Once locally beloved as an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment district in Santa Monica – a coastal city in the western part of Los Angeles County – the Third Street Promenade hasn’t yet recovered from its pandemic era-slump, which saw many of its stores go vacant. For 60 years, the downtown area (previously known as the Santa Monica Mall) has been a tourist attraction and movie backdrop, accented by murals and dinosaur topiary sculptures/fountains.
Remaining mall-class retailers include an Apple Store, Barnes & Noble, Culto Futbol, Miniso, Oakley, and Zara, with a Uniqlo scheduled to open in December 2025. Cafe and dining options range from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to Gyu-Kaku BBQ, Silverlake Ramen, Starbucks, and Yogurtland, as well as a really nice gelateria and Italian cafe called Ugo. Entertainment includes AMC Theatres, Museum of Illusions, the Santa Monica Art Museum, and a $20 all-you-can-play arcade (with a bar) called Two Bit Circus.
Garage and street parking are available around the several-block Promenade area, sometimes at no charge for two or three hours. Cars aren’t allowed on the eponymous 3rd Street itself, which is zoned as an entertainment district, allowing open container street consumption of alcohol purchased from restaurants within the immediate area.
