Santa Monica State Beach runs three miles from the pier north toward Pacific Palisades, and another stretch south toward Venice. The beach is wide, sandy, and reliably busy in summer — volleyball nets, beach rentals, lifeguard towers, and the long, flat ribbon of the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (the Strand) running parallel to the water. On weekends in July and August it is genuinely crowded; weekday mornings in June or September are when the beach is most enjoyable.
The water temperature ranges from cool (60°F/15°C in winter and early spring) to comfortable (68–72°F/20–22°C in late summer). The surf is gentle enough for swimming without specialist experience, though rip currents do occur and the lifeguards are there for a reason. Parking lots exist along the PCH but fill quickly; the Metro is the more reliable option.