About

Santa Monica balances vibrant commercial districts and neighboring residential communities within 8.3 square miles of land beside the sparkling Pacific Ocean. The city is 16 miles from downtown Los Angeles, bordered by the city of Los Angeles on three sides and the Pacific on the west. Santa Monica was founded in 1875 on the site of the land grant of Don Francisco Sepulveda, and incorporated in 1886.

Santa Monica offers convenient access to major freeways, bus lines and airports. It is served by two freeways, the Santa Monica (Interstate10), and San Diego (405); and by four major east-west thoroughfares Santa Monica (Route 66), Wilshire, Olympic and Pico Boulevards. It is located approximately six miles from Los Angeles International Airport. The city also has its own state-of-the-art aviation operations at Santa Monica Municipal Airport, offering a wide variety of business charters and general aviation services.

The city operates most of its own municipal services, including police, fire, cable television, street maintenance, refuse collection and recycling, and provides water and sewer utilities. The city also operates the Big Blue Bus, which carries more than 73,000 passengers daily on its fleet of 200 buses and shuttles.

The city's coastal Mediterranean climate provides an ideal atmosphere for taking advantage of the famous California lifestyle. Centered on three miles of wide, white sandy beaches, the city enjoys a mild climate averaging about 68 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Air quality is consistently good in the coastal district that surrounds Santa Monica.