Southern California Trip Part IV: Santa Monica and Malibu

Santa Monica and Malibu offer miles of scenic coastline, interesting architecture, and well-known attractions that make for lots of photo opportunities.  This was my second time visiting the area, but I still managed to come away with plenty of new photos.

A Sunny Day at Palisades Park

Palisades Park in Santa Monica is known for its tree-lined paths and impressive views over the bluffs out to the Pacific Ocean.

Palisades Park

I love photographing trees, so I didn’t hold back.

The Never Ending Sidewalk

Down on the beach, a rubber sidewalk stretches for miles.

Who wouldn’t like to own a house that looks right out to the beach?

A Sunny Day at the Beach

The Santa Monica Pier is hard to miss.  I didn’t actually visit the pier this time, although I took several shots of it.

No Lifeguard on Duty

I couldn’t resist taking a photo of a lifeguard station.

Malibu PierMalibu has a pier too, but it’s much smaller and not nearly as iconic.

Malibu Pier

My plan was to take a photo from the shore, but the tide was coming in fast, and the beach was soon to be inaccessible.

I snapped a quick pic on the pier, but I realized that was not really where I wanted to be for the sunset.Malibu Bluffs SunsetAt nearby Malibu Bluffs, I found what I was looking for.  The perfect view to photograph the sunset!Santa Monica Pier at NightBack in Santa Monica, I had the above and below views from the Fairmont Miramar.  Pinch me!

Night time is the best time to explore a hotel.  Everything just looks cooler at night!

Entering the Fairmont Miramar

The hotel is known for its signature fig tree.

The following morning, this gorgeous sunrise came up over Santa Monica, and I got another shot of the pier.

Santa Monica Sunrise

The lifeguard station looks so lonely on the beach!

Just one more shot of the fig tree before leaving.

Third Street Promenade has these interesting dinosaur topiaries.

That wraps up my post on beautiful Santa Monica and Malibu.  My next post will feature photos of Disney California Adventure.

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