The Many Gifts of Santa Monica

Dale Pauly READ TIME: 5 MIN. SPONSORED

Whoever's on your holiday gift list this year, sunny Santa Monica is ready to be your one-stop shopping destination for everyone, with a wonderful array of gifting options for your loved ones of all tastes and interests. Here are some of the fantastic ways Santa Monica can help you give the best gifts of the season.

Experiential Gifts

Ride the waves
Give the gift of surf with a gift card from Aqua Surf, which, since 1997, has been Santa Monica's go-to leader of surfing instruction classes, both for locals and visitors from around the world.

Trapeze, please
Make the holidays fly with a Trapeze School New York gift card, good toward flying trapeze and aerial arts lessons on the historic Santa Monica Pier.

Seasonal showtime
Show your loved one a show this season with a gift card from one of Santa Monica's premier theaters, The Broad Stage or Santa Monica Playhouse.

Holiday pampering
Pamper your favorite people with a gift card from Alchemie Spa, Santa Monica's modern sanctuary for therapeutic massages, organic facials, and hydrafacials, where expert therapists will take you on a magical journey.

"Surf, Sun, & SoFi"
Catch the perfect game or concert this season with Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel's Surf, Sun & SoFi Stadium package, which includes complimentary valet parking, waived resort fee, late checkout, and a bucket of beer.

Accommodational Gifts

Proper Santa Monica
Step into a looser kind of luxury with a gift card for Santa Monica Proper Hotel, which can be used on anything during your stay including room, dining, amenities, or a world-renowned Ayurvedic treatment at Surya Spa.

Sunset picnic
Brighten up your Santa Monica sunset with a sunset picnic package at The Ambrose Hotel, which includes a glass of wine on the hotel terrace followed by a two-hour picnic featuring a charcuterie board, bottled or sparkling water, stylized furnishings, and customizable amenities.

Fairmont fabulous
Experience a Santa Monica icon – and some special Black Friday savings – at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, situated on five expansive acres on the bluff north of Santa Monica Pier overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Seasonal cyber savings
Soak up the savings with the Cyber Sale at Viceroy Santa Monica, located steps from the Pacific Ocean and a beloved icon of the LA beach scene for two decades.

Pierside pre-book
Pre-book your stay with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale at the new Pierside Hotel, where you'll float from bed to beach in a heartbeat and wade a little deeper into the views, vibes, and vibrant culture of iconic Santa Monica.

Culinary Gifts

Sensational Citrin
Treat your loved one to dinner with the modern Californian cuisine at Citrin or an intimate 2.5-hour culinary experience at Mélisse, both from culinary expert, Los Angeles gourmet dining scene veteran, and two-star Michelin chef Josiah Citrin.

Fia la la la
Serving up the freshest seasonal ingredients from around the globe, Fia Restaurant is a whimsical, sexy, and romantic oasis hidden inside a lush secret garden.

Lovely Lunetta
Offering a fresh, fine-dining take on the neighborhood diner, Lunetta serves food that's locally sourced and responsibly grown, using seasonal ingredients from the California coast.

Rustic chic
With a Rustic Canyon Family gift card, your loved ones can enjoy a meal at the original Rustic Canyon (a Michelin-starred, neighborhood restaurant where friends come together to celebrate great food, great wine, and great people) or any of its family of eateries, including Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe, Milo + Olive, Cassia, Esters, and Birdie G's.

Dinner with a view
Enjoy stunning ocean views and dramatic sunsets at the buzzing rooftop bar and restaurant Élephante, where seasoned restaurateur Nicholas Mathers aims to transport guests to the Southern Mediterranean from the heart of Santa Monica.

Tar of wonder
Gift the wood-fired wonder of Tar & Roses, where Chef Andrew Kirschner's menu uses fresh, local ingredients to push the limits of traditional food ideas.

Merry Margo's
Offering a full menu of plant-based offerings for all-day dining with sophistication, a Margo's gift card is a great option for your favorite vegetarians and vegans.

Farm to holiday table
Give the freshest of presents with a gift card for the Santa Monica Farmers Market, a literal feast for the senses with a cornucopia of delicious farm-grown foods alongside beautiful hand-crafted works of art.

Old School Gifts

For some gift givers, nothing compares to a present you can wrap. A few of the great physical gifts on offer in Santa Monica this season include unique ceramics from Still Life Studio; classically modern handbags from Susu; delicious selections from John Kelly Chocolates; artisanal goods from Ten Women Gallery; Santa Monica apparel from the official Santa Monica Visitor Information Center; global and local items with a modern sensibility at Goods; and special candles from Blow Me Candle Co.

Santa Monica Holiday Shopping Events

Still looking for more holiday gift inspiration? Check out the Orange Balloon Sale along Montana Avenue on November 25 and 26, or the Conscious Holiday Market on Third Street Promenade and the parallel streets of Second and Fourth on December 10.

For a wealth of additional great information on Santa Monica shopping, hotels, hotspots, and everything you might need to help plan your perfect trip, check out Santa Monica's official website.


by Dale Pauly

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