Enjoy the fresh air, sunshine and ocean breeze during a healthful getaway to Santa Monica. Outdoor recreation in this beachside city is a must and complemented by relaxation and nutritious food. Countless cafes peddle raw food and cold-pressed juices and yoga culture is out in full force. The local dry cleaners offers a special on yoga mats, making me wonder just how many bikram classes these bronzed beach beauties are attending each week.
Stay
You won’t get a better oceanfront view or prettier lobby than at the Hotel Casa del Mar. This Italian Renaissance-inspired property was originally built as a beach club in 1926, and the splendor has only grown. With 129 rooms, it’s big enough for a buzzy evening atmosphere with live music and complimentary lobby refreshments while still offering the luxurious personal service touch.
Do
With optimal weather, Santa Monica is great for outdoor activity all year round. Start with biking along the 22-mile South Bay bike trail. Just don’t get too distracted by the cute, colorful houses dotting the shore or the waves and clear blue skies or you might collide with one of the many groups of visitors and locals enjoying the beach scene.
With another 18 miles of bike paths within the community, the 8.3 square-mile city is compact enough to explore entirely on two wheels. What better way to people-watch, discover funky murals and local artwork all while working up an appetite? If you’re up early, visit one of the four weekly farmers’ markets for the region’s freshest produce, meat, cheese and flowers.
After a full day outside, enjoy the small but specialized Sea Wellness at Hotel Casa del Mar. The Diamond Experience Multi-Sensorial Lifting Facial is the crown jewel of treatments and will leave your skin shining bright like diamonds. Natura Bissé’s diamond serum, cream and mask will boost your skin’s defenses and give your face unmatched hydration and elasticity.
Shop
While the Third Street Promenade offers plenty of shopping opportunities, I prefer the independent charm of Main Street. From contemporary clothes at Kyss to Marianne Kooiman’s Cambodian-made shoes and dresses to organic hemp threads made in Los Angeles at Vital Hemp, there’s something for every taste, from high-end to hippie.
Pick up a locally made art, jewelry and gifts at Mindful Nest and write a note home with stationery, pens and handmade paper at Arts & Letters. Keep little ones entertained with, well, books and cookies at Books and Cookies or send them off to explore the amusement park at the Santa Monica Pier.
Dine
You’d be remiss not to try at least one of Zoe Nathan and Josh Loeb’s growing portfolio of restaurants. For breakfast and lunch, there’s Huckleberry, a cozy neighborhood café where the lines are worth the wait. You can get anything from a simple, flaky croissant and coffee to a perfectly proportioned creamy burrata and prosciutto pesto sandwich. After just one bite, you’ll want to buy their cookbook and recreate the recipes at home.
Later, try tangy pomegranate frozen yogurt in a housemade chocolate waffle cone or quince honey ice cream topped with cacao nibs and sliced almonds at Sweet Rose Creamery. Even the toppings are made in house and ice cream chef Shiho Yoshikawa makes a mean chai tea with her own almond milk too.
After some shopping or physically demanding afternoon activity of your choice, take Casa del Mar’s Audi Q7 SUV house car to Rustic Canyon for dinner. Chef Jeremy Fox, formerly of Napa’s vegetarian temple Ubuntu, is now cooking for omnivores. Don’t miss the succulent chili squid or vibrant green pozole studded with manila and littleneck clams, hominy and tortilla crisps. Save room for pastry chef Jun Tan’s spiced apple cake in salted caramel ice cream sauce for dessert.
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