LOS ANGELES – THE WEST SIDE
Cali or bust!
- More about your Oliver Guide: Cinda Boomershine
- Trip type: Family, Beach, City
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: 3 days minimum
to & from
Fly into LAX and uber from there. Even if you do have a car, it is often cheaper to uber from place to place than pay for parking.
- Shutters — it is right on the beach so you can’t beat the location.
- Palihouse Santa Monica -- lots of different room size options and is located in more of a neighborhood area. This is a great options for families and for extended stays.
- Viceroy -- cool vibe and super close to the beach (without paying a beachside premium)
Where to Eat and Drink
- Brentwood Country Mart — Go for a casual lunch in the center food court area. We love Fridas Tacos and the salads at Barney’s Burgers. There also happens to be some great shopping there too (and good people watching if you catch my drift :)).
- Gjelina -- Make reservations well in advance. It is so good it is always packed.
- Sugar Fish in Brentwood -- This is our favorite sushi. Trust me, just order the Trust Me.
- Cafe Vida in the Pacific Palisades -- This is our favorite locals spot for fresh California food.
What to Do
- Be a tourist! We always love visiting the Santa Monica Pier. Take a spin or two on the ferris wheel and soak up the energy and fun of this iconic spot at the very end of Route 66.
- Go shopping! Abbot Kinney is our favorite shopping spot and has been dubbed the "coolest block in America"
- Take a hike! One of the unique parts of LA is that even though you are in a big city, you can still take an amazing hike in nature. Temescal Canyon Loop is one of our favorites, but there are so many other good ones too.
- Hit the beach! Sure you can relax on the sand & play in the surf, but our favorite thing to do is rent a bike at one of the beach side stands and pedal from the Palisades to Venice. You could also pick up a Bird scooter and motor instead of pedal.
Inside Scoop
- The farmers market here are amazing! There are so many fruits and veggies here that you don’t find elsewhere and lots of the vendors offer samples to try. We love the one in Santa Monica on Wednesdays and also the one in Pacific Palisades on Sundays.
- If you do have a car and drive yourself, make sure to take your parking tickets inside with you when you get out of the car. Most stores & restaurants will validate for free or discounted parking.
What to Pack
Newport Beach, Los Angeles, California
If you liked watching The OC in the 90s, you will love Newport Beach.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Beth Sheffner Scheer
- Trip type: Adult, Family, Group getaway, Beach
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: Weekend, week, or month in summer
to & from
Direct flights to Orange County (SNA) or Long Beach Airport (LBC). Orange County airport is a 10 minute drive to Newport and Long Beach is about 20 minutes (if no traffic). Newport is about an hour drive from Los Angeles depending on traffic.
- Highly recommend renting a car.
- Use Uber or Lyft at night. Very easy and reliable for restaurant/bar hopping.
Where to Stay
If you want to rent a house on or near the beach, I would recommend Balboa Island or Peninsula Point. VRBO and AirBNB will be your best options. I recommend renting bikes (see info below) for getting around during the day.
- Lido House: (just opened in April 2018) very close to beach and Lido Village. Great rooftop bar.
- Balboa Bay Club: Right on the beach but larger and feels a bit more corporate. More family amenities if you have small children.
- Pelican Hill Resort
- The Montage Laguna Beach (15 minutes away) has a great spa but not in Newport.
Where to Eat and Drink
Breakfast/Lunch:
- Do not miss the donuts at Sidecar Donuts!
- The food is average but fun trip to go to Ruby’s on Balboa Pier if you have kids.
- Charlie’s Chili: Another classic for breakfast.
- Zinque. Located in Lido Marina Village. Located on waterfront. Very casual and relaxing atmosphere.
- Haute Cakes Cafe.: Very casual lunch spot.
- The best fish tacos: Bear Flag Fish Co. (good for lunch or dinner)
Dinner:
- The Crab Cooker: No reservations. If you like seafood, you must go here. Super casual. Prepare to wait.
- Mozza: Great Italian. Right across the street from Balboa Bay Club.
- A Restaurant. If you want a bar scene and a fun restaurant with great people watching, go here.
- Olea: Wine Country inspired cuisine.
- Nobu. Located in Lido Marina Village. If you can’t get a reservation try the bar.
What to Do
Newport has a low key surfer vibe but you can also find a plethora of high end restaurants and fantastic shopping.
- Shopping: Lido Marina Village - great stores included Elyse Walker, Clare V, Warby Parker, Jenni Kane, Cynthia Rowley, etc.
- Shopping: Amarees is not to miss. This store sits on the water and carries incredible brands. The staff is beyond friendly and you can bring your dog.
- Shopping: Fashion Island. This lovely outdoor mall has big stores (Neiman's and Bloomingdales) and great restaurants (TrueFood, Sushi Roku, R+D Kitchen).
- Kayaking/SUP: Newport Aquatic Center
- Bike Rentals: Beach and Bikes. Beach traffic is bad in summer and on weekends so bike vs. drive when you can.
- Surfing: Endless Surf, Newport Beach Surfing Lessons
Inside Scoop
- If you have kids 10 and under, the Balboa Fun Zone is an institution and a good way to spend an hour or 2. There is a ferris wheel, arcade games (they have the same ones since I played on in the 70s), etc.
- If you want to take a drive down to Laguna and check out the scene there, stop at the Crystal Cove “Shake Shack.” 7703 California 1, Crystal Cove.
What to Pack
More...
Beach traffic is bad in the summer… especially on weekends. Bike when possible.
Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California
So much to do and so little time... a weekend was not enough for our family in Santa Monica but we enjoyed every minute.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Courtney Leary
- Trip type: Family, Beach, City
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: 5 NIGHTS... WE WERE ONLY THERE 2.
to & from
- Fly into LAX, Burbank (our favorite because it is SMALL and easy but further from Santa Monica than LAX) or drive.
- A car is only necessary if you plan to leave Santa Monica. There is plenty to do in the area and Ubers are easy but we wanted to go to Universal and an LA Galaxy game which made a car necessary.
Where to Stay
- Loews Santa Monica was our home away from home for two nights. It is a mega hotel ON THE BEACH and perfect for families. We opted for a suite instead of two rooms as it was less expensive. Service was great and amenities endless- spa, pool, workout room, multiple restaurant options... We loved that they had towels for the beach by the door and the pool was open until midnight so we could retire to the hot tub after dinner.
- We did not have a chance to check it out but a friend recommended Oceana Beach Club Hotel-- she raved about the service and the bikes that were available to guests and ready to go at one's request!
- The Proper Santa Monica is a great stay-- super chic design, great rooftop restaurant and fun bar scene-- but several blocks from the beach. I have heard a great spa and gym as well though I did not have the time to experience when I stayed there.
- Other options right on the beach, but may not be as kid-friendly are Shutters and Casa del Mar.
LOS ANGELES – THE WEST SIDE - Suggestions from the Oliver Community
Felix- in Venice, it’s incredibly delicious pastas and cocktails
Capo- in Santa Monica, old-world charm, packed to the gills with fun people-watching (including occasional celebs) and yummy Italian
The Rose in Venice- A fantastic spot to sit outside for brunch and bloodies. Two patios, a bar, and bakery serving California fare.
Caught a great celebrity sighting, too!
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