Santa Monica State Beach has beautiful, white sand beaches, temperate surf conditions, restaurants with romantic ocean views and bike path access for riding and rollerblading, not to mention a bustling pier with an amusement park, trapeze school, snacks-on-a-stick, street performers and, underneath, Heal the Bay Aquarium.But swimming within 100 yards in either direction of the pier (or the Pico-Kenter storm drain) is not on the agenda. For the fifth year, that area made Heal the Bay’s dirtiest beaches list last week. Outside of those areas, the water tends to meet quality standards for the rest of the 3.5-mile stretch of shoreline. The city of Santa Monica has spent millions to fight the water pollution in that area to no avail. A new task force is underway.Santa Monica State Beach is also the “birthplace” of beach volleyball, according to the city, and there are ample courts along the sand. Don’t miss the Original Muscle Beach workout area and Chess Park, across from it.Best for: Families, tourists, surfingParking: 13 beach lots, $7 to $15 for the day; limited free and metered street parking Bathrooms: YesDog-friendly: NoADA-accessible: ADA parking in lots 3 and 4; ADA beach access at Annenberg Community Beach House, Montana Avenue, Arizona Avenue, immediately north of the pier as well as Bay Street, Ocean Park Boulevard and Ashland Avenue south of the pier; free electric beach wheelchairs available at Perry’s Cafe and Beach Rentals (1200 and 2400 locations) along with two manual ones at the Annenberg Community Beach House.What’s nearby: Shutters on the Beach, Hotel Casa del Mar, Palisades Park and the public Annenberg Community Beach House, which has a pool ($10 day pass), volleyball courts and playground.Updated May 27 at 12:45 p.m.: A previous version of this entry stated Santa Monica will host beach volleyball during the Olympics. It will not. That event will take place at Alamitos Beach in Long Beach.
