A Santa Monica Retreat by the Sea
Known for its beachside setting, celebrity locals, environmental sensitivity and healthy lifestyles, Santa Monica is the end destination of US Route 66 -- the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Today’s Santa Monica still shows influences of a colorful past, from the native Tongva* tribe to Spanish settlers, railroad barons, ranchers, actors and a long list of visionary entrepreneurs.
A compact and easily walkable 8.3 square miles (with a famous ocean-side bike path for those who prefer to pedal), the city draws visitors not only to its famous beaches and Santa Monica Pier, but also to its stylish shops, restaurants and thriving arts community.
* Tongva people prefer not to be called Gabrielino as this is the name Europeans have given them and not their "true" name.