Open Space

How are we doing?

The City has a long-standing commitment to develop and maintain a network of high-quality public parks. The City of Santa Monica operates and maintains 32 parks encompassing more than 130 acres, from small neighborhood parks and gardens to larger community parks. Each park has its own unique character that draws families and friends to enjoy the outdoors.  Even though, the City has limited land resources, the City has been able to restore 6 acres of flat asphalt parking lot into the award-winning Tongva Park. In 2016, the City developed Ishihara Park in the Pico Neighborhood near Gandara Park. This 2.35 acre park includes a community learning garden. In 2021, the City opened the Historic Belmar Park with 3.5 acres of sports fields. 

The City also operates the iconic Santa Monica State Beach, a 245- acre, three-mile stretch of beach lined with a popular bicycle and pedestrian path. The beach is home to many unique recreational destinations and amenities, including the Annenberg Community Beach House, Santa Monica Pier, concessions, numerous volleyball courts, the Original Muscle Beach, and several playgrounds, most of which are universally accessible.

Proximity to Open Space

This chart shows the percent of residents living within a half mile of public open space.

Map of Open Spaces

This map shows the public open spaces in Santa Monica. Highlighting walkability within 5, 10, and 15 minutes range