More travelers today are making conscious efforts to decrease their carbon footprints while trotting around the globe. When many hear “green travel,” they think of camping in the wilderness, but you no longer have to sacrifice the indulgences of luxury travel in order to “go green.” Santa Monica provides many eco-friendly restaurants, hotels, attractions and transportation alternatives, so you can travel guilt-free while still protecting the destination you love to visit.
Restaurants
Real Food Daily
Real Food Daily, certified by the Santa Monica Green Business Certification Program, serves a 100 percent vegan, organic menu.
514 Santa Monica Blvd., 310.451.7544
Library Alehouse
This Main Street favorite is an upscale gastropub with a great beer and wine selection, and it recycles its used fryer oil into biodiesel.
2911 Main St., 310.314.4855
This popular restaurant, a Santa Monica Green Certified Business, offers amazing seafood, panoramic ocean views and uses solar panels on the roof.
1602 Ocean Ave., 310.458.9294
Hotels
This boutique hotel is a peaceful oasis in a quiet, upscale neighborhood and is known for being the first U.S. hotel to receive Silver-LEED Certification.
1255 20th St., 310.315.1555
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
This upscale, beachfront hotel was one of the first to participate in Santa Monica’s Food Waste Composting program.
1700 Ocean Ave., 310.458.6700
Ocean View Hotel
Just steps from the beach, the Santa Monica Pier and the Third Street Promenade, this conveniently located hotel received Edison’s Certificate of Recognition after installing fluorescent lighting and motion sensors to reduce power usage.
1447 Ocean Ave., 310.458.4888
This hotel offers breathtaking views, a casual ambiance and incentives for eco-friendly guests. Visitors driving hybrid cars enjoy a $10 discount off valet charges (or free self-parking) and a $35 credit when transported by hybrid vehicle or mass transit.
530 Pico Blvd., 310.399.9344
The Shore Hotel is Santa Monica’s newest addition to the coastline, a Gold-LEED certified boutique property that even offers a green concierge, the hotel’s own local expert on all things eco-friendly. More sustainable features of the Shore Hotel include:
- 50 percent of construction waste was recycled or salvaged
- Wood used in the project is from sustainable forests
- 10 percent of all building materials are from within a 500-mile radius of the hotel
- Low-flow water fixtures significantly reduce water consumption
- Native landscaping, reducing the extent of irrigation
- Sophisticated building controls system, continually monitoring and adjusting energy use
- Low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) materials
- Maximized access to natural daylight
1515 Ocean Ave., 310.458.1515
Attractions
Heal the Bay Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
This family-friendly destination is dedicated to pollution prevention, marine conservation and environmental education. Its flooring is made from recycled milk jugs and tires.
1600 Ocean Front Walk, 310.393.6149
Pacific Wheel - Santa Monica Pier
Soaring 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean, this Southern California landmark is the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel.
380 Santa Monica Pier, 310.260.8744
Santa Monica Farmers Market
Consistently ranked as one of the best in the country, the Santa Monica’s Farmers Market only uses recyclable or compostable products and hosts a bike valet on Sundays.
Various locations, 310.458.8712
Annenberg Community Beach House
Located in the space where Hollywood’s elite used to party, this Gold-LEED certified “beach club” is open to the public and uses recycled blue jeans for insulation.
415 Pacific Coast Highway, 310.458.4904
Transportation
Big Blue Bus
Ride Blue and go green! Santa Monica’s entire fleet of buses operates on alternative fuels and biodiesel.
Customer service: 310.451.5444
Santa Monica Bike Center
The nation’s largest full-service bike center replaced auto-parking spaces to offer all the amenities needed to access Santa Monica car-free, including bike rentals and tours, repair services and secure bike-parking spots.
Main location: 1555 2nd Street, Unit A ; members-only location: 1502 4th Street, 310.656.8500