Outdoors
- Tongva ParkPublic park, in town.
- Triangle SquarePublic park, in town.
- Chess ParkPublic park, in town.
- Pier PlaygroundPublic park, in town.
- Crescent Bay ParkPublic park, in town.
- Hotchkiss ParkPublic park, in town.
Around Santa Monica
Santa Monica, beyond the house.
The neighbourhoods, the daily rhythm and the drive to everywhere else — the part of a home search a listing sheet never covers.
See homes near here →What is actually here
The desk is building a real map of Santa Monica — outdoors, local flavor, the commute and daily errands — rather than printing a generic list.
Wine & Local Flavor
- Wine ExpoWine shop, about 3.3 km from the city centre, straight line.
- Brentwood WinesWine shop, about 5.1 km from the city centre, straight line.
- Tensley Tasting RoomWine shop, about 5.3 km from the city centre, straight line.
- The Wine HouseWine shop, about 5.7 km from the city centre, straight line.
- Rose MarketWine shop, about 7.4 km from the city centre, straight line.
- Stanley's Wet GoodsWine shop, about 8.9 km from the city centre, straight line.
Getting Around
- Downtown Santa MonicaRail station, in town.
- CA 1Highway through the area — the Santa Monica Freeway.
- I 10Highway through the area — the Santa Monica Freeway.
- 17th Street/SMCRail station, about 1.6 km from the city centre, straight line.
- 26th Street/BergamotRail station, about 2.7 km from the city centre, straight line.
- Santa Monica Municipal AirportAirport, about 3.7 km from the city centre, straight line.
Food & Daily Life
- Chez JayRestaurant, in town.
- Winston PiesCafe, in town.
- The Curious PalateRestaurant, in town.
- Johnny RocketsRestaurant, in town.
- Casa MartinRestaurant, in town.
- Crepe MakerCafe, in town.
Places from OpenStreetMap, September 10. © OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances are straight-line from the city centre, not drive times.
The neighbourhoods
Where Santa Monica actually breaks down, in the desk's own words.
Full neighbourhood file →Ocean Park
Developed starting in May 1895 by Abbot Kinney and Francis Ryan along the coastal strip south of the pier, giving the neighborhood its enduring beachy, artsy character similar to neighboring Venice.
Sunset Park
Took shape during a 1920s-1940s building boom tied to workers at the nearby Douglas Aircraft plant, leaving a stock of small one-story homes on quiet, walkable residential streets.
Wilshire-Montana
A residential neighborhood nicknamed "WilMont," built around the Montana Avenue corridor of boutique shops and cafés just blocks from the beach.
Pico Neighborhood
A historically Black and Latino neighborhood shaped by Great Migration arrivals between 1920 and 1970 and by racially restrictive covenants that confined non-white residents largely to Pico and the Belmar Triangle.
North of Montana
Santa Monica's most upscale residential enclave, defined by larger lots and predominantly 4- and 5-bedroom single-family homes north of the Montana Avenue shopping corridor.
Downtown Santa Monica
Centered on the Third Street Promenade pedestrian shopping district and City Hall at 1685 Main Street, this is the civic and commercial core of the city.
A day around here
Ordinary life in Santa Monica, the way it actually runs — not a highlight reel.
Morning
Coffee at Winston Pies, then whatever the day actually needs.
Afternoon
An hour at Tongva Park, between the errands that never show up on a listing sheet.
Evening
Dinner at Chez Jay, then a short drive back to whichever neighbourhood you call home.
Illustrative scenes, not photographs of the places named. Places from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Homes near here
Real listings live in Santa Monica right now — not a wish list.
All Santa Monica listings →
Active listings, as of September 22. Photos are illustrative — not photographs of the address on the card.
Ready to see Santa Monica for yourself?
Ask the Insider desk what's new, what dropped, and what's worth a look near you.