Ocean Avenue runs along the clifftop above the Pacific Coast Highway, offering the kind of views that explain why people move to Santa Monica. To the west, the ocean stretches to the horizon; to the north, the Malibu coast curves away; south is the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach. The road is lined with apartment buildings and hotels on the inland side, and Palisades Park on the ocean side.
The best time to be on Ocean Avenue is in the late afternoon, when the light on the water is good and the evening crowd begins to gather at the bluff-side benches. Driving it slowly — or better, walking the park side — is one of the reliable pleasures of a visit to Santa Monica. The Fairmont Miramar hotel, immediately inland, has a famous fig tree at its entrance that is worth a look.