Today I’m going to show you what I think is the best viewpoint in Santa Monica.

I discovered this spot a few months ago after living here for seven years, and somehow I’d never noticed it before.

The elevator doesn’t quite get you there, so you’ve got to take a few extra stairs, but it’s worth it.

Once you get to the top, you can see almost everything. The ocean, Santa Monica, the mountains, and on a clear day even some of the neighborhoods stretching far to the east.

And the best part?

Nobody comes up here.

It’s usually just me enjoying the view.

Today is especially clear.

You can see Palos Verdes, and if you look carefully, you can even make out Catalina Island way off in the distance.

Over here is the Santa Monica Pier. You’ve got the Nike store, the Cheesecake Factory, and even the Tesla charging station on top of the garage.

Of course, there’s the Pacific Ocean.

You can also see Point Dume in the distance. The recent Malibu fire activity was out in that direction, though things appear to be mostly under control now.

Let’s head to the other side of the garage.

This is where the mountain views really open up.

The mountains are incredibly clear today.

You can also see Century City in the distance and get a great view of Broadway and the surrounding streets below.

Normally this intersection is packed, but it’s Sunday morning, so things are pretty quiet.

From up here, you notice details you completely miss from the ground.

One of my favorite views is Fourth Street. When you’re walking beneath the trees, you don’t really appreciate how beautiful the layout is. From above, you can see the long line of green trees cutting through the city.

Whoever planned Santa Monica did a great job.

From this height, you can really appreciate the design of the city.

You also get a better look at some of the older architecture. There are still buildings here that are close to a century old, with hints of Art Deco styling and old brick facades that have survived all these years.

That’s part of what I love about this view.

Looking one direction, you have the ocean.

Looking another, you have mountains.

And straight ahead, you get a surprisingly dense urban skyline for Santa Monica.

Anyway, I was bored and thought I’d share one of my favorite spots.

If you’re ever in the area, this parking garage is near the corner of Broadway and Fourth.

For me, this is the best view in Santa Monica.

Peace.