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 example of what government, business, and a community can accomplish while working together. Until recently, the Promenade was a rather shabby part of town, filled with vacant, dilapidated storefronts.

Third Street has been a center of business in Santa Monica since the town’s inception in the late 1800s. The Promenade’s roots date back to the 1960s, when the Santa Monica Mall was developed as an outdoor shopping promenade similar to the one known today, though less upscale in nature. By the late 1970s, it was in serious decline.

But that all changed, in the late 80s into the 90s, when the area went through a rejuvenation that’s continuing until the present.

After a two-year planning process to develop a new approach to the area, a 1986 bond issue to fund the project and a 1988 groundbreaking, a new and revitalized Third Street Promenade launched in September, 1989. A key driver for the economic vitality of Santa Monica, the Third Street Promenade continues to thrive 20 years after its redevelopment.

The former asphalt of old Third Street has been overlaid with hexagon-shaped tile and both ends of the avenue are now guarded by large, topiary dinosaur fountains.

Here on The Promenade you can always find a crowd of people enjoying the sunshine while visiting its upscale boutiques, trendy sidewalk cafés, and shops.

Although biking on the Promenade isn’t allowed, biking to the Promenade is the perfect way to get there. In fact, to help increase the ease of biking to and in Santa Monica, new bike racks have been installed on Second Street and the Promenade.

Although we’re spoiled in Los Angeles because of our temperate and bountiful sunny weather, not everything in life is free—so with April’s spring showers and cleaning almost over, if you need to purchase a few items to enhance your summer, the Third Street Promenade is the perfect place to get ready and prepared to enjoy the soon upcoming summer season.

Along with stores and restaurants including Starbucks, Pink Ice, the Gap, and several movie theaters, here’s a complete list of all the stores, eateries, and business’.

What I found—and everybody else–interesting and alluring about the Promenade, is that not only can I enjoy a day of shopping and walking, but on any given weekend, the streets are lined with performers; singers, musicians, dancers, and acrobats.

After a day of walking, window shopping, and taking pictures, I’m feeling good knowing that I’m saving money, time, energy and being green, by both shopping and having a chill day vacation by Travelin’ Local.