A Truly Hollywood Tale

You’ve seen it before—the famous “Hollywood” sign—towering above the city from its famous perch in Griffith Park. But we bet you don’t know much about the history of how it got there and why it still remains to this day.

The city’s iconic sign was erected in 1923 as an advertisement for a new property development in the Hollywood hills. It originally read “Hollywoodland”, cost the builders just $21,000, and was meant to last just 18 months.

By 1949 the sign was still sandings and in desperate need of repair. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce stepped in to maintain the sign. They shortened it to “Hollywood” and took over ownership. But that wouldn't be the last time the sign needed to be saved.

In 1978, Hugh Hefner hosted a fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion where his celebrity friends chipped in to buy the city a new sign, for a whopping $27,500 per letter. Heavy metal musician Alice Cooper purchased an “O” to honor his favorite comedian, Groucho Marx.

Now that you know a little bit more about one of our city’s most popular attractions, take a scenic drive down Santa Monica Boulevard. Head east to Highland Ave. and catch the four-story “Hollywood” sign for yourself.

Picnic in Hilly Tongva Park

Pack a sandwich, something to drink, something sweet, and carry your lunch for a picnic. Spring days are made to play and getting out into the Santa Monica sunlight will transform a mundane meal into something almost magical. With all sorts of open spaces and beachside alcoves to tuck into, you'll have no problem getting away from it all without having to travel too far afield.

Palisades Park, which we featured last month, offers more than enough options to dine al fresco. But right in the thick of it all, there's Tongva Park. Its undulating six acres are divided into four hills by different names, Observation, Discovery, Garden, and Gathering. Each features local plants and flowers with something new sprouting every season. Follow paths around the park to read their labels and to get lost in the urban oasis. You'll love the greenery, almost as much as your picnic lunch!

Picture Perfect Palisades Park

No group tours. No tour buses. Just a walk. But this walk, along the palm and eucalyptus tree-lined oceanfront, is a winner.  A few steps through Palisades Park and it will become wonderfully obvious why tourists flock to this Santa Monica icon. Nestled between the beach and Ocean Avenue, Palisades Park sits atop a bluff and runs the length of Santa Monica’s northern coast, offering unbeatable views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains. Take a look at any postcard rack and you'll see the views made possible from this vantage point—to many it's quintessential Santa Monica. If it's solitude you seek, skip the chich pier and hug the path toward the water where you'll pass the impressive sculpture at Wilshire and the colorful totem pole at San Vicente. It may indeed be a simple way to spend the day, but we guarantee it's one you'll never forget.

Shark Sundays at the Pier

Take a bite out of your weekend and spend it with sharks. Shark Sundays at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium feature, you guessed it, sharks! Every Sunday at 3:30 pm, we'll feed our horn and swell sharks while you watch from the safety of dry land and soak up all the cool facts our naturalists have to share about these mysterious and often misunderstood sea creatures. Feeding time is one of the best times to watch the sharks, as nothing will get between them and their food; noses out of the water, mouths open, you'll be able to count their scales. Get too close though and expect to get splashed! Tickets run $3 to $12 and are available to purchase online. Included in the price of the show is also a bit of crafting! Everyone in the family is invited to take part in making a shark souvenir to make sure you remember the day.

Sleuthing for Cupid at The Getty

Don't look now, but there's cupid. And a museum full of painted nudes. They're front and center in some of the world's most famous paintings and we're here to tell you there's a game to find them. The Getty Museum in San Diego is one of several museums around the country to host Watson Adventures--a company that's turned museum visits into scavenger hunts. This month, on the 15th, the Getty invites you to get your sleuth on at The Naked at The Getty Scavenger Hunt. Gather your brightest minds and search for answers to quirky trivia, brain benders, queries that take you from slapstick lemons to wife-swaps and 'moodles.' You'll be assigned a museum guide to help you get unstuck and celebrate your small victories. Fun is the aim and the game. So get your magnifying glass and get to it. Reserve your place on the podium for a medal today!

Ice Skate at the Beach

January is the last month to marvel at the snow in sun country. Back for another year, Downtown Santa Monica spread a beautiful sheet of ice along the beachside, transforming the corner of Fifth Street and Arizona Avenue into a magical winter wonderland affectionately known as Ice at Santa Monica. The 8,000 square-foot ice skating rink opened back in November and will 'melt' January 20th. Skating hours vary during the week but every night ends under the lights, staying open until 10 pm or midnight. $15 grants you all-day admission plus a locker and a pair of skates. And you needn't be an expert—there's room on the ice for everyone! Private and group skating lessons are available with the Randy Gardner School of Skating, just book your lesson ahead. And don't miss the Sunday concert series—check the website for all the ice-shattering details.

Loof Hippodrome on the Pier

This month, step into the holiday spirit by taking a step back in time. Next to the Santa Monica Pier is one Californian's take on Byzantine-Moorish-style architecture. Designed by Charles Loof in 1916, the Loof Hippodrome has been loved by generations and is now a registered National Historic Landmark. The open-air building and its arcade lights have undergone a series of renovations to keep to code and to accommodate new needs, but each has maintained the look and feel of Mr. Loof's original vision. Some of its historic attractions have included wooden roller coasters and a carousel with 44 hand-carved, hand-painted ponies. In 1973, Paul Newman acted in the American caper film movie The Sting here. Today, several city officers call the Hippodrome's second-floor home, but below that is a full-scale family-friendly amusement park with a variety of entertaining attractions, rides, shops, and cafes .

Taste the Sunshine at the Farmers Market

One of the delicious benefits of year-round sunshine is year-round fresh, local produce. And it's ripe for the picking at Santa Monica's downtown farmers market. The Wednesday market opened back in 1981 as a place for farmers to share their bounty and for Southern Californians to reap the rewards. Today, the market features the best and brightest fruit and vegetables from more than 85 farmers and proudly boasts the reputation of being one of the largest grower-only Certified Farmers Markets in California. So join the hungry crowds and top chefs from LA's finest eateries and taste the sunshine. Come early when the market opens at 8 am to get a sneak peek of the foods that might appear on local menus. Or arrive later to fill your own picnic basket with cured meats and cheeses, warm baked goods, and local honey. Be like a local and support our hard-working farmers!

Celebrate Halloween with Barcrawlerz

Trick or Drink is the question. Adults over 21 have the answer. And, if you're in Santa Monica from October 26th or 31st, grab your bestie and meet the city consensus to pick, or should we say drink, your poison together. Barcrawlerz is a bar crawl like no other, featuring some of the best bars and drink specials in Santa Monica. Just buy your bar crawl wristband and meet at the TBA venue for a map, list of participating venues, and their menus. This means that your night will be overflowing with drink deals and free from cover charges. The evening starts as early as 4 pm on the 26th and 6 pm on the 31st, with registration open until 10 pm both nights. The event is happening in other cities too—same dates, same times. So raise a Halloween toast to your friends in New York, Atlanta, Montreal, Charleston, Portland and beyond!

Exercise with the Locals

This month, 'Hike to Yoga' at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. Just as the name suggests, you're invited to grab your mat and take a walk uphill for a panoramic view of LA and a relaxing yoga flow. Here's how it works. Each Saturday this month, meet at 7 am at the park's East Trailhead near the intersection of La Brea Avenue and Don Lorenzo Drive for a self-guided walk that ends at the Bluff and the 9/11 Memorial Tree. If you prefer to skip the walk, be at the Bluff by 8 am. The Burke Roche picnic area and restrooms are nearby. The free yoga class is designed for beginners but is fitting for anyone who wants to start their weekend with nature and connect with locals. If you drive to the La Cienega park entrance, expect a six-dollar cash fee to park your car. Walk from the lot down until its end by the Bluff.

Welcome Home to Our Home at Oceana

When you stay at Oceana, you stay in our home. For 25 years, our family has welcomed guests, their children, and their children's children to its coveted beachside suites. While our address in sunny Santa Monica hasn't changed, our hotel's common areas and luxury amenities have evolved into something even more comfortable and charming. Now in the glow of its third renovation, Oceana boasts more than 30 million dollars worth of luxury improvements, including cozy seating and separate dining enclaves in the bedrooms, Italian marble and spacious step-in showers in the bathrooms, and private lanai entrances with furnished balconies so you can soak up Pacific Ocean-sized views without ever leaving your suite. Just outside your door, our courtyard swimming pool awaits, as do our personal trainers, beachfront yoga classes, and a full-service spa. And do stay for a meal. Raphael Lunetta will welcome you like family, too, and will even pack you a picnic for the beach! So come and feel at home in our home, at Oceana.

Picnic on the Promenade

Is it lunchtime yet? You'd be counting down the minutes if you knew what fun lunch could be every Friday at downtown Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade. We call it "Picnic on the Promenade," and it's the best way to slide into these hot summer weekends. Bring a lunch or grab a delicious bite to eat from one of our favorite restaurants. Food always tastes better outside, and most certainly in the sunshine. If you have more time, pick from our stash of board games, challenge a stranger at ping-pong, practice your balance in a game of giant Jenga or try your luck at Connect 4. If board games aren't your thing, watch one of our street performer showcases, catch a tip from the popular bike clinic, or relax to a guest appearance by the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra. Come and relax or dance it out every Friday from noon to 3 pm.

A Magical Night with Mike Pisciotta

Ta-dah! Magician and hyperbole extraordinaire, Mike Pisciotta welcomes you to a night of magic and discussion. So it's more than a magic show, per se, but also an exclusive invitation to learn about magic from the mind of a master. Atlas Obscura and the Philosophical Research Society are co-sponsors for this first of a new series of events that focus on the craft and heart of magic. At 7 pm on June 15th, find your seat in the Philosophical Research Society Library, where you'll be surrounded by more than 50,000 beautiful volumes. For one mesmerizing hour, you'll get lost in Pisciotta's live performance and learn first-hand about his passions and obsessions.
Mike Pisciotta is the current "Parlor Magician of the Year" and a two-time winner of the prestigious "Close-Up Magician of the Year" distinction, awarded by the Academy of Magical Arts. Don't miss this opportunity. Buy your ticket online today!

A Night with Dinosaurs

Dig into the Jurassic era by spending a night at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. On Saturday May 11th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, you'll get special access to all things dinosaur, gemstone, and mineral-related.

As soon as you arrive, get your hands on special dinosaur casts and some much-needed refreshments to accompany opening remarks in the Grand Foyer. Then, as you and fellow guests, including New York Times journalists, scientists, and L.A. Obscura Society Members, you'll be able to explore the Dinosaur and Gem & Mineral halls.

Private tours of the Dinosaur Institute’s Dino Lab will grant you special access to real dinosaur fossils, lessons on conservation practices, and the real-live experts who research and preserve the museum’s extensive collection.

Your night ends back upstairs with time to mingle with new friends over beer, wine, and light appetizers. Secure a time slot for your private tour when you arrive. 

See the City in Bloom

Surround yourself with nature by never leaving the city with a visit to UCLA's Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden. The 7.5 acres are free to explore every day, but on the first Saturday of the month, April 6th, you're invited to join a docent for a free guided tour. You'll hear the storied tales of a number of plants and how they relate to your health and happiness. Group tours can also be arranged separately.

Walk from climate zone to climate zone, through ancient forests and subtropical woodlands, wild Western Australian and Mediterranean ecosystems, through Hawaiian blooms and desert cacti. Winding around each is a stream of water-born fauna and flora, including koi and turtles, massive redwoods and banana trees. Enter the garden in the southeastern corner of UCLA's 400 plus acre campus. Walk the school grounds after your tour to learn why California is as smart as it is beautiful!

Watch the LA Marathon With Us

Go ahead, sign up to run the LA marathon March 24th. Thousands of people will join you and some will even stay the night with us! Actually, we're here to encourage you to watch with us. The 26.2-mile course stretches from Los Angeles' Dodger's Stadium across the city to the Santa Monica Pier. That means, in the last mile, runners will turn left to pass directly in front of Hotel Oceana so they can run mile 26 along Ocean Avenue. It couldn't be easier to be a fan. In fact, given the number of road closures city-wide, staying put may, in fact, offer your path of least resistance. But if you want to get out and about, check out the Finish Festival on Santa Monica Blvd between 2nd St and Ocean Ave. It's home to the Angel City Brewery Beer Garden, live music, and entertainment for the whole family. Come to LA and let the city run to you!

Biohacking at Bulletproof Labs

Santa Monica is your ticket to looking and feeling your summer best this winter! Especially after a visit to Bulletproof Labs, where it's their mission to help you perform better, think faster and live happier. Think of it as a workout of the future and for the future with cutting-edge technology dedicated to biohacking. In Bulletproof's words, that means changing your external and internal environments in order to gain full control of your biology and facilitate an upgrade to body, mind, and life.

How is this possible? Their methods include cryotherapy, infrared light therapy, bone, and atmospheric cell trainers as well as a "Cheat Machine" that gives you a week's worth of weight lifting in fifteen minutes. Find balance in the brain with a virtual float tank and meditative offerings for deep relaxation and clarity. Sound crazy? If you have your doubts, stop in for a complimentary consultation. 

We’re renovating!

Oceana is happy to announce we're making something great even better. During the winter months through April 1st, we're undergoing a $20 million dollar transformation. It's our goal to make your home away from home as bold and stylish as ever while offering supreme comfort and hospitality. It's been our mission since the 1950s when Oceana boasted its status as "California's newest apartment hotel" and became a crowd favorite for its ocean-view balconies, televisions and maid service.

Our new look will hold strong to its vintage roots and up the ante with hand-crafted rugs from Nepal, deluxe bedding, artwork by local masters, and luxe bath products. Outside, a revamped pool area will include a new dining pavilion, fire pit, and furniture you'll not want to get out of. All charm and class, we hope you'll feel the ease of our breezy new swagger and feel more comfortable than ever to call us home.

Snap your Christmas Photo with Canon's Newest Camera

Still without a photo for this year's holiday card? Look no further than PORTALS, A Photo Experience from Canon on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. The free event opened November 29th and lasts through December 16th. It's a hands-on photography pop-up that puts a new spin on Instagram-able moments by giving you a full selection of Canon cameras. This includes EOS R, Canon’s first full-frame, mirrorless camera. Don't know how to use it? Don't worry! On-site camera experts will teach you all the tips and tricks you'll need to manipulate the expensive glass and capture one-of-a-kind shots through psychedelic perspective, buzzing neons, and total saturation. You'll also have the chance to win some free gear and sign up for walk-throughs and workshops should you want to learn more. The Promenade location features six unique backdrops for you to choose from. PORTALS will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 3-9pm, Saturday 12-9pm, and Sunday 12-8pm. Don't miss out! 

Join a Seismic Scavenger Hunt

Pack your bags (or at least a bagged lunch) for a seismic scavenger hunt. On November 17th, California seismologist Stan Schwarz and research geophysicist Morgan Page welcome you aboard their coach for a 'faulty' adventure to see all the rifts and shifts that have pulled much of Southern California apart. Your journey will start at the Caltech Seismological Lab where you'll tour the media and public notification center.
Later you'll get to peer into the Antelope Valley at the San Andreas Fault line. Elsewhere your guides will give you exclusive insight into new and active faults. But don't be fooled. What may look like a lake is actually a pool of water trapped within a sunken patch of land between two fault lines. Smack in the middle of the desert, where does the water come from? Your trusted guides will have all the answers! Contact Atlas Obscura to reserve your seat. 

Frightening Flicks and a Fabulous Street Party

For us, Halloween summons images of creative costumes, epic parties, loads of candy, and our favorite creepy movies. We’re betting you feel the same, so we’re listing a couple of our favorite places for film features, along with a heads-up about an incredible Halloween gathering. First, head over to the Rooftop Cinema Club, with its fabulous film selections, comfy chairs, wireless headsets, snacks, adult libations, and an impressive city view. October’s lineup includes John Water’s cult classic, “Cry-Baby,” the hilarious “Waiting for Guffman,” and Kubrick’s masterpiece, “A Clockwork Orange,” along with many of our Halloween favorites through October 31. Horror aficionados won’t want to miss “Alien,” the double bill of “Hocus Pocus” and “The Witches,” and, naturally, “Halloween.” And, claim your own oceanside seat for “Films, Food, Drinks, and Fun” at Santa Monica Pier’s Front Porch Cinema. This month’s screenings are “Grease,” “Clueless,” “The Addams Family,” and “Coco.” Lastly, if you’ve never been to the West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval, make plans now to join this epic party on October 31. Known as the largest Halloween street party in the world, the Carnaval’s theme of seasonal exuberance is evident in the costume contests, dancing, drinking, parades, and more. Don’t miss it!

Santa Monica’s Untouched Natural Paradise

Pop quiz: Where is the world’s largest urban national park? If you said Santa Monica, CA, you would be absolutely right. With over 154,000 sprawling acres of land and some 30 trails ready and waiting for hikers, campers, mountain bikers, and equestrians, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the perfect spot to escape from civilization for a few hours of sublime natural splendor. If you’re up for an invigorating and scenic hike, we highly recommend Los Liones Trail at Topanga State Park, just 10 short minutes from our hotel. The trail won’t look like much when you first enter, but after a brief walk, you’ll find yourself in a verdant thick of foliage and shade. Continue for just over a mile till you reach East Topanga Fire Road, which affords stunning views of Santa Monica Bay. Then, for an even more inspiring panorama, proceed up the sharp incline into the State Park proper, where you’ll be able to look down on the Pacific and out onto the majestic San Bernardino Mountains.

Candytopia: A Confectioner’s Dreamscape

As a child, did you imagine the bliss of wandering the Rainbow Road through Candyland Kingdom? Did you dream at night of joining Willy Wonka in pursuit of everlasting gobstoppers and gushing chocolate fountains? Now through July 4, your childhood dreams can come true at Candytopia, an interactive, multi-room art installation that will immerse you in more than a dozen unique candy-clad settings. Just a short 10-minute drive from our hotel, Candytopia is housed on the second floor of the Santa Monica Place Mall. On your hour-long tour through this confectioner’s dreamscape, you’ll encounter “colossal candyfloss constructions” bedecked with “flying unicorn pigs," marshmallow chandeliers, and much more. In addition to the vibrant visuals and tantalizing aromas, you’ll also be invited to taste the wares as you are guided from room to room. The perfect outing for kids or adults who are kids at heart, Candytopia truly is a world of pure imagination.

Hike the Grand Canyon at Santa Monica’s Historic Broad Stage Theater

If we were compiling a list of the Seven Wonders of the Americas, the Grand Canyon would certainly be near the top. In recent years, however, this iconic geological formation has been increasingly threatened by human development. In an effort to document the sublime beauty of the canyon and educate the public about challenges to its existence as we know it, acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Pete McBride spent a year hiking more 700 miles through Grand Canyon National Park. On the evenings of Thursday, March 15, and Friday, March 16, Pete and his collaborator, travel-writer Kevin Fedarko, will be unveiling their film The Canyon at The Broad Stage theater’s main stage, the 499-seat performance arts venue right here in Santa Monica. This ticketed event, which is jointly sponsored by National Geographic and The Great Courses and Grand Canyon Trust, is sure to thrill both nature and documentary-film enthusiasts.

Address: 1310 11th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401

A Play on the Pier

Famous for its world-class aquarium, nearly century-old carousel hippodrome, and iconic solar-powered Ferris wheel, the Santa Monica Pier is a premier destination for good eats, casual shopping, and live entertainment. On Friday, February 16, the pier will host a special, experimental theatrical event, An Illegal Start, an original stage production by acclaimed playwright James Harris, brought to you by the Santa Monica Public Theatre. The play follows the trials and tribulations of a pair of young men who unexpectedly become friends after a terrible accident leaves them both badly shaken and in need of sanctuary, which they discover in an old, dilapidated amusement park. By turns hilarious and heart-rending, this show will change the way you think about the spaces we inhabit and the many roles each of us performs (or fails to perform) in our day-to-day lives.

The Improv Diary Show: Teen Angst Has Never Been So Funny

When you were a teenager, did you keep a diary? Have you read that diary lately? What if you had to read it in front of a room full of strangers—strangers looking for a good laugh? It sounds absolutely mortifying to us, but also potentially very funny. And it’s exactly what two intrepid souls do every third Wednesday of the month at the Improv Diary Show, where a cast of nine seasoned improvisers take these candid adolescent musings on training bras, lunch room antics, unrequited crushes, first kisses, and last dances as inspiration for a hilarious and often poignant one-hour performance. The next show goes up at 8 P.M., Wednesday, January 17, at the Westside Comedy Theater. Not available on Wednesday night? Not to worry, the theater hosts a variety of improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy shows to delight patrons seven days a week.

ICE at Santa Monica: Wintering by the Pacific

Santa Monica might not be the number one spot for a white Christmas, but if you’re not a fan of wearing seven layers and tunneling your car out from beneath massive snow drifts, then you’ve found the right place to spend December. Even with our mild winter climate, guests of the Oceana Beach Club can still partake in some classic winter pastimes, including a foray out onto the ice. From now through January 15, you can enjoy ICE at Santa Monica, located at the corner of 5^th Street and Arizona Avenue. The 8,000-square foot ice skating rink is a great place to have fun (and get some novel exercise) with friends, family, or that special someone. Bring your own skates, or rent a pair for the day. Perfect for beginners and longtime skating enthusiasts, ICE at Santa Monica provides all the joy of winter without any of the inconvenience.

An Evening with the Stars at Griffith Observatory

From its perch on Mount Hollywood, the Griffith Observatory enjoys breathtaking views of Hollywood, downtown L.A., and the Pacific Ocean. But of course, what keeps tourists coming back to the observatory year after year is not what’s below, but what’s above. The Zeiss telescope, the coelostat telescope, and multiple mobile telescopes offer visitors the opportunity to gaze at the planets, sun, and distant stars. Public star parties, where qualified astronomy enthusiasts are on hand to help newbie stargazers with the outdoor telescopes, are held one Saturday per month. Indoors, the state-of-the-art Samuel Oschin Planetarium, unmatched anywhere in the world, can comfortably seat 290 spectators for one of three shows, Centered in the Universe, Water is Life, and Light of the Valkyries, each of which is narrated by a dynamic, live storyteller. In addition, the observatory hosts a wide range of daily lectures and panel discussions year round. A fun and informative outing for both kids and adults, the Griffith Observatory is one California experience that will make you glad to live in this wondrous 21^st century.

A B(e)arrel of Laughs at the Westside Comedy Theatre

If you love to laugh as much as we do, then you have to check out Bear Supply, ranked among “The 100 Best Things in Comedy” last year by The Comedy Bureau. Combining sketch and long form improv, this top-notch comedy ensemble has also been featured at the Miami Improv Festival, the Las Vegas Improv Festival, and the SF Sketchfest. Here in Santa Monica, Bear Supply performs every other Wednesday at 9 P.M. at the Westside Comedy Theatre, located less than a mile from the Oceana Beach Club Hotel. If you’ve never seen long form improv, it’s not a bunch of Whose Line style short games. With an initial suggestion from the audience, it weaves complex narratives that can be as poignant as they are hilarious. Masters of the genre, Bear Supply brings a live DJ and a unique energy to every one of its uproarious shows.

Address: 1323-A 3rd St, Santa Monica, CA 90401

From Classic to Cult: Movies as They Should Be Seen

Since 1981 American Cinematheque has devoted itself to preserving and promoting the best of classic and cult film to the viewing public. The Cinematheque operates two venues, the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Aero Theatre right here in Santa Monica. Big name chain theaters have been known to cut corners: they disregard aspect ratio, use projector lenses ill-suited to the film, ignore acoustic nuance, etc. At the Aero, none of this escapes attention; every detail of your movie-going experience has been planned with painstaking care. Special screenings for the month of September include a tribute to the great French actress Jeanne Moreau, with double feature La Notte (Antonioni) and Diary of a Chambermaid (Buñuel), movies adapted from the work of master horror writer Stephen King, with The Shining, Carrie, and Shawshank Redemption, and a selection from auteur Stanley Kubrik, with The Paths of Glory, The Killing, and Dr. Strangelove.

Bergamot Station Arts Center: An Art Lover's Playground

Named for the Los Angeles to Santa Monica trolley stop that once occupied the site, Bergamot Station Arts Center is comprised of more than forty art galleries and the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Each gallery boasts a unique theme and is tended by an expert curator, which means there’s something to suit nearly every art lover's taste in this sprawling industrial complex. And with about 600,000 visitors annually, exhibition space is fiercely coveted by artists across the nation. We particularly recommend Andy Warhol: Revisited at Revolver Gallery, which owns the largest gallery collection of Warhol’s works in the world (for this particular exhibition, you’ll have to make a reservation online before heading over). Bergamot Station also hosts an ever changing list of special events, which you can peruse on their website. If you can, stop by for the Fall Open 2017 event on Saturday, September 9. Food trucks, live music, artist talks, and many new exhibition debuts will pack the day starting at 11 A.M. and running to 9 P.M.

Address: 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404

Your Beachside Mansion Awaits

We’ve told you before about the outstanding art exhibits at the Annenberg Community Beach House, but in fact, that’s just one of many attractions that this unique Santa Monica venue has to offer. Once a beachside mansion belonging Marion Davies, mistress to famed newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, this five-acre estate became “America’s Most Beautiful Hotel” in 1947. Now a community center open to all, the Beach House provides many entertaining options for visitors of all ages. You could join a yoga class, or relax playing board games in the game room. If you’re looking for a fun way to exercise, rent a paddleboard and get out on the water, or enjoy a round of volleyball. Tour guides are happy to regale you with the salacious details of the lives of Hearst, Davies, and their many famous friends. You can even swim in the storied pool where Hollywood superstars like Greta Garbo and Clark Gable regularly lounged the day away. After sunset, the pool area is restricted to adults only to give you some quiet time away from the kids.

Discovering Identity through Art

Santa Monica continually proves itself as a major incubator for the arts on the west coast. As part of the city’s commitment to cultivating new visions and talent, the Annenberg Community Beach House hosts a year-round rotating exhibition that features the work of local painters, sculptors, photographers, performance artists, artist collectives, and more. Some are giants of their field, some are fresh faces, but they all represent the best of what Santa Monica and greater Los Angeles have to offer. From June 13 through November 6, the newest exhibit, Identity in Los Angeles, will premier the creations of students and instructors at Art Division. The product of meticulous research, these multi-media artworks will explore and attempt to elucidate the concept of identity as it relates to race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, age, and more.

Annenberg Community Beach House, 415 Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica, CA, 90402

From Canopied Forest to Ocean Vista

As the world’s largest urban national park, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area spans over 154,000 acres and boasts over 30 trails perfect for hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, campers, and more. If you’re in the mood for a rejuvenating and inspirational hike, we recommend Los Liones Trail at Topanga State Park, located just 10 minutes from our Oceana Beach Club hotel. The entrance isn’t too remarkable, but after a short distance, the trail blossoms into lush greenery and shade. After about 1.3 miles you’ll come to East Topanga Fire Road, where the views of Santa Monica Bay are breathtaking. Continue on for a bit of a challenge as Fire Road rises up a steep incline into the State Park. You’ll soon be treated to awe-inspiring panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and the distant sight of the San Bernardino Mountains. We recommend that you sit for a few minutes to meditate before heading back to the Oceana for a cocktail followed by a luxurious bath and dinner at Tower 8.

Santa Monica Theaters Raise the Curtain

Crowd around these fabulous Santa Monica stages before the good tables fill up. This month the mic is hot and the talent off the charts with dangerous satire, quick thinking improv, and enchanting reprisals of family-friendly tales.

Third Sundays @ 7:30 pm

L.A. Café Plays has been praised for its lightning-fast storytelling, which brings a five short plays to fruition in under a single day’s time. Local celebrities frequently join in! Come to the Ruskin Group Theatre to watch the drama unfold.

Tuesdays @ 8:00 pm

Join Neal Brennan, who co-created Comedy Central’s hugely successful The Chappelle Show, and the famous folks he calls friends as they try out new material live on the Westside Comedy Theater stage.

Through April 30th @ 12:30 and 2:00 pm

A kingdom of every child’s favorite fairy tale heroes and villains will grace the stage of the Santa Monica Playhouse. Finding Belle follows Snow White, Little Bo Peep, Cinderella, and Mother goose as they search for ever after.

Remember Santa Monica With a Walk

It’s warmer than usual in Santa Monica as spring makes its far-flung way across the eastern half of the country. Change into something lightweight and show your appreciation with an afternoon out of doors.

More than 130 years of local history is at your fingertips when you embark on a walking tour of downtown Santa Monica. Led by the Santa Monica Conservancy’s friendly docents, this two-hour tour will talk your family through the city’s Wild West beginnings before ultimately arriving at the modern metropolis of today. Enjoy a close look at the vision Santa Monica’s civic leaders put forward for their growing city, and then size up the downtown district’s architectural splendor, a heritage that includes the Rapp Saloon of 1875. Opened the same year as Santa Monica’s founding, the saloon eventually served as our first city hall.

Make a visit to the Conservancy’s website to book your Saturday morning tour.

Crack Up Something Lovely Together

Surprise your valentine this year with the gift of laughter and thrills.

February 13th and 14th

Esters Wine Shop & Bar

Esters should be your first thought when it comes time to phone in the perfect Valentine’s Day bouquet or whip together a box of champagne truffles. Couples can enjoy a special tasting of pink wines ($25 per person) from dry and sweet to sparkling.

February 14th @ 7:00 pm

Magicopolos

If you’re not afraid of a little magic, take your valentine to see Steve Spill’s Escape Reality, which features spellbinding acts of levitation, mindreading, optical illusion, and disappearance. Tickets to this month’s performance includes a champagne toast and take-home souvenir.

February 14th @ 8:00 pm

Westside Comedy Theater

Give your date the gift of a belly laugh with tickets to Mission IMPROVable’s Funny Valentine. This nationally renowned comedy troupe is well versed in tickling funnybones. Every ticket to the show includes complimentary appetizers, plus a beer and wine bar.

Sunday is for Walking in Santa Monica

After filling your bellies late into the the New Year, why not give your legs a good stretch with a peaceful walk through sunny Santa Monica. After all, it is Sunday.

Main Street Farmers Market

Sundays @ 9:30 am

Santa Monica is said to have one of the best produce on the west coast. See for yourself during a weekly farmers market with live music, plenty of fresh vegetables, and fruit ripe for snacking.

The Santa Monica Pier

Sundays @ 11:00 am

Join this eleven o’clock walking tour and learn about the fascinating history of the Pier’s first hundred years. Meet your friendly docent waiting by the Merry Go-Round Building’s Pier Shop.

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Sundays @ 3:30 pm

This weekly feature is a favorite for children! Families are invited to show up for an entertaining presentation on saltwater sharks. Peer into their tank and discover what makes them swish.