310-393-7593
Magnificent Palisades Park sits high above the beach itself. Running along Ocean Avenue at the top of Santa Monica’s famous sandstone cliffs, this public park offers a breathtakingly gorgeous view, public art and a surprisingly wonderful venue for a little meditative serenity. The park also features a unique visitor attraction: the Camera Obscura—a life-size, walk-through pinhole camera. A cushioned crushed-asphalt running path has also increased the park’s popularity as a jogging venue. The view from Palisades Park is spectacular, and it offers a fabulous vantage point from which to take in the beach, the Pier, Pacific Coast Highway and an ocean panorama reaching from Malibu to Palos Verdes. On a clear day, Catalina Island is visible in the distance. There is also a marker honoring historic Route 66—and it’s easy to see why no one would have felt the need to venture any farther. Open 7 days a week
