Getting Around
Santa Monica is concentrated into just 8.3 square miles (13.5 km). From the soft sand of its three-mile beach the city stretches inland only 30 blocks and is laid out on an easy-to-navigate, pedestrian-friendly grid that is highly conducive to walking.
Most of the hotels, attractions and primary shopping and dining districts are clustered near one another—many within easy walking distance to all Santa Monica has to offer.
The convenient TIDE RIDE operates seven days a week every day of the year, picking up riders every 15 minutes from noon to 10:02 p.m. Friday–Saturday and from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday–Thursday. The TIDE RIDE is part of the Mini Blue Bus service. The fare is 50 cents for children and adults, 25 cents for seniors. The TIDE RIDE serves 22 stops throughout the city including Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place, the beach, Santa Monica Pier, Main Street and the downtown and Civic Center areas. For stops for the TIDE RIDE and other Mini Blue Rides in Santa Monica, see the map at the Big Blue Bus website
With 12 local bus lines, Santa Monica’s
Big Blue Bus serves Santa Monica, the west
side of Los Angeles, LAX and 10 neighboring communities with more than 1,000 bus stops. The Big Blue Bus also operates an express line that connects downtown Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles, serving visitor attractions such as MOCA, the Disney Concert Hall and Staples Center, in addition to major business venues. Fares range from 25 cents
(for seniors and passengers with disabilities) to $1.75 (for express service). For information on both the TIDE Shuttle and the Big Blue
Bus, call 310-451-5444. Visit www.bigbluebus.com.
Big Blue Bus is also available for charters (with comfortable, 52-person luxury coaches equipped with TV monitors, air conditioning and onboard bathrooms) and offers monthly group getaways—traffic- and hassle-free one-day “escape” trips to Southern California attractions including the Rose Bowl, La Jolla and the Strawberry Festival in Oxnard.
The Big Blue Bus operates five free self-serve information kiosks. Touch-screen technology helps visitors access information not only about bus routes, schedules, fares and transfers but also about local and regional attractions, hotels, restaurants and more. The kiosks are at the intersections of Broadway and 3rd, Broadway and 4th, Santa Monica and 3rd, Santa Monica and 4th and Santa Monica and 5th.
Transfers
to both the Metro Rapid—a high-speed, limited-stop bus going from Santa Monica to downtown L.A., Hollywood
and Woodland Hills—and the Metro Bus are inexpensive and easy. Metro tickets are now also available online. Call Metro Rapid and Metro Bus toll-free nationwide 800-266-6883. Visit www.mta.net.
Metrolink, the commuter light rail line, serves a wide area in greater Los Angeles County. Round-trip fares begin at $5.25. For more information, call toll-free 800-371-LINK or visit www.metrolinktrains.com.
Bus schedules are also available at all three Santa Monica Visitor Information locations: the Visitor Information Kiosk on Ocean Avenue, Visitor Information Cart on Third Street Promenade and Visitor Information Center at 1920 Main Street. Call 800-544-5319 or 310-393-7593 for more information.
TRAFFIC RULES
Drivers and passengers must wear seat belts at all times. Any child weighing less than 60 pounds (27 kg) must be in a child safety seat secured by a seat belt. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) is a serious offense in California. A person is considered legally drunk when his blood alcohol level is .08% or higher. The consumption of alcohol in California is illegal for anyone under 21 years of age.
Pedestrians may cross Santa Monica’s streets only in a marked crosswalk (jaywalking is an offense and the police will cite violators). Watch for flashing yellow lights. Pedestrians always have the right of way; cars must stop for them.
On some freeways, the inside (left-most) lane is designated as a "Diamond" lane, for carpools only. Look for posted signs, and do not drive in the Diamond Lane during posted hours unless there are at least two—and in some cases three—people in your vehicle. If possible, avoid driving on the freeways during "rush hour"— 6:30—9:30 am and 4—7 pm on weekdays. For up-to-the-minute traffic information, check www.sigalert.com.
Bicycles and motorized and non-motorized scooters are legal on city streets in Santa Monica. They must follow all standard traffic rules. Motorized scooter riders must be at least 16 years old. Any driver under 18 must wear a helmet. This does not apply to Segway® Human Transporters, which are allowed on sidewalks only. (Segways are not allowed on Third Street Promenade, the Pier or the bike path.
The Santa Monica Police Department reminds everyone that new laws regarding the use of cellular phones while driving take effect on July 1, 2008. Learn more about the new law at http://www.santamonicapd.org/CrimePrevention/NewCellPhoneLaws.htm.
PARKING
| The Santa Monica Police take parking seriously. Here are some tips for avoiding parking problems. | |
| • | Metered parking rate in the city is usually $1 per hour. Most meters in the city have a two-hour time limit. |
| • | Read instructions on your meter; they may vary from street to street and lot to lot. |
| • | Always read and obey any applicable signs carefully—hours of operation, street-cleaning days and times, other restrictions. |
| • | When parking, always put packages and valuables out of sight in trunk. Do not leave them within plain view. |
| • | Electric and clean-air vehicles (certified by the Department of Motor Vehicles) park free in Santa Monica (see next page). |
| • | Ten downtown parking structures offer two hours of free parking each day before 6 p.m. At some short-term beach parking lots, parking is allowed in a numbered slot; payment is made at a central kiosk (pay according to parking spot number) and a ticket posted in the car window. |
| • | Many restaurants and hotels and some businesses offer valet parking for a fee. |
| • | When booking accommodations, ask your hotel about their parking situation and any fees. |
| • | For further parking information (including a comprehensive parking map of the city) visit http://parking.santa-monica.org. |
GETTING HERE
By Plane: LAX to Santa Monica
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) employs transportation coordinators to assist visitors with their travel needs. The LAX website contains helpful visitor information, including airport news and maps, airline information, hotels and ground transportation. Log onto www.lawa.org.
Shuttle vans between LAX and Santa Monica charge approximately $20 per person one-way, $30 round-trip (group rates are available), not including tip. Shuttles can be picked up on the lower level at LAX. For detailed LAX information, including details on shuttle vans, visit www.airports.ci.la.ca.us/lax.
The taxi charge from LAX to Santa Monica is approximately $30 (including a $2.50 surcharge for each taxi leaving the airport, but not including tip—approximately 15% of fare).
Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus from LAX to downtown Santa Monica (with transfers to virtually anywhere in the city) start at 75 cents. From the transportation islands at the airport, take an LAX Shuttle (no charge) to Parking Lot C (allow about 20–30 minutes). From the bus terminal at Lot C, catch the new #3 Big Blue Bus to Santa Monica (about 30 minutes to downtown Santa Monica). Watch for the new “Rapid Blue” #3 line, scheduled to launch soon, for an even faster ride from the airport to downtown Santa Monica. For more information, visit www.bigbluebus.com or call 310-451-5444.
By car from the airport, take the 405 freeway north to the 10, then take the 10 west to the ocean. Or avoid the freeways: exit the airport at Sepulveda Blvd., take Sepulveda north to Lincoln Blvd. and follow Lincoln to downtown Santa Monica. Or take the locals’ route: Lincoln to Venice Blvd., turn right on Venice to Walgrove, then left on Walgrove; it becomes 23rd St.; follow that to Colorado Avenue, turn left at Colorado and head straight to the Pier).
By Train & Automobile
The Amtrak train terminal, Union Station, is at 800 N. Alameda Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. To get to Santa Monica from the depot, travelers have several options: taxis, shuttles, buses operated by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) or the Big Blue Bus (the #10 Express; fare is $1.75). Call Amtrak toll-free nationwide at 800-872-7245 or visit www.amtrak.com.
Santa Monica is accessible by car from the north, south or east. Pacific Coast Highway (California 1), the Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10), Historic Route 66 (Santa Monica Boulevard) and Wilshire Boulevard run directly through the city.
| CAR RENTAL COMPANIES | |
 Budget Rent A Car 310-586-97191723 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica Budget Rent a Car is proud to announce we have been serving Santa Monica and the west Los Angeles area for over 40 years. |
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 Midway Car Rental 310-581-24111901 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica Ranked as one of the top 10 car rental agencies worldwide by Conde Naste Traveler magazine - November 2005, Midway Car Rental carries thousands of vehicles in its fleet, with numerous locations throughout Southern California. |
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| Avon Rent-A-Car 2411 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica |
310-392-8618 |
| Budget Rent-A-Car 1723 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica |
310-586-9719 |
| Beverly Hills Rent A Car 1719 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica |
310-821-1700 |
| Cars With Class 1115 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica |
310-656-3444 |
| Enterprise Car Rental 718 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica |
310-395-4941 |
| Hertz Car Rental 1700 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica |
310-451-3539 |
| Rodeo Automotive 2802 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica |
310-581-5014 |
| LIMOUSINE SERVICES | |
| Ace Limousine Service PO Box 5431 Santa Monica |
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| CLS Transportation Inc. 6029 W. Slauson Ave. Culver City |
818-205-2328 |
| Commonwealth Limousine Ltd./Carey Worldwide 2828 Donald Douglas Loop North Santa Monica |
310-399-6666 |
| EcoLimo PO Box 3520 Santa Monica |
888-438-6546 |
| L.A. Motor Coach 1217 Hill Street Santa Monica |
310-419-4444 |
| LimoGenie 720 Raymond Ave. #4 Santa Monica |
310-948-5646 |
| Moonlight Limousine 11671 National Blvd. Los Angeles |
310-479-5466 |
| Olympic Limousine 2332 33rd Street Santa Monica |
310-452-3002 |
| TLC Limousine & Sedan Service 4519 Admiralty Way #210 Marina del Rey |
310-574-3200 |
| TAXI COMPANIES | |
| Excalibur Taxicabs 3309 Pico Boulevard Suite C Santa Monica |
310-451-4105 |
| Pacific Yellow Cab Co. | 310-770-4004 |
| Taxi! Taxi! 2418 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica |
310-828-5523 |
| Yellow Cab Co. 2129 W. Rosecrans Ave. Gardena |
310-965-5816 |
| TOUR COMPANIES | |
| Amazing LA Tours 201 Broadway Santa Monica |
310-587-2211 |
| LA City Tours 6806 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood |
323-960-0300 |
| Los Angeles Sightseeing 1434 2nd St. Santa Monica |
310-458-0257 |
| Santa Monica Air Tours 2907 6th Street, Suite 100 Santa Monica |
310-450-4447 |