Santa Monica Beach Live Cam

The most photographed locations in the world

Whether visiting for business or pleasure, you can easily get around Santa Monica on the Big Blue Bus or the Tide Shuttle and even fly in to Santa Monica Airport on your own private plane or get here quickly from LAX or other regional airports. The Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau is here to help you make the most of your stay, whether for a day or a week.

The Third Street Promenade was developed in the late 1980’s by the City of Santa Monica in an effort to revitalize the deteriorated downtown area and create a vibrant center for community life and retail activity. The Third Street Promenade opened on September 16, 1989. Not only has the Third Street Promenade been an economic boost to downtown businesses, its astounding success has made Santa Monica a major Southern California destination.

Santa Monica State Beach is the City of Santa Monica’s biggest and greatest natural asset. Located between Will Rogers State Beach to the north and Venice Beach to the south, the 3.5 mile stretch of wide beach serves as the backdrop for the active, outdoor oriented Southern California lifestyle. This popular destination attracts thousands of local, regional and world-wide beach goers on a daily basis year round.

The beach is owned by the California State Department of Parks and Recreation and operated by the City’s Open Space Management Division. The Solid Waste Management Division is responsible for the daily cleaning and raking of the beach in addition to the daily servicing of all the outdoor public beach restrooms. The Transportation Management Division oversees the public parking lots located north and south of the Pier. And, lifeguard services are provided by the County of Los Angeles Fire Department.

Activities available along the coastline within Santa Monica include swimming, surfing, beach volleyball, outdoor chess, gymnastics, rollerblading, skating, bicycling, jogging, just to name a few.

By ordinance of the Santa Monica City Council, smoking is prohibited on Santa Monica beaches, on the Santa Monica Pier (except in designated areas to be approved by Council). A 90-day public outreach effort preceded enforcement of the ordinance, which took effect May 27, 2004. Designated smoking areas on the Pier will include outside dining areas, areas of Pacific Park during special events, and smoking by actors as part of their roles in productions being filmed on the Pier.

Permits are for Monday through Friday only and are site- and time-specific. Permits are not valid on weekends and holidays. Permits are required as a way to assist the Los Angeles County lifeguards in determining proper staffing levels for each of the lifeguard towers so that they can maximize water safety. Lifeguards are authorized to relocate groups, if necessary.

Ken Edwards Center - Named after the well-respected Santa Monica civic leader, the Ken Edwards Center houses two very important senior citizen services centers, The Center for Healthy Aging as well as Wise Senior Services . Both agencies provide a variety of services for those 55 years and older, including; caregiver assistance, counseling, referrals, omnibudsman services, home health care services, some medical services, transportation and financial planning assistance and more. There is help in both English and Spanish. The center also houses the offices of the City of Santa Monica's administrative staff for the Community Programs Division and provides meeting rooms for both city and other non-profit meetings.

Main Street Santa Monica, Main Street between Hollister and Navy - Just two blocks east of the ocean and south of the Civic Center, Santa Monica's original Main Street is a thriving, 12-block commercial area that retains all the original charm of a turn-of-the-century seaside resort. A unique, outdoor pedestrian retail and entertainment area, Main Street offers a blend of over 120 restaurants, unique shops, boutiques, galleries and offices. It includes The Galley, the oldest bar and restaurant in Santa Monica that opened in 1934 and moved here from the pier in 1946, as well as other well-known Los Angeles eateries. The 1927 historical Spanish Colonial Revival Parkhurst Building is also located on Main Street. One of Main Street's biggest attractions is the dazzling multi-purpose Edgemar Building, designed by world renowned architect, Frank O. Gehry.

Palisades Park - One of the most picturesque spots in all of Southern California, Santa Monica's Palisades Park consists of 26 breathtaking acres along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. With spectacular views of Malibu, Catalina Island and Palos Verdes, the park is a favorite movie and TV filming location. Completely renovated in 2000, it is the perfect place to meet, take walks and experience the lyrical charm of Santa Monica. Hotels and restaurants line Ocean Avenue just opposite the park. The Tourist Information Center, near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard provides brochures, bus schedules, etc. There are also a number of walkways down to the beach and the Santa Monica Pier is located at the southern end.

Santa Monica State Beach - The 3.5-mile strand of beach that borders the City of Santa Monica at the ocean may be one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in California. Access to the beach is provided on Pacific Coast Highway, by walking down stairways from Palisades Park, or from the ramp leading to the Santa Monica Pier at Colorado Avenue. The beach provides lifeguards, showers, playgrounds, snack bars and restaurants. The Santa Monica Pier includes the Pacific Park amusement center, a public fishing pier, the UCLA Ocean Discovery Center, restaurants, retail stores and bicycle and skate rental shops. A paved bike path provides an incredible 20-mile coastal ride from Will Rogers Beach, just north of Santa Monica, south all the way to Redondo Beach.

Santa Monica City Hall - Housed in a classic moderne style building originally built in 1938 and decorated with colorful tile work and historical lobby murals, City Hall is in the center of the Santa Monica Civic Center, located on Main Street between Pico Boulevard and Colorado Avenue. A full-service city hall with a city manager, staff, mayor and city council representatives, it offers the public everything from rent control information to resources on after-school youth programs. Santa Monica also provides a comprehensive phone information system called "City Hall on Call,".

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium - Just at the southern end of the Santa Monica Civic Center, at the corner of Main Street and Pico Boulevard, and bordered by 4th Street on the west, is the public Civic Auditorium, an outstanding 3,000-seat concert hall, trade show auditorium, community events center and the site of the Academy Awards Show during the 1960's. The Civic Auditorium is home of the Santa Monica Orchestra which performs during the fall and spring. One of the largest regular events is the International Gem and Jewelry Show which takes place four times a year. A list of upcoming events can be obtained by calling the number above.

Santa Monica Civic Center - Just south of downtown Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Place shopping mall is a large civic area situated between Main Street and 4th Street, and Colorado Avenue and Pico Boulevard. Located in this area are the Santa Monica City Hall with its vast number of city offices, the police and fire department headquarters, the Santa Monica Superior Court and at the far southern end, the Civic Auditorium. The area also includes commercial offices and vast expanses of lawns, public areas and parking lots which are often the sights of special events held throughout the year.

Santa Monica Pier - Open 24 hours a day, the pier is the most famous landmark in Santa Monica and is the oldest pleasure pier in California. The trademark carousel, which was built in 1922, retains its historic charm and is still open for rides. License-free fishing is allowed from the pier which also boasts a number of shops, arcades, restaurants, boat rides, bike rentals and street performers. There is also a Santa Monica Police Substation and the UCLA Ocean Discovery Center at the base of the pier. The Pacific Park amusement center, with its distinctive solar-powered Ferris wheel, roller coaster, rides and carnival, add to the festive atmosphere.

Santa Monica Place - This dynamic indoor mall lies just at the southern end of the Third Street Promenade where 3rd Street meets Broadway. There are also entrances along 2nd Street, 4th Street and Colorado Avenue. Anchored by Robinsons-May and Macy's, there are over 140 interesting shops, restaurants, offices and salons. At the base of the mall, just inside the Broadway entrance, is the Eatz Food Court, featuring cuisine from around world. Santa Monica Place also offers many special events and boasts more than a dozen specialty carts.

Santa Monica Senior Recreation Center - The Santa Monica Senior Recreation Center is located in Palisades Park on Ocean Avenue at Broadway and is operated by the City of Santa Monica. It hosts a variety of services for seniors that include regular meals; classes in a variety of subjects, including dance, piano and singing; activities, such as cards, board games and movies and a variety of senior services provided by both on-site staff and visiting professionals. The center is an excellent resource center for referrals regarding health and transportation services. Camera Obscura, Santa Monica's "live" periscope, is located on the second level of the recreation center. Camera Obscura is free and open to the public.

Third Street Promenade - Anchoring a world-class, downtown shopping district is the pedestrian-only, open-air plaza known as the Third Street Promenade. It combines the old-world charm of a European tree-lined boulevard with an easy-going, eclectic Southern California lifestyle. Dozens of popular chain stores, movie theatres and unique, one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants populate the Promenade amid an eclectic mix of street performers, artists and vending carts.

Santa Monica Tourist Information Center - The tourist information center is a small service center in Palisades Park on Ocean Avenue that serves tourists and residents by directing them to attractions, services, bus lines and transportation routes. Visitors can pick up the free Santa Monica Official Visitors Guide which outlines the major features of the city, as well as Where Los Angeles, a magazine that covers the larger L.A. area. There are Big Blue Bus schedules available as well as many brochures for both public and commercial areas of interest covering all of Southern California.

Venice Beach - In between the gorgeous beaches and tourist attractions of Santa Monica and the grand waterways and boats of Marina del Rey is the California phenomenon known as Venice Beach. Still a symbol of the California counter culture, Venice Beach and the famous Muscle Beach workout area have been completely renovated with new public facilities. Yet, even with the addition of new facilities and gourmet restaurants, Venice still retains its funky charm as the boardwalk provides an incredibly diverse collection of fortune tellers, bikini-clad skaters, preachers, magicians, street performers, clothing shops and craft-stands. There are plenty of things to see and do. Just east of the beach are the picturesque Venice canals, built in 1904 to resemble the romantic waterways of Venice, Italy.