Third Street Promenade

A commercial fixture in Santa Monica since the 1960s, this three-block-long pedestrian mall (centered on the three blocks of Third Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway) was re-designed in 1989 and officially named the Third Street Promenade. Only two blocks east of the amusements of the Santa Monica Pier, the cliff-top walking path at Palisades Park, and the Pacific Ocean, the Promenade is one of the most popular tourist destinations on L.A.'s Westside.

Originally host to a variety of local and family-owned businesses, the stores here currently tend towards large national chains like Anthropologie, Banana Republic and H&M. A magnet for street performers, the Promenade is often clustered with crowds enjoying live music, puppet shows and more. The area is also well known for its nightlife and has several movie theaters, a few music clubs, a large handful of bars and a slew of local eateries. Bordered at Broadway by the upscale and outdoor Santa Monica Place Mall, the Promenade's commercial influence has also spread a couple of blocks to the east and west of Third Street, creating the most condensed shopping and entertainment district in Santa Monica.

The Promenade is surrounded by inexpensive public parking lots, but available spaces tend to become scarce as the day progresses. Wednesdays and Saturdays are especially busy, this is when America's largest and oldest certified organic farmers' market is held on Arizona Avenue between 2nd and 4th streets.