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A night out in Santa Monica

Something to do first, then dinner to talk about it.

9 spots · Jump to the list

Doing something together beats sitting across a table, at least to start: a shared activity gives you something to react to, and it takes the pressure off the conversation. This list runs the whole range — a gallery or a show, a kayak or a climbing wall, a comedy set, the zoo — and every one of them sets up dinner afterwards. Check hours and booking before you go; the popular ones sell out on weekends.

This guide ranks 9 activities in Santa Monica. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.

Nights people planned here

Published date nights with a stop on this list.

Make a night of it

Routes around the top spots on the list, with the best-rated places nearby for the rest of the evening.

Around Kavahana

2 stops, all within a short walk

1
0.8 mi
5:30 PMSomething to do
Kavahana
Kavahana

Food Vendor & Eatery

306 PICO BLVD SANTA MONICA, CA 90405

Santa Monica

4.5

2
7:00 PMDinner
Upper West
Upper West

Restaurant

3321 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, 90025

West LA / Brentwood

4.9

Around The Bungalow

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
< 0.1 mi
5:30 PMSomething to do
The Bungalow
The Bungalow

Bar

101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, 90401

Santa Monica

4.5

2
0.8 mi
7:00 PMDinner
The Penthouse at the Huntley
The Penthouse at the Huntley

Restaurant

1111 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403, USA

Santa Monica

4.8

3
8:30 PMNightcap
Orla Bar
Orla Bar

Bar

1700 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Santa Monica

4.8

Around Santa Monica Farmers’ Market

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
< 0.1 mi
5:30 PMSomething to do
Santa Monica Farmers’ Market
Santa Monica Farmers’ Market

Market

Arizona Avenue, Santa Monica, California, 90401

Santa Monica

4.5

2
0.8 mi
7:00 PMDinner
Hillstone
Hillstone

Restaurant

202 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, 90025

Santa Monica

4.8

3
8:30 PMNightcap
Father's Office
Father's Office

Bar

1018 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403

Santa Monica

4.6

Activities in Santa Monica

Editors' picks first, then by rating.

Good to know

What's the best activity in Santa Monica for a date?
Our top pick is Kavahana, rated 4.5 out of 5. The Bungalow and Santa Monica Farmers’ Market round out the top 3.
Are there affordable activities in Santa Monica?
Yes — Kavahana, Santa Monica Farmers’ Market and California Heritage Museum are all $$ or under.
What should we do before or after?
Make it a night out: something to do, then dinner, then nightcap. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.

More nights in Santa Monica

Activities in other neighborhoods