Santa Monica - more than just an ocean city

Planning a trip to Southern California but don't want to fight Los Angeles' traffic? Or maybe when you hear the word Disneyland you think, "Been there, done that"? Check out the city of Santa Monica in all its picture-postcard beauty. From a funky old pier surrounded by some of the world's best beaches to its upscale shopping district, scores of art galleries, top-rated restaurants and bountiful nightlife, there are enough things to do in this little oasis just 19 kilometers west of downtown Los Angeles to keep you not only occupied but enthralled.

What's new

Santa Monica Place: This rather mundane looking 1980s shopping mall was transformed in 2010. It's now a bright, open-air gathering spot of upscale restaurants and stores that connects directly with the city's pedestrian-friendly Third Street Promenade, forming the heart of Santa Monica's downtown. The mall not only rivals Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive in offering high-end, celebrity-frequented brand-name outfits like Kitson, Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Barneys, but also provides an abundance of relatively reasonable parking within walking distance of the beach. A new-old addition to that beach is the Annenberg Community Beach House. Built in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst for his companion, actress Marion Davies, it was acquired by Santa Monica and opened to the public in 2009. Tours of the guest house and its art gallery are free.