Santa Monica

 

A beachy town that attracts tourists, natives, and transplants alike. For boutiques and high end restaurants there’s Montana Avenue, and there’s a great beach life and a stellar bike path for active types.

 

More low key and a little more urban than some of the other expensive neighborhoods, Santa Monica has hotels, businesses, and great restaurants. Santa Monica’s Gold Coast at one time attracted Hollywood royalty (including Marion Davies whose beach house is now a public beach club), but now the flashier types tend to go to flashier neighborhoods. Which is just fine for the people who live there.

 

Steven Levitan (creator of Modern Family), Cedric Gibbons and Doris Del Rio, Norma Talmadge, Marion Davies.

 

Shutters for a sunset cocktail, Beach Tennis at the beach Ocean Park (you haven’t heard of Beach Tennis yet, but you will!), the Annenberg Beach House for a swim, Café de Mundo for an exotic coffee, Philz for a non-exotic but also great coffee, Thyme Café and Sweet Lady Jane for desserts, the shops on Montana Avenue for a quick stroll, R&D Kitchen for reliably good food and a fun singles scene, Father’s Office for a burger and beer, Capo for an Italian splurge, Caffe Delfini for a low-key Italian neighborhood meal at the base of Santa Monica Canyon.