Dreaming of a vacation on the beaches of Southern California? This Santa Monica Travel Guide will help you plan the perfect family vacation.

Thank you to the team at the Shore Hotel for hosting our stay.

Our series family vacations continues! Last weekend, we decided to have a short family staycation in our own area. Santa Monica is about 15 miles from our house, but it feels like a world away. From the sunny beaches to the amazing places to eat…..it’s the perfect place for families to play!

I wanted to share a few of our favorite parts of the trip in a Santa Monica travel guide……so that you can plan your own Santa Monica trip agenda.

Santa Monica Travel Guide

Where to Stay:

Shore Hotel – Literally steps from the Santa Monica pier, Santa Monica beach and sand…..the Shore Hotel is a perfect place for family trips. It’s stunning, eco-conscious, and has great amenities for families. Lydia loved playing in the pool and hot tub, and there is an adorable garden area with corn hole for burning off energy. I loved that it was literally a two minute walk to the Santa Monica Pier and the beach, plus I could sneak out the back exit to hit up my favorite Santa Monica mall for some shopping. A million food options were within moments…..and they also serve delicious meals by the pool area! They also gave Lydia an adorable sand pail and shovel to use when we hit up the beach area.

Where to Eat:

Santa Monica Place –Santa Monica Place is an awesome mall right behind the Shore Hotel that has a ton of great family food options

Blue Plate Taco –Blue Plate Taco is attached to the Shore Hotel, has amazing views of the water, and some pretty tasty mexican food!

Library Alehouse –A short drive from the Santa Monica Pier and Shore Hotel, Library Alehouse is located on Main Street (in the less touristy, more locals part of Santa Monica). If you’re looking for amazing local brews and burgers, this is for you!

What to Do:

Santa Monica Pier – The Santa Monica Pier is filled with great rides and carnival games, perfect for a little family time!

Beaches – There are a million beaches in Southern California….and Santa Monica Beach is a great one. Venice Beach is fun, and for a little more mellow….check out Zuma Beach in Malibu or Redondo Beach.

Third Street Promenade – Shopping and sight seeing? The Third Street Promenade is filled with great shops and street performers!

Museum of Flying – The Museum of Flying in Santa Monica is a ton of fun for wanna be aviators! They’ll love seeing all the old planes!

photos by Maile Mason Photography