Winter in Santa Monica means oceanfront walks, outdoor lunches and plenty of time in the sunshine. This stretch of the California coast has a busy restaurant scene, beachfront hotels and independent shops, with a cultural calendar to match. This season, the city is marking 100 years of Route 66, while a Swiss-style Christmas market brings a taste of Europe to the famous pier. Here’s what’s worth putting on your itinerary.
Culture and what’s on
Christmas comes to the pier
Santa Monica is getting its own Swiss-style Christmas market this winter. The Swiss Winter Village takes over the pier from 18 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with food stalls, festive bars, live performances, a Swiss chalet and a skating experience. The setting should make for some rather different Christmas-market photos.
Route 66 turns 100
Santa Monica marks the western end of Route 66, so the city’s involvement in the highway’s centenary celebrations is particularly fitting. At the Santa Monica History Museum, Creating Route 66: Road, Legend, Community explores the road’s influence on American popular culture and the communities along its route. The exhibition runs from November 2026 to June 2027.
Portraits of the California coast
Photography takes centre stage at Annenberg Community Beach House, where Portraits: Faces and Waves features work by Sam Comen and Anthony Friedkin. The exhibition runs until 27 March 2027, presenting local perspectives on contemporary portraiture.
Where to stay
Santa Monica’s beachfront hotels have a few new experiences lined up for the winter season.
At Viceroy Santa Monica, the Sugar Palm restaurant is bringing après-ski style to the coast. Its Après Surf Lounge offers private heated cabanas, personal fire pits, charcuterie and s’mores boards until 31 December. A distinctly Californian take on winter hospitality.
Saturday evenings at Shutters on the Beach now come with live music. Shutters Spin Sessions brings DJs to the hotel’s Living Room from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, alongside a new cocktail menu and light bites.
Huntley Santa Monica Beach has updated its Wellness Lounge with a heated saltwater whirlpool, barrel sauna, infrared sauna and cold plunge. At Shore Hotel, meanwhile, a new room category, Coastal Petite Rooms, is available for stays from 1 January 2027.
Where to eat and drink
The latest restaurant openings bring a varied mix of cuisines to Santa Monica, with Japanese, Pakistani, Indian and Italian cooking among the highlights.
Kogen Omakase is an intimate Japanese dining experience from chef Yasu Iwai and restaurateur Adrian Taylor. With just ten seats and two sittings each evening, the restaurant serves fish sourced from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, alongside seasonal produce from local farms. It operates Tuesday to Sunday.
Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen has expanded from Fullerton to downtown Santa Monica. Its original restaurant received a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and the new location brings chef Imran Ali Mookhi’s Pakistani and Indian cooking to the city. The menu is entirely halal, with a selection of zero-proof drinks.
On Main Street, chef Brian Bornemann of Crudo e Nudo has opened Bar Fortuna. Handmade pasta, Italian-style drinks and dishes made with farmers’ market ingredients are the focus.
Louma Bakery on Wilshire Boulevard serves European-style breads, pastries and seasonal bakes. The bakery also has a social mission: through The Louma Initiative, it creates training and employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental differences.
Wellness and beauty
A little downtime belongs on any Santa Monica itinerary. At Huntley Santa Monica Beach, the updated Wellness Lounge brings together a heated saltwater whirlpool, barrel sauna, infrared sauna and cold plunge. Over on Main Street, vegan beauty and wellness brand Wildling has opened its first physical shop in the Edgemar building. Alongside its skincare range, visitors can book personalised gua sha tutorials, facials and skin consultations.
Shopping and local finds
Free-est, the latest boutique from Free People, has opened on Main Street. The collection includes swimwear, beauty products and relaxed wardrobe staples. Personal styling appointments are available, too.
On Montana Avenue, wine bar and retailer Divine Vintage has expanded its menu to include flatbreads, sharing plates, artisanal meats and cheeses. Nearby, Bacio di Latte has opened its second Santa Monica shop, serving Italian gelato, espresso and cookies.
Ikon Lifestyle
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