A beachfront city in West Los Angeles, Santa Monica is known for its natural beauty, charming promenade, and award-winning dining—not to mention the traffic. Since LA is notorious for freeway gridlock, particularly during rush hour, it’s ideal to avoid highway driving on weekdays from 7:00 am to 10:00 am and from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Santa Monica, like the rest of LA, is known for its car culture. With over ten million residents in a county that isn’t known for being walkable—89,736 of those residents in Santa Monica alone!—you can expect to see a lot of drivers on the road.

Whether you’re visiting Santa Monica to check out the rich culture and sandy beaches, or a local who just needs to get around, we can help. We'll tell you everything you need to know about Santa Monica’s busy roads, including traffic conditions, local driving laws, and ways you can prepare for driving in the Magic City.

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What is driving in Santa Monica like?

Even though Santa Monica is a popular tourist destination thanks to its rich culture and warm climate, it has a rough reputation when it comes to driving. Out of 100 major American cities, Los Angeles—which includes Santa Monica—was rated #94 for its long commute times, high

car insurance

and maintenance costs, and high parking and gas prices.

In addition to these driving drawbacks, here are some other elements to expect when driving in Santa Monica.

Roads

Los Angeles

isn’t like most cities—it sprawls, and could be described as a number of dispersed communities loosely connected to a central downtown area. Santa Monica is one of these places and is connected to downtown LA by Interstate 10, also known locally as the Santa Monica/San Bernardino Freeway. At the East Los Angeles interchange, you can connect to I-10, I-5, SR 60, and US 101.

While people who live in traditionally-gridded cities might feel overwhelmed by the seeming chaos of LA’s urban sprawl, the city’s street patterns do generally follow a grid plan—except when rugged terrain prevents it. And given the number of cars on the road, major streets are designed to accommodate heavy traffic.

Parking

If you’re looking for parking in Santa Monica, you’re unlikely to find it for free. However, the city offers several garages as well as meters for parking. Meters typically run from $1.25 to $2.50 an hour and can be paid with quarters or a credit card.

If you’re looking for parking at Santa Monica Beach specifically, be aware that parking is split into three zones: Southern, Central, and North. The price to park in any of these zones varies by day and season, ranging from $7 to $18 per day. The lots are open from sunrise to sunset, excluding Lot 1 North—which is open from 6:00 am to 2:00 am—and the Upper Pier Deck, which is open 24 hours most days.

Weather

Santa Monica is known for its temperate climate, with warm summers and mild winters. Here’s what you can expect from the hot and cold seasons in Santa Monica:

Summer: The sunny weather is a major attraction of Santa Monica in the summer, bringing locals and tourists outside. With an influx of people, you can expect increased traffic on the roads. You’ll also want to take precautions to keep your car safe in hot weather.

Winter: Santa Monica’s winters are mild, although sometimes there is heavy rainfall that can make roads slippery. Overall, though, you should not expect to encounter extreme weather in the LA area in the winter.

MORE: How to find a parking spot in a city

Traffic and transportation options in Santa Monica

As a part of Los Angeles, Santa Monica is notorious for traffic. While there’s no avoiding the occasional freeway gridlock if you live, work, or drive in LA, you can reduce the likelihood of getting stuck in traffic by avoiding the roads at rush hour.

Here are the worst times to drive in Santa Monica:

7:00 am to 10:00 am: Morning rush hour is busy in Los Angeles, especially on Fridays.

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm: Evening rush hour can be just as bad, and again, Fridays are the worst days for traffic.

Weekend nights: You’re likely to encounter traffic if you head into downtown Los Angeles on a weekend night.

Tune in to

KNX News 97.1 FM

for traffic updates in Santa Monica.

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Should I rent a car in Santa Monica?

While Los Angeles isn’t known for being accessible by public transit, the bus and metro coverage is better in Santa Monica than the rest of the city. The Big Blue Bus is the main form of transit and can take you to downtown LA or other adjacent neighborhoods. Day passes are available for $14 each.

Still, if you’re visiting and want to see more of Los Angeles, you might decide to rent a car. While you’ll increase your risk of accidents, theft, and vandalism by driving in a major city, it’s your best chance to see all of LA, the way the locals do.

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Crime rate in Santa Monica

The crime rate in Santa Monica will also affect your driving experience as well as your car insurance rates.

The crime rate in Santa Monica is higher than the national average, as is common in major cities. Specifically, there are 5,191 property crimes per 100,000 people, giving you a 1 in 19 chance of becoming a victim of a property crime—which would include vehicle theft or vandalism. Recent data shows there are generally 261 car thefts per 100,000 residents every year in Santa Monica.

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How to report a stolen car

How to find car insurance in Santa Monica

Despite the traffic, California compels people to live, love, and drive in the Golden State. While premiums might not be the lowest, licensed broker and car insurance genius

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