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Main Street in Santa Monica
Shopping Main Street in Santa Monica
Overview: Main Street in Santa Monica is just a delightful area with abundant boutique shopping opportunities, eclectic restaurants and popular bars. Main Street is located just a couple of blocks east of the Santa Monica Beach. The points of interest on Main Street lie between Bay St (just south of Pico Blvd) and Marine St.
Sunday mornings are the best times to go to Main Street in Santa Monica. But, Sundays are also the busiest. Mainly, the Farmers Market on Main Street takes place until the after on 2640 Main St at the corner of Main and Ocean Park. Here’s where you can buy some great tasting, fresh food, shop for some produce and other items. Besides enjoying the live music, your kids can ride one of the ponies.
Main Street has all sorts of retail shops and they are mainly boutique shops except for Patagonia (2936 Main St, ph: 310-314-1776) and American Apparel (2654 Main St, ph: 310-450-7360). You have your urban but highly priced Planet Blue (2940 Main St, ph: 310-396-1767), which is also a store on Montana Avenue, Patricia Junes (2711 Main), Fashion Factory International (2216 Main St, #101, ph: 310-255-0408) and more. There are even chic children’s stores such as Papillion (2717 Main St, ph: 310-452-0969). Other types of stores include a couple of (expensive) optical stores such as Optical Shop of Aspen (3110 Main St, ph: 310-392-0633), which carries international design labels that you won’t find at a place like Lens Crafters. There are also some trendy furniture and antique stores. To top off the prestige real estate of Main Street, there are some art galleries slash stores such as California Heritage Museum (2612 Main St, ph: 310-392-8537), Lama Art (2443 Main St, ph: 310-664-1984) and the do-it-yourself Precious Metal Arts (2510 Main St, ph: 310-581-4844).
Shopping Main Street in Santa Monica
So, this is L.A., and yoga is a big time institution in Los Angeles now. Main Street has some yoga places but the major one is the Center for Yoga (2215 Main St # B, ph: 310-664-6470), which is a branch of Yogaworks.
You gotta eat and drink something while on Main Street. Check out my favorite, Joe’s Grill (2917 Main St, ph: 310-392-5804), which is a bit narrow and definitely crowded on Sunday mornings but worth a visit for the breakfast. Or, check out everyone else’ favorite, the Omelette Parlor (2732 Main St, ph: 310-399-7892). The trendy Urth Cafe is always packed with beautiful people. It’s a good place to people watch as well. Main Street definitely has lots of other places and choices to eat at such as Enterprise Fish Company (174 Kinney, ph: 310-392-8366) and Dhaba Cuisine of India (2104 Main St, ph: 310-399-9452).
Maybe you just want to chill for the day. Check out the patio at bar and grill at Finn McCool’s (2700 Main St, ph: 310-452-1734), O’Briens Irish Pub (2941 Main St, ph: 310-396-4725), the infamous and trendy Circle Bar (2926 Main St, ph: 310-450-0508) and the place where no one actually reads, Library Ale House (2911 Main St, ph: 310-314-4855).
Lastly, don’t be surprised if you see stars and celebrities just strolling around. It is an upscale area.
Location: Between Pico Blvd and Marine St on Main St in Santa Monica
Site: www.mainstreetsm.com
Parking: Park in one of the many parking lots behind (west) Main Street. There are also metered parking spots lined along Main Street. Remember, you can park in a meter for free if you display a handicap placard.
Accessibility: All of Main Street is wheelchair accessible.
Getting There: www.bigbluebus.com, www.metro.net, http://www.culvercity.org/bus/bus.asp