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Santa Monica city is situated on Santa Monica Bay and surrounded by Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and Venice on the southeast.
 Because of its agreeable weather and 325 average sunshine days a year, Santa Monica had become a famed resort town by the early 20th century. The city has experienced a boom since the late 1980s through the revitalization of its downtown core with significant job growth and increased tourism after creating the 3rd street promenade with chic stores, restaurants and street performers. This major outdoor pedestrian shopping district stretches from Wilshire Blvd on the north to Santa Monica and Santa Monica mall on the south. Everyone should visit Main street with its layback atmosphere and nice stores.
The city Population grew to be approx 91,000 in 2009 with headquarters for entertainment companies, investment firms, professionals and studios.
Santa Monica Pier is a well known landmark since its built in 1909 and draws locals and out of town visitors each year. Its amusement park with the famous ferris wheel is picture perfect in contrast to the ocean.
Santa Monica hosts the annual Santa Monica Film Festival and the city has some old movie theaters.
Santa Monica is well known as one of the most sustainable cities in the US. Most of the city public work vehicles runs on alternative fuel and most, if not all, public buildings use renewable energy. The city official and residents make clean up the Santa Monica bay a priority and a facility was built to catch 3.5 million of water each week that otherwise flow into the bay.
There are miles of beaches, bicycle and paths from Will Roger park in the north to Venice beach in the south. Palisades park stretches along the bluffs overlooking the Pacific ocean and favorite walking area, shaded trees with benches and picture perfect every sunset.
Santa Monica Canyon
South of Pacific Palisades facing out upon the Pacific Ocean is Santa Monica Canyon. This small enclave with winding roads gives the feel of ?out of town? to many artists, actors and professionals. Santa Monica Canyon is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles and not a part of City of Santa Monica. Charter Elementary School is one of the most prestigious elementary schools in the LAUSD.
North of San Vicente
Homes north of San Vicente Blvd are among the most expensive in Los Angeles County and often contain views of the Pacific Ocean or the Santa Monica Canyon. La Mesa Street is one of the most expensive and least known in the city, planted with a dense canopy of rare fig trees. The streets in this area are usually short and contain large expensive homes.
North of Montana
South of San Vicente and north of Montana Avenue consist of smaller expensive homes with most of the lots approx 7500 square feet (50X150). Some lots are 60feet wide. The streets are Georgina, Marguerita, Alta, Carlyle, and Brentwood Terrace from 4th to 26th Street. This area is served by 2 highly regarded public elementary schools - Franklin School for the residents on 15th through the west side of 26th and Roosevelt for the families on 14th Street down to Ocean Ave. Remodeled and rebuilt homes are upscale.
Montana Avenue
With dozens of upscale stores and its lay back atmosphere Montana Avenue draws many locals to shop and dine. With its proximity to the beach, many desired condominiums are just south of Montana Avenue.
North of Wilshire
South of Montana Ave and north of Wilshire Blvd lays a prime residential neighborhood. There are many mid-sized, small homes and condominiums. Smaller craftsman bungalows line the east-west avenues like Idaho, Washington, and California. Lincoln Middle School is on 14th Street and California Ave. Properties are slightly less expensive than the more stately properties north of Montana.
Ocean Avenue
Ocean Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Santa Monica that runs along the Palisades Park, with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Real estate is expensive here due to the view of the beach and Pacific Ocean. South of California Ave are several hotels, restaurants, businesses, and homes.
Downtown Santa Monica
Downtown Santa Monica is located south of California Avenue. The streets that make up downtown Santa Monica are Wilshire Boulevard, Arizona Avenue, Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway, and Colorado Avenue from 2nd street to 14th street. The Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place are located in the heart of downtown. Many restaurants, tourist sites, and hotels are in downtown.
Midtown Santa Monica
Midtown Santa Monica stretches from 14th street to Centinela at its westernmost and easternmost extremities, and California Avenue to Olympic Boulevard in its north and south. Alternating between major thoroughfares and quiet residential lanes, Midtown consists of more locals and less tourists. The area was originally built Victorian style but in the 1940?s many bungalows with private backyards replaced many existed homes. In the 1960s many condominiums and apartment buildings replaced many of these small homes. Midtown Santa Monica, often referred to as the "college streets" where Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Berkeley intersect with Wilshire Boulevard, represents one of the city's primary gateways.
Pico District
The Pico District is the most ethnically diverse area in Santa Monica with heavily Latino population. Small homes with green front yards built in 1940?s and 1950?s give the area the feel of a small town. Its boundaries are Lincoln Blvd to the west, Centinela Ave to the east, Colorado Ave to the north and Pico Blvd to the south. The Santa Monica Freeway runs through the area with access near both Lincoln Boulevard and Olympic Blvd. Santa Monica High School and Santa Monica College are both on Pico. Pico Blvd has local and middle class businesses, condominiums and apartment buildings. Many homes have been remodeled and the area has been improved the last few years.
Ocean Park
Located in the southwest corner of Santa Monica is the Ocean Park neighborhood. This neighborhood has a mix of older smaller homes and apartment buildings and condos. Several housing towers are located along the beach. The area has a funky, artsy feel similar in manner to its neighbor Venice Beach. Many Santa Monica residents come to shop/browse on Main Street, home of many boutiques and restaurants. Main Street also hosts a weekly farmer's market on Sundays. SMASH (an alternative school) and John Muir elementary schools are located in the neighborhood. Olympic High, an alternative high school is also located in the area.
Sunset Park
Sunset Park is a residential neighborhood located between Pico Boulevard and the southern city limits and Lincoln Boulevard and eastern city limits. It is composed primarily of single-family housing. Most of the homes are small one-story houses built in the 1940s for workers at the Douglas Aircraft Factory.
Sunset Park is part of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. Will Rogers and Grant elementary schools and John Adams Middle School are located in the neighborhood. Santa Monica College community college, is located in Sunset Park as well.
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