As the summer months are in full swing, sunny skies and warm weather have returned to the region. Many of us who live in Santa Monica will be hosting friends and family and are always looking for new ways to experience the beach city we call home. Santa Monica Travel & Tourism (SMTT) is here to help!
Our newly launched 2019/2020 Official Visitors Guide and Map make for comprehensive resources on all that our world-class cities offers, for both residents and visitors alike. After all, our eight neighborhoods are quite diverse, each filled with a distinct personality and well-loved local businesses of their own. The map highlights just how walkable our 8.3 miles are, a message we want visitors to be well aware of during their travels.
The cover image of this year’s Official Visitors Guide and Map features the cotton candy colors of a sunset as the sun sinks down over the Santa Monica Pier and waves lap against the shore. This year, SMTT launched a contest to find the cover image – a photograph that embodied the spirit of Santa Monica
The winning photography was taken by Ed Burns, a Santa Monica Community Service Officer who has long been a sunset enthusiast and captured the cover image on one of his many trips to the beach.
“I’ve loved watching sunsets since I moved to the beach as a kid, and then started photographing them… after I took my first photography class,” Burns said.
“Over the past 2 1/2 decades, I’ve constantly watched the sky to see what type of cloud patterns are forming, and I would usually take a drive down to the beach if I believed we’d get a colorful sunset. I never felt a single frame could adequately capture the amazing beauty of a good sunset though, so I learned how to shoot panoramic photos and starting shooting most of my sunsets in that format.”
A proud member of the community, Burns also shared that Santa Monica’s beauty is found not only in its sunsets, but also in its people.
“I’ve met and known some amazing first responders over the years, but Santa Monica has (in my humble opinion) some of the finest law enforcement personnel I’ve ever known,” he added.
This past January, SMTT also published the city’s first-ever “Complete Guide to Street Art Murals in Santa Monica” on SantaMonica.com. The online guide provides a photo, address and - when possible - mural and artist name to provide visitors the easiest and most comprehensive way to explore Santa Monica's street art scene. Already a hit, it has been used domestically and internationally to promote the destination's vast arts and culture offerings. Now, we are thrilled to share that the guide has been repurposed into a beautiful and eye-catching printed map that can be used on-the-go!
To read, download or request the Santa Monica Official Visitor Guide and Map, visit https://www.santamonica.com/santa-monica-publications. Hosting an event, wedding or a celebration in Santa Monica? Email marketing@santamonica.com and we will be glad to provide materials for your welcome package.
His past January, SMTT published the city’s first-ever “Complete Guide to Street Art Murals in Santa Monica” on SantaMonica.com. The online guide provides a photo, address and - when possible - mural and artist name to provide visitors the easiest and most comprehensive way to explore Santa Monica's street art scene. Already a hit, it has been used domestically and internationally to promote the destination's vast arts and culture offerings. Now, we are thrilled to share that the guide has been repurposed into a beautiful and eye-catching printed map that can be used on-the-go! The Santa Monica Street Art Maps will be distributed to all Santa Monica hotels and through the four Santa Monica Visitor Information Center locations where visitors and locals can pick them up for FREE. If you are interested in obtaining some FREE maps to have available for your customers, email marketing@santamonica.com
