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Santa Monica

Santa Monica is known to be a very upscale beach town. Many different famous people have called this place home over the years including retirees, professionals, artists, and many more. There are plenty of beautiful sights to see around this area given the extremely relaxed vibe as well as the numerous amenities residents enjoy every day.
Throughout Santa Monica, there are various parks, hiking trails, beaches, and other vistas that many of the residents love to explore in this area of Southern California. As is with most of the cities in California, Santa Monica has amazing weather throughout the entire year. There are plenty of fun activities to explore outside, so the consistently warm weather is very conducive to the residents who love to spend time outdoors.

Weather

Given there are a lot of fun outdoor activities to explore here, it’s important to understand the type of weather the residents of Santa Monica get to enjoy on a daily basis. Sometimes, you will experience some foggy mornings in Santa Monica. Fortunately, these always come with amazing sunsets and the cool breeze that comes right off the ocean. The days may begin with cooler temperatures than the rest of this region. This is due to the “marine layer” fog that accumulates during the night. After you wake up and enjoy your morning cup of coffee, the sun begins to come out by the middle of the day so you can still enjoy a bright experience once the overhead clouds start to thin out. Most of Southern California endures more smoggy weather, but this is not the case for the amazing weather in Santa Monica.

Important Real Estate Information

Within the city of Santa Monica, there is a mixture of different types of homes the residents choose to live in. Santa Monica contains beachfront homes, gated homes, condos, and lofts. One of the best attributes this neighborhood has to offer is the fact that there are plenty of different living options that anyone can enjoy. The median price for these homes is about $1,999,000. This makes the average cost per square foot $1,322.71. Compared to some other cities in Los Angeles County, this community has fairly expensive homes that bring a very prestigious look to the area.
The population of Santa Monica is about 91,600 people. This area provides a nice urban feel for the residents who live there permanently or those who are currently just renting their home. This coastal city is right next to Palisades Park and contains stunning views of the sparkling water in the Pacific Ocean. Many famous people have been attracted to the Gold Coast area that is located near the Davies mansion.

The History of Santa Monica

In the late 1880’s, specifically in the year 1886, Santa Monica was more popularly known as a resort town. The constant Mediterranean climate and the oceanfront location were large deciding factors in the early 20th century title gained by this area. This city even has it’s own motto which is “Fortunate people in a fortunate land.” This allows the residents here to feel a strong level of pride for the amazing city they chose to call home. Throughout time, Santa Monica has also been the set for many famous video games, television shows, and movies. This area was even given the title of “Bay City” for a decent number of the novels created by Raymond Chandler.
The city of Santa Monica is proudly part of the Westside. It used to be under the umbrella term “Angelinos” that described all of the cities that were west of the 405 Freeway. There is no specific border that classifies the west from the east and the actual line is still a major topic of controversial discussion to this day. Fortunately, for anyone living in this area, there are always plenty of shopping and restaurant options that can meet the needs of even the pickiest eater. You say, “I need retail therapy” and the city of Santa Monica says, “I’ve got you covered.” You don’t have to sit through miles of freeway traffic to spend a day out on the town shopping til’ you drop and then grabbing a quit bite to eat to rejuvenate yourself for more fun activities. The only unfortunate part comes when you actual decide you want to visit your friends from the Eastside. It will truly feel like you’re traveling to an entirely different state when you want to catch up in person, but for the most part, everything you will ever need is located on the streets of Santa Monica.

Major Attractions

There are three major commercial areas located in Santa Monica. All of these areas have their own unique qualities, but they contain plenty of great places for you to shop at and eat. These three amazing areas are Third Street Promenade, Montana Avenue, and Ocean Park.

Third Street Promenade

This area is always open to all pedestrians who want to stroll through. There is a large mall that contains many different retail stores, public events, and restaurants. Moreover, there is a grand movie theatre for anyone who is into that sort of thing. Santa Monica Place also has many luxury brands that add a nice level of prestige to the area. Once again, if you love to go to the movies, the Arclight Cinemas will be perfect for you.

Montana Avenue

This strip is for all the residents who love the local food. There are plenty of local food shops located here that will allow you to experience what the local bakeries, restaurants, cafes, and boutique stores have to offer.

Ocean Park

This area is located right along Main Street and it also contains some more casual retail stores, bars, and restaurants for when you need to grab a quick bite in between shopping.

The Lifestyle

Many of the residents of Santa Monica like to frequently go to the farmers markets. Once you decide to live in this amazing area, this will also most likely become part of your weekly routine as well. These farmers markets are within the Santa Monica area so you won’t have to drive anywhere. All you need to do is hop on your bike and hit the town.
Using a bike to run routine errands is a very common occurrence in Santa Monica. This provides a nice contribution to the more relaxed environment that this area provides for everyone wanting to enjoy the city vibes. At these farmers markets, you can stock up your refrigerator with various vegetables, fruits, and any other farm goods you think you need. Some of the most well-known chefs in the area use these farmers markets to make sure they’re providing their customers that best sourced meals possible. Not only can you find produce here, but you can also find extremely fresh seafood that is local to the city.
Many locals feel as if this area has become quite the hotspot for tourists given the incredible history that is contained within the city of Santa Monica. The Pier was originally a public sewage area in the year 1909. Ever since then, it has held many different titles. Some of these titles include amusement park, fishing area, U.S. Navy War ship docking station, 20s-era ballroom, yacht harbor, entertainment venue, and much more. One of the most popular old-time televisions shows “Popeye” was born here as well. During the current season, the “Southern California’s largest free concert series” has been going on all summer long.
Currently located on the Pier is the Pacific Park Ferris wheel. In the year 1922, the Looff Hippodrome Carousel was created. This national historic landmark currently sits right below the wheel. Additionally, below the Pier itself is the Original Muscle Beach which was an extremely popular fitness area where locals could always be found exercising. When walking past, you would most likely see someone swinging on the public rings or getting a workout in on the pull up bars. This trend began in the 1930s and has been carried on ever since.

School Systems

This area was ranked #10 of 524 as one of the “Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in California”. This area has great school districts as well as public schools for families with children. Some of these schools include Santa Monica Alternative, Franklin Elementary, Edison Elementary, Canyon Charter Elementary, Grant Elementary, and many more.