Santa Monica Beach is fun for the tourist and the local

Ahhh, Southern California and Santa Monica Beach in the winter with its 75 degree sunshine, crashing surf, entertaining street performers and the iconic Santa Monica pier.  For the last 13 years, I’ve been a Southern California resident and visiting this beach still perks up all of my senses. Recently, I spent a weekend recharging with the 5-star Casa Del Mar hotel where from the second your foot hits the curb, their outstanding service shines.  The rooms are tastefully decorated where luxury meets beach with large white marble bathrooms, a pale blue and ivory colored palette and dark mahogany four poster beds. Our partial ocean view room had plenty of ocean and beach path activity to see and the 7th (highest level in this hotel) floor gave us privacy and quiet.

A late lunch included a glass of champagne with delicious bruschetta full of farm fresh ingredients, a hefty lobster club sandwich and a table for two overlooking Santa Monica beach and a gorgeous view that extended to Malibu.

Speaking of the pier, what a great way to work off our lunch and immerse ourselves with the colorful locals and the international tourists who place Santa Monica, CA as a must see. Yes, it’s kid friendly, but it’s grown-up friendly too with it’s high flying ferris wheel, street performers, and don’t miss walking to the very end of the pier where you’ll have a prime seat on a set of rustic wooden steps to watch the glowing sunset over the Pacific.