mid-city for the museums, this fantastic restaurant is not far.
Locanda Positano
4059 Lincoln BlvdItalian Food
K-ZO
9240 Culver BlvdReally Good Sushi - next to a Trader Joe's in Culver City.
Intelligentsia Coffee Venice Coffeebar
1331 Abbot Kinney BlvdCoffee experience!
Great restaurant and bar. If you buy wine downstairs (keep the receipt) you get a discounted corkage
10 locals recommend
Upstairs 2
2311 Cotner AveGreat restaurant and bar. If you buy wine downstairs (keep the receipt) you get a discounted corkage
Hinano Cafe
15 Washington BlvdGreat dive bar. Get the burger!
The Commons Ale House
129 BroadwayGreat beer, at the Beach. Need I say more?
Located inside the beautiful Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. Great food - fantastic cheese plates, happy hour most nights from 5 - 6 PM with 1/2 off almost everything!
37 locals recommend
FIG
101 Wilshire BlvdLocated inside the beautiful Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. Great food - fantastic cheese plates, happy hour most nights from 5 - 6 PM with 1/2 off almost everything!
Fig Tree
431 Ocean Front WalkGreat place for breakfast and to watch the world go by.
Uplifters Kitchen
2819 Ocean Park BlvdReally good!
Eggslut
1611 Pacific AveSuper Cool
Great Italian food with great service. Highly recommended. There’s a second location on Lincoln in Santa Monica. Both excellent.
Piccolo Abbot Kinney
Great Italian food with great service. Highly recommended. There’s a second location on Lincoln in Santa Monica. Both excellent.
Everything Else
Locali Healthy Convenience
701 Lincoln BlvdHealthy choices and good food!
Juice Served Here - Venice
609 Lincoln BoulevardTHE FLIGHTS!!! I absolutely love their juice flight.
Pacific Resident Theater
703 Venice Blvd.Award wining local theatre.
Venice Canals
Fun walk!
Great views from the bar on the roof. Expensive, but be there for sunset
248 locals recommend
Hotel Erwin
1697 Pacific AveGreat views from the bar on the roof. Expensive, but be there for sunset
Japanese American National Museum
100 N Central AveRight next to MOCA and great Japanese food.
Arts & Culture
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire BlvdGreat Art
The Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast HwyFree Museum - but you pay for parking. But beautiful!
The Getty
1200 Getty Center DrGetty Museum is free - parking $15 last I knew.
Largo at the Coronet
366 N La Cienega BlvdGreat entertainment!
Great bar with live jazz after 7:30 PM most nights - and happy hour 3 -7 PM
211 locals recommend
The Culver Hotel
9400 Culver BlvdGreat bar with live jazz after 7:30 PM most nights - and happy hour 3 -7 PM
Great museum in Japan Town. Lots of good food around for small $.
401 locals recommend
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
152 N Central AveGreat museum in Japan Town. Lots of good food around for small $.
Gorgeous Frank Gehry designed building and fun events too! Home to LA Philharmonic
1063 locals recommend
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S Grand AveGorgeous Frank Gehry designed building and fun events too! Home to LA Philharmonic
The Broad
221 S Grand AveBrand new museum. Free - need to reserve ahead of time.
Drinks & Nightlife
Huge bar - some seats looking at the Ocean, and Santa Monica Pier. Others in a living room style - facing the piano - where there is often entertainment.
76 locals recommend
Hotel Casa del Mar
1910 Ocean WayHuge bar - some seats looking at the Ocean, and Santa Monica Pier. Others in a living room style - facing the piano - where there is often entertainment.
Hollywood Bowl
2301 Hollywood Bowl RdA must visit for a summer visitor if there are concerts.
Sightseeing
Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica PierFerris Wheel and Merry Go Round are my favs!
Larchmont is like a little old fashioned town inside of the city. It’s so cute, very walkable and not very far. Plus close to Hancock Park, which has beautiful homes to look at
179 locals recommend
Larchmont Village
Larchmont is like a little old fashioned town inside of the city. It’s so cute, very walkable and not very far. Plus close to Hancock Park, which has beautiful homes to look at