TEN WAYS TO COOL OFF DURING SUMMER IN SANTA MONICA
Santa Monica, Calif. (August 3, 2011) – There are many things to love about summer! Sundresses, shorts, flip-flops and large floppy hats, sunshine, blue skies, sand castles, picnics and warm nights just to name a few favorites. But along with lazy afternoons and fun outdoor activities comes the hot, humid days that can put a damper on anyone’s plans, confining even the most sun-loving travelers to an air-conditioned room. Unless you’re in Santa Monica, where the average summertime temperatures hover in the mid 70’s. The quintessential Southern California beach city has a few suggestions on how to beat the heat this summer – for more summer fun and deals, visit www.santamonica.com/summer-specials.
1. Ice Cream – A summertime staple, ice cream received a makeover in Santa Monica with the opening of Beachy Cream, an ice cream shop known for using locally sourced, sustainable and organic ingredients. Try a Strawberry and Boysenberry Beachy Ice Pop made with farmers market organic fruit or the Key Lime Cowabunga ice cream sandwich.
2. Ocean Breeze – Book a room and enjoy a natural form of air-conditioning while poolside at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Loews Santa Monica Beach, JW Marriot Santa Monica Le Merigot, Viceroy Santa Monica, Sheraton Delfina or Shangri-La Hotel. A cool summer breeze, a fruity cocktail and the Pacific Ocean. Enough said.
3. Pedal or Not in the Wind – Make your own cool breeze by taking an electric bicycle guided tour of Santa Monica and zoom along the coast, sometimes reaching speeds of 20 miles an hour.
4. Grab a Cold One – Stop by local favorites like Library Alehouse, The Yard and Ye Olde Kings Head and sample their impressive draft beer selections while sitting on a shaded patio. Nothing beats a cold beer on a hot day!
5. Pacific Park – Ride the roller coaster at Pacific Park, the West Coast’s only amusement park located on a pier. The park is also home to the world’s only solar powered Ferris wheel that offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from more than 130 feet above the pier.
6. Soda Jerks – A throwback to the 1920’s and 30’s, recently opened Soda Jerks on the Santa Monica Pier prides itself on making everything by hand. It offers a full service soda fountain, sundaes, shakes, malts, ice cream sodas and locally famous Fosselman’s ice cream.
7. Surfing – Grab a surfboard and let the Pacific Ocean cool you down! New to surfing? Santa Monica is home to a number of great surfing instructors and surf camps that will get you started.
8. Pool at the Beach – Saltwater not your thing? Jump in and cool down in the historic pool at the Annenberg Community Beach House where you can still put your feet in the sand and enjoy the ocean breeze — without the salt.
9. Beach Butler – Perry’s Café’s Beach Butler service will set up beach chairs, table and umbrella at a designated time and location, deliver sunning products, chilled beverages and food. The best part: they handle the clean up, so you don’t have to!
10. Cool Jazz – Bring a picnic, blanket and beach chair, and enjoy a sampling of jazz each Sunday in August held on the lawn of Santa Monica’s City Hall. Get up and â¨move to the music then cool down with a frozen treat from the frozen dessert trucks, Lake Street Creamery â¨or A ROCKIN ICE Hawaiian Shave Ice.
About Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau
Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For travel and accommodation information or a free copy of the Official Visitors Guide, the public can write to the Santa Monica Visitor Center, 1920 Main Street Suite B, Santa Monica, CA 90405; call (800) 544-5319 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (800) 544-5319 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or (310) 393-7593 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (310) 393-7593 end_of_the_skype_highlighting; visit http://www.santamonica.com; or email info@santamonica.com. Follow SMCVB on Twitter @GoSantaMonica or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/visitsantamonica.
