I hadn’t been in LA for too long before my ears picked up the buzzing of chatter about a great place in LA to go shopping, take a date, kick it for a few hours, or simply enjoy a brisk walk surrounded by delightful festivities and entertainment.  This secret spot is known as the Third Street Promenade. “Third Street,” as we locals call it (because we’re hip like that) is actually not so secret because it’s been highly rated as one of the best things to do in Santa Monica.  Just a holler away from Pacific Coast Highway and Wilshire Boulevard, Third Street is located on Santa Monica Boulevard and (yea, you guessed it) Third Street.

A Place for Shop-a-holics
So what’s the hype all about? Basically, you have a cozy little square of great SoCal and non-SoCal shops standing sunshine-radiant, or indoors in the Santa Monica Place mall.  These shops range from all ages and styles like Active, Quiksilver, Urban Outfitters, PacSun, Diesel, Fred Segal, and French Connection to give you just a tasty teaspoon of what’s in this giant pot.  If garment shopping ain’t your game, then my brothers and sisters, you can find salvation within The Apple Store, where I’m sure you won’t buy but play with all the goodies.  Or Borders Books and Music, to feed those artistic and intellectual cravings.  There’s even a crazy Starbucks/record store with a sleek interior bustling with shelves of albums and listening stations.  Pretty cool if you like music and coffee (but I don’t know many people who actually like that kinda stuff).

A Place for Romeos and Juliets
I mentioned dates earlier huh?  I gotta accentuate the very important aspect that Third Street is very appealing to the couple or couple-to-be.  Ideal for a walk on the town when you’re burnt out from the beach (which is only minutes away), but not the sunshine.  And perfect for tenderly caressing the hands of your sweetheart as you stroll through the brisk night air, the streets bursting with the vitality of street performers and musicians.  Alluring fountains, decorative lights handsomely strewn along trees and buildings, and the inescapable romantic ambiance that attracts couples far and wide.  You’ll see herds of them on the street – solo boys and girls, “just friends,” or full-fledged couples – and this is why any lad and lady, young or old, should consider this lovely spot for a daytime or nighttime date.

A Place for Grubbing
Oh, and of course, you’ll find so many different restaurants with eclectic tastes and styles that fit all sized pockets.  Some pricier ones worth the extra cash-money are: Benihana, Abode, Boa Steakhouse, Gaucho Grill, Tengu, and Trastevere Trattoria Italiana. Honestly, there are so many different places and styles that I would recommend taking a walk around Third Street and the adjacent Fourth and Fifth Streets to get an idea of what catches your flavor.