Santa Monica has always known how to put on a show when the sun clocks out.
The Pacific turns molten, the Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier flickers to life, and the whole beachfront starts glowing like a California postcard that somehow forgot to tone it down.
Now, the beach city has some official bragging rights to match the view. Santa Monica ranked No. 2 in the world in a new roundup of the best destinations for sunrise and sunset views, and it was the only destination in the United States to land in the global top 10.
The ranking pointed to its open Pacific horizon, iconic pier, sunshine, and photo-ready coastline, with only Paphos, Cyprus, placing ahead of it.
Travel + Leisure’s sunset ranking placed Santa Monica above golden-hour heavyweights in Costa Rica, Sicily, Kenya, Morocco, Guatemala, Canada, and Portugal.
But have you ever considered watching it from two wheels?
19 October 2026 09:00 + more dates
Unlimited Biking Santa Monica
Angelenos can pick up a hybrid bike rental near the pier and trade the parking hunt for an oceanfront cruise along the sand.
Allowing you to take a self-guided ride at your own pace means you can choose your own adventure — whether that means a quick two-hour spin before dinner, a four-hour afternoon in the sun, or a full-day beach-hopping mission.
Here’s how to do it yourself!
A golden-hour ride with the Pacific beside you
The starting point is Unlimited Biking Santa Monica only a short ride from the city’s most famous landmark.
From there, it is easy to roll toward the Santa Monica Pier, watch the coastline unfurl beside you, and join the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, better known to locals as The Strand.
The paved coastal path runs for roughly 22 miles from Will Rogers State Beach down to Torrance County Beach, joining some of L.A.’s most recognizable beach communities along the way.
You don’t need to ride its entire length to get the good stuff, though.
The Santa Monica-to-Venice stretch packs in plenty of sea breeze, palm silhouettes, street performers, beach volleyball courts, and enough people-watching to turn the journey into its own entertainment.
As late afternoon creeps in, the scenery gets even better. Sunlight skims the water, surfers become dark shapes against the horizon, and the sand takes on that soft, amber color that makes it nearly impossible to take a bad photo.
Choose your own coastal itinerary
The rental is self-guided, which means this ride can be as leisurely or as extra as you want it to be.
Here is our recommendation on the dreamiest way to map out a four-hour golden-hour route:
- Start at Santa Monica Pier: Begin with the classic view of the Pacific, then ride south with the pier and Ferris wheel behind you.
- Cruise through Venice Beach: Pass Muscle Beach, skatepark stunts, murals, musicians, and the unmistakable boardwalk energy that makes Venice feel like its own strange little universe.
- Slip into the Venice Canals: Trade the boardwalk chaos for arched bridges, still water, tidy homes, and one of L.A.’s most unexpectedly peaceful corners.
- Continue toward Marina del Rey: The route opens up around the marina, where boat masts and a quieter waterfront give the ride a different kind of coastal drama.
- Head back north before sunset: Time the return so Santa Monica Pier comes back into view as the sky begins its main event.
For a shorter two-hour outing, keep it simple: ride from Santa Monica Pier through Venice, stop for a drink or snack around Rose Avenue or Main Street, then turn around in time for sunset.
The route is mostly flat, and the hybrid bikes are designed to balance comfort and performance for riders with different experience levels.
Why sunset is the move
Santa Monica has the rare benefit of facing west, so there is no rooftop reservation, canyon hike, or traffic-heavy viewpoint required. You simply look out over the Pacific and wait for the colors to do their thing.
The city’s top-two global ranking credited not only its dramatic shoreline but also the visual combination that has made the pier an L.A. icon: the sun dropping beyond the ocean while the Ferris wheel glows over the beach
A bike lets you experience that transformation in motion. One moment, you are pedaling through bright afternoon light with the ocean sparkling beside you. The next, the palm trees are black cutouts against a peach-and-lavender sky, the air cools down, and the pier looks like it belongs in a movie montage.
What to know before you go
Santa Monica Bike Rentals are available daily through Fever, with choices for a two-hour, four-hour, or day-pass rental for adults and children, with pick-up being at Unlimited Biking Santa Monica, 1431 Ocean Avenue.
From April 1 through October 31, the shop is open from 9 am – 7pm; from November 1 through March 31, hours are 9 am – 5 pm. Riders need to bring a valid ID and credit card, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
To make sunset, aim to begin a four-hour rental in the late afternoon and check the day’s sunset time before heading out. Weekends can be crowded around the pier and Venice, so a little patience goes a long way, especially in the busiest beachfront sections.
🚲 To check out rental options, timetables, and dates for Santa Monica bikes, head here!
