Region
Santa Monica, Venice, and Abbot Kinney
Compare Santa Monica and Venice for beach time, the boardwalk, shopping and meals. Choose the overnight area before planning trips across Los Angeles.
- Guides
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- Checked places
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Image: Santa Monica Pier | Photo by Cayambe on Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0
A practical plan for this area
Choose Santa Monica for a pier-and-beach base, comparing Shutters on the Beach when staying by the sand matters. Keep Venice and Abbot Kinney as a separate outing or a deliberate extension. This is one part of Los Angeles, so avoid adding cross-city appointments to a relaxed beach day.
Getting there and back
Check the airport-to-hotel route and hotel parking before booking. For a Venice outing, decide on the outward and return transport before leaving Santa Monica; map distance alone does not predict the journey at your travel time.
Before you book
Check Pacific Park’s operating calendar and individual ride rules if rides are important to the day. Compare the complete room price, parking and the facilities actually included for the dates you choose.
If plans change
If weather or ride availability changes the pier plan, keep the nearby meal and a shorter waterfront visit. Move Venice to another day when adding the transfer would consume the remaining time.
Plan reviewed:
Guides
California planning guides
Region decisionNorthern vs Southern California: which coast to plan your first trip aroundCalifornia is too big to see in one trip, so pick a region and base, not a statewide loop. The Northern California coast — Sausalito, Mendocino, Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur — is cooler, foggier, and more about dramatic coastline and redwoods. The Southern California coast — Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, La Jolla, and Catalina — is warmer, more about beaches and cities, and easier with kids. Palm Springs desert and Lake Tahoe are add-ons that pull you inland. Choose by weather, driving tolerance, and whether you want scenery or beach time.Family coast plannerCalifornia coast with kids: aquariums, piers, and easy beach daysThe kid-friendly California coast is built from three things: two major aquariums (Monterey Bay in the north, Birch at Scripps in the south), piers for rides or waterfront time (Santa Monica's Pacific Park and Santa Barbara's Stearns Wharf), and easy sea-life spots like La Jolla Cove, Old Fisherman's Wharf, and Catalina's Descanso Beach. Pick the region first, then anchor each day on one aquarium or pier and keep the beach loose. Budget the admissions — Monterey Bay is about $65 adult and $50 for ages 5–17 as of 2026, with children four and under free — and book aquariums online to smooth entry.
Visitor map
Santa Monica, Venice, and Abbot Kinney in the California visitor roster
Use the statewide map to compare this lane against the other coast, wine-country, island, mountain, and desert choices.
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California visitor lanes
1SausalitoGolden Gate ferry day-trip town with a Bridgeway waterfront, Fort Baker, and the Army Corps Bay Model.2YountvilleDestination-dining base in the Napa Valley, home to The French Laundry and Domaine Chandon.3St. Helena / CalistogaUpvalley wine-country towns with historic wineries, a castle, spas, and the Old Faithful geyser.4South Lake TahoeTwo-season lake and ski base on the California shore, with Emerald Bay and Heavenly Mountain Resort.5MendocinoNorth Coast bucket-list village wrapped by headlands, with a lighthouse and redwood-canyon parks.6Cannery RowAquarium and Steinbeck waterfront corridor along Monterey Bay, from Cannery Row to Fisherman's Wharf.7CarmelTiny coastal town of galleries and inns beside Carmel Beach, the Carmel Mission, and Point Lobos.8Big SurThe cliff-hugging Highway 1 drive past McWay Falls, redwood state parks, and Nepenthe.9Santa BarbaraDowntown State Street and the waterfront, with the Old Mission, Stearns Wharf, and the courthouse.10Santa Monica / VeniceLA coastal neighborhoods from the Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park to the Venice boardwalk.11AvalonFerry-and-island escape to Avalon, with the Casino landmark, Wrigley Garden, and Descanso Beach.12La Jolla CoveSan Diego coastal cove for snorkeling and sea lions, near Birch Aquarium and Torrey Pines.13Palm SpringsMid-century desert-resort core with the Aerial Tramway, Art Museum, and design shopping.
Planning categories
Places by category
Checked visitor places
Places to visit
Where to stay
Compare places to stay in Santa Monica & Venice
Once the plan above has settled which coastal neighborhood to base in, this live map compares Santa Monica, Venice, and Abbot Kinney lodging prices for your dates.
This is a partner hotel map from Stay22, not an official booking desk. It shows live third-party availability around Santa Monica, Venice, and Abbot Kinney; if you book through it we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Confirm exact location, dates, and cancellation terms with the property before booking.