page_title: Santa Monica State Beach
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Santa Monica State Beach / Description
caption_attribution_description: this is an unedited photo.
context_page_description: Santa Monica State Beach is a California State Park operated by the city of Santa Monica.
context_section_description: The beach is located along Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. It is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long and has parks, picnic areas, playgrounds, restrooms, as well as manned lifeguard stations, the Muscle Beach, bike rentals, concessions, a few hotels, a bike path, and wooden pathways for warm days and beachgoers with disabilities. Visitor activities include volleyball, surfing, stand up paddleboarding, and swimming.  Smoking at the beach is prohibited.
  At the foot of Colorado Avenue, through the famous arch and sign, lies the historic Santa Monica Pier, which dates from 1909. The pier has a National Historic Landmark -– the 1922 Looff Hippodrome Carousel.
  Just south of the pier volleyball courts is International Chess Park with public chess tables and a human-scale chessboard set into the sidewalk.
  Palisades Park is located atop Santa Monica's cliffs, providing a vantage point to see the Santa Monica Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
  The beach is the one the album art for Umbrella Beach by Owl City features.
  The beach will host beach volleyball and surfing during the 2028 Summer Olympics.
caption: Sunset at Santa Monica Beach
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