A few days ago, Santa Monica’s City Council surprised many people by voting to not build any new parking spaces. Instead they want to better utilize existing parking facilities. By doing so, the local government is promising that there won’t be a shortage of parking in downtown Santa Monica, but a better use of the [...]

Recently, I took you on a short tour of Crescent Bay Park in Santa Monica, but it’s just one of four parks that border the Santa Monica Promenade. You can reach the others below by walking or by bike. Beach Park is a fantastic park for kids: With its toddler friendly playground, many families camp out, bring [...]

For my inaugural Walking Tour and Map for Santa Monica, I’m featuring three of its most popular locations– the Third Street Promenade, Palisades Park, and the Santa Monica Pier. Relax, it’s not too bad to move about as they’re all within a 2.07 mile walk. Starting at Wilshire and Ocean Ave., you’re greeted by the St. [...]

Santa Monica is known for its world famous beaches, but when you want to avoid the crowds, check out Santa Monica’s Crescent Bay Park on the beach. Located half a mile south of the Santa Monica Pier– with its shaded picnic area and benches lining the sidewalk– it provides the perfect vantage point to access [...]

Would you want to have a Metro Maintenance Yard in your community or on your street? Most people want the “status quo” and prefer that any new municipal, civic, cultural, and private development occur somewhere else. They’re called (“NIMBY”) which is the acronym for “Not in My Back Yard.” Which brings me to the salient issue [...]

With over 20 public parks in Santa Monica, local residents and visitors have a lot of activities to choose from. Is your favorite sport baseball? Do you have small children, or teenagers? Whatever your game may be, Santa Monica Park and Recreations probably has it. For Today’s Travelin’ Local morning walk, I strolled over to Clover Park, located [...]

Yesterday was Bike to Work Day. Unfortunately, most people don’t ride their bikes to work. For the most part, it’s done on an infrequent basis—if at all. Travelin’ Local, as well as many advocates for bicycling, alternative energy, transportation, community activists, and national bicycling organizations hope to change that. If you biked to work yesterday, and were [...]

Have you ever thought about fishing in Los Angeles? Until I went to the Santa Monica Pier and saw all the people fishing, it didn’t even occur to me, but then again, I’m not a fisherman. But, a lot of people are: The California Department of Fishing and Game has a special program to get kids interested in [...]

Third Street Promenade is an all pedestrian street in Santa Monica, and is considered one of the premier shopping destinations in Los Angeles. Due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean–coupled with Los Angeles’s Mediterranean climate—the Third Street Promenade draws crowds from all over the Los Angeles basin. The Third Street Promenade is a great [...]

After researching the history of the Santa Monica Pier, I was fascinated by its history, in particular, its Ferris Wheel. Since my days of growing up in the shadow of Cedar Point, I have long been a fan of amusement parks, and Ferris Wheels in particular. With the slow ride to the top, riders are afforded unique [...]

Every Sunday for the last five years, Veterans for Peace have created the stunning tribute for our troops entitled, “Arlington West.” It’s physically located on the north side of the Santa Monica Pier. Quoting directly from the Veterans for Peace Statement of Purpose, the Arlington West Mission Statement is: to honor the fallen and wounded to provide [...]

Millions of people from all around the world have enjoyed one of California’s most famous landmarks, the Santa Monica Pier. Although it was slated for demolition in 1973, the community rallied to save it, only to have Mother Nature destroy about ⅓ of its length in 1983 during a huge ocean storm. And, just like before, the [...]