Guidebook for Santa Monica

Vanessa
Guidebook for Santa Monica

Food Scene

Great local pub with good food- a variety of options. Not too $$. Two blocks from the house.
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Library Alehouse
2911 Main St
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Great local pub with good food- a variety of options. Not too $$. Two blocks from the house.
BEST PIZZA PLACE! Love this pizza. Fun spot for an informal dinner with great food. Fun atmosphere. Well priced. 5 blocks from the house.
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Stella Barra Pizzeria
2000 Main St
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BEST PIZZA PLACE! Love this pizza. Fun spot for an informal dinner with great food. Fun atmosphere. Well priced. 5 blocks from the house.
LOVE these burritos. Great to-go Mexican joint. Cheap. 1.5 blocks from the house
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Holy Guacamole
2906 Main St
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LOVE these burritos. Great to-go Mexican joint. Cheap. 1.5 blocks from the house
Organic coffee. Nice staff. Tiny shop. Good vibe. 1.5 blocks from the house.
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Groundwork Coffee Co.
671 Rose Ave
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Organic coffee. Nice staff. Tiny shop. Good vibe. 1.5 blocks from the house.
One of my favorites local spots to eat. The veggie burger is amazing- even non-meat eaters love it. Rumor has it the lambwich is fantastic. GREAT wine selection. Friendly staff. 6 blocks $$
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Venice Beach Wines
529 Rose Ave
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One of my favorites local spots to eat. The veggie burger is amazing- even non-meat eaters love it. Rumor has it the lambwich is fantastic. GREAT wine selection. Friendly staff. 6 blocks $$
Italian. Really yummy and well priced happy hour that I believe goes all night if you can snag a seat on the right side of the restaurant. Great wine. 6 blocks from house.
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Hostaria Del Piccolo
512 Rose Avenue
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Italian. Really yummy and well priced happy hour that I believe goes all night if you can snag a seat on the right side of the restaurant. Great wine. 6 blocks from house.
Healthy eating with a great patio. A little bit of everything. Good people watching. 4 blocks from my house. $$
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Urth Caffe Santa Monica
2327 Main St
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Healthy eating with a great patio. A little bit of everything. Good people watching. 4 blocks from my house. $$
Italian. High end. Some of the best Italian in the city. Wonderful intimate atmosphere. Feels very Italian. Two blocks from my house. Expensive.
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Via Veneto
3009 Main St
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Italian. High end. Some of the best Italian in the city. Wonderful intimate atmosphere. Feels very Italian. Two blocks from my house. Expensive.
Really good coffee. Pretty relaxing atmosphere. A 2 block walk from my house
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Espresso Cielo
3101 Main St
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Really good coffee. Pretty relaxing atmosphere. A 2 block walk from my house
Awesome restaurant. Unique plates. Delicious and cool atmosphere. Roughly 6 blocks from the house. Expensive.
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Superba Snack Bar
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Awesome restaurant. Unique plates. Delicious and cool atmosphere. Roughly 6 blocks from the house. Expensive.
Some people love it! 1 block from the house.
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The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
2901 Main St
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Some people love it! 1 block from the house.
If you are Starbucks drinker you are in luck because this is HALF A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE.
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Starbucks
12100 Santa Monica Blvd
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If you are Starbucks drinker you are in luck because this is HALF A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE.
Love this Mexican joint. 1 block away. Never a wait. Good bar too if you want to watch sports and/or have a more festive night. Well priced.
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Lula Cocina Mexicana
2720 Main St
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Love this Mexican joint. 1 block away. Never a wait. Good bar too if you want to watch sports and/or have a more festive night. Well priced.
GREAT Italian. Fun atmosphere but also romantic. In an old converted house. Expensive. 4 to 5 blocks from the house.
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Barrique
796 Main St
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GREAT Italian. Fun atmosphere but also romantic. In an old converted house. Expensive. 4 to 5 blocks from the house.
People love this place! Coffee and great food & pastries. 2 blocks from the house.
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Amelia's Espresso & Panini
2645 Main St
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People love this place! Coffee and great food & pastries. 2 blocks from the house.
Very high end Italian. Really good food but crazy expensive.
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Capo
1810 Ocean Ave
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Very high end Italian. Really good food but crazy expensive.
Organic food and fun bar scene. Right on the beach. 4 blocks from the house.
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The Commons Ale House
129 Broadway
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Organic food and fun bar scene. Right on the beach. 4 blocks from the house.
Wolf Gang Puck's restaurant. Spendy but fun. Literally behind my house.
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Chinois On Main
2709 Main St
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Wolf Gang Puck's restaurant. Spendy but fun. Literally behind my house.
Sweet little panini shop right behind my house. Well priced.
Panini Garden
2715 Main St
Sweet little panini shop right behind my house. Well priced.
A local favorite. Good happy hour. Crowd can be a little cheesy sometimes but the food is great as are the cocktails.
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Chaya
110 Navy St
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A local favorite. Good happy hour. Crowd can be a little cheesy sometimes but the food is great as are the cocktails.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN LA! Call as soon as you get to my house to make a reservation as it's difficult to get in. Or try your luck at the communal table. It's worth it.
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Gjelina Take Away
1427 Abbot Kinney Blvd
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ONE OF MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN LA! Call as soon as you get to my house to make a reservation as it's difficult to get in. Or try your luck at the communal table. It's worth it.
A little taste of Gjelina without the wait of a table. Great for lunch or picnics. Also have awesome breakfasts. A good stroll in the morning...about 20 to 25 minute walk.
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Gjelina Take Away
1427 Abbot Kinney Blvd
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A little taste of Gjelina without the wait of a table. Great for lunch or picnics. Also have awesome breakfasts. A good stroll in the morning...about 20 to 25 minute walk.
Another one of my favorites. Expensive but good. Hard to get a reservation but try or walk in and try and sit at the bar.
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The Tasting Kitchen
1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd
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Another one of my favorites. Expensive but good. Hard to get a reservation but try or walk in and try and sit at the bar.
A newer restaurant to Venice and really good.
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Salt Air
1616 Abbot Kinney Blvd
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A newer restaurant to Venice and really good.
Old school restaurant and bar. GREAT food. Fun people watching. They have music some nights but I'm not sure when. Fun to sit at the bar and take in the eclectic crowd.
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Hal's Bar and Grill
1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd
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Old school restaurant and bar. GREAT food. Fun people watching. They have music some nights but I'm not sure when. Fun to sit at the bar and take in the eclectic crowd.
I like this place a lot for lunch. Some people love it for all meals- brunch and dinner included. Healthy but fun dishes. Pretty garden in the back.
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Axe
1009 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
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I like this place a lot for lunch. Some people love it for all meals- brunch and dinner included. Healthy but fun dishes. Pretty garden in the back.
Fun tapas bar. Great atmosphere and fun staff. Sangria!
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Hal's Bar and Grill
1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd
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Fun tapas bar. Great atmosphere and fun staff. Sangria!
Behind my house on Main St. You can get slices too. Their spinach salad is great. Cheap.
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Ashland Hill
2807 Main St
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Behind my house on Main St. You can get slices too. Their spinach salad is great. Cheap.
GREAT pizza slices. Or full pizza if you like. Try the salad pizza!
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Abbot's Pizza Company
1407 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
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GREAT pizza slices. Or full pizza if you like. Try the salad pizza!
We order delivery from this place all the time and LOVE it. Fast delivery and really well priced AND delicious.
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Tandoor-India
2622 Pico Blvd
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We order delivery from this place all the time and LOVE it. Fast delivery and really well priced AND delicious.
GREAT indian. 10 minute drive away.
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Akbar
3115 Washington Blvd
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GREAT indian. 10 minute drive away.
Super healthy- raw or vegan food but everyone loves it! It's a pretty atmosphere...they might take themselves too seriously on the happy spiritual front but it really is a great place.
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Cafe Gratitude
512 Rose Ave
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Super healthy- raw or vegan food but everyone loves it! It's a pretty atmosphere...they might take themselves too seriously on the happy spiritual front but it really is a great place.
Sausage kitchen! Soooo good and fun. And if you go early it's kid friendly. Vegetarian pizzas too and great beer and wine.
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Wurstküche Restaurant Venice Beach
625 Lincoln Blvd
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Sausage kitchen! Soooo good and fun. And if you go early it's kid friendly. Vegetarian pizzas too and great beer and wine.
Pretty outdoor patio for dining.
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Areal Restaurant
2820 Main Street
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Pretty outdoor patio for dining.
Don't let the 80's decor fool you; this is great Italian. Amazing happy hour and great dinners.
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La Vecchia Cucina
2654 Main St
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Don't let the 80's decor fool you; this is great Italian. Amazing happy hour and great dinners.
Fun coffee shop.
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Dogtown Coffee
2003 Main St
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Fun coffee shop.
Fun and small tapas restaurant. You can also take your own wine.
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Manchego
2518 Main St
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Fun and small tapas restaurant. You can also take your own wine.

Essentials

Great store. Organic and health food focused. I buy all my staples here. They make great juices too! 2 blocks from the house.
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One Life Natural Foods
3001 Main Street
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Great store. Organic and health food focused. I buy all my staples here. They make great juices too! 2 blocks from the house.
A really nice and big Whole Foods.
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Whole Foods Market
225 Lincoln Blvd
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A really nice and big Whole Foods.

Drinks & Nightlife

Great sports bar but not grungy at all. Classy and fun. Good food too...worth going just for a meal. Medium priced.
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Brick + Mortar
2435 Main St
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Great sports bar but not grungy at all. Classy and fun. Good food too...worth going just for a meal. Medium priced.
Bar hotel scene. Cool outdoor pool
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Viceroy Santa Monica
1819 Ocean Ave
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Bar hotel scene. Cool outdoor pool
EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT they have food trucks at the Victorian. So fun. 1.5 blocks away.
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The Victorian
2640 Main St
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EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT they have food trucks at the Victorian. So fun. 1.5 blocks away.
One of my favorite "dive" bars. It has a boat on the front of the bar & sawdust on the floor so it's bound to be awesome. . Fun local crowd. Always great people watching. 3.5 blocks from the hous
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The Galley
2442 Main St
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One of my favorite "dive" bars. It has a boat on the front of the bar & sawdust on the floor so it's bound to be awesome. . Fun local crowd. Always great people watching. 3.5 blocks from the hous
This is a hotel but the lobby bar is a wonderful place to catch the sunset.
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Shutters on the Beach
1 Pico Blvd
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This is a hotel but the lobby bar is a wonderful place to catch the sunset.
This is a hotel but they have an amazing lobby/bar. It's a great place to see the sunset.
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Hotel Casa del Mar
1910 Ocean Way
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This is a hotel but they have an amazing lobby/bar. It's a great place to see the sunset.
This is everything...a true French Cafe- it's a bar, it's a restaurant and it's a cafe. Go there for any meal or just a glass of wine or cup of coffee. You won't be disappointed. Fun local scene.
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Zinqué
1440 Lincoln Blvd
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This is everything...a true French Cafe- it's a bar, it's a restaurant and it's a cafe. Go there for any meal or just a glass of wine or cup of coffee. You won't be disappointed. Fun local scene.
Awesome salty bar. Fun place to eat though the food is only so-so but the atmosphere makes up for it.
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Chez Jay
1657 Ocean Ave
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Awesome salty bar. Fun place to eat though the food is only so-so but the atmosphere makes up for it.
Great bar. Cool music.
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Basement Tavern
2640 Main St
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Great bar. Cool music.
I'm not really a bar person anymore but this used to be fun. Gets crowded though.
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Circle Bar
2926 Main St
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I'm not really a bar person anymore but this used to be fun. Gets crowded though.

Everything Else

Great spa! 2 blocks from the house.
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Raven Spa
208 Pier Ave
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Great spa! 2 blocks from the house.
AWESOME Farmer's Market. Every Sunday. Great for family outings or just your weekly shopping. Good breakfast booths. All organic. Live music and animal petting zoo for the kids.
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Santa Monica Sunday Main Street Farmers Markets
2640 Main St
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AWESOME Farmer's Market. Every Sunday. Great for family outings or just your weekly shopping. Good breakfast booths. All organic. Live music and animal petting zoo for the kids.
This street was recently named "the hippest street in America". This might be a good thing, might be a bad thing. It is busier than it used to be but it has a ton of great shops and restaurants.
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Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
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This street was recently named "the hippest street in America". This might be a good thing, might be a bad thing. It is busier than it used to be but it has a ton of great shops and restaurants.
Cheap mani/pedi. And fast. 1 block away.
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Main Attraction Nail & Spa
2654 Main St
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Cheap mani/pedi. And fast. 1 block away.
Yoga!
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YogaWorks Main St
2215 Main St
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Yoga!
Yoga!
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Exhale Los Angeles - Venice
245 S Main St
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Yoga!
SUCH good fresh and healthy thai. Cheap!
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Thai Vegan
2400 Main St
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SUCH good fresh and healthy thai. Cheap!

Shopping

Local furniture/home store. Run by Jessica & Asher. Lovely people.
Weego Home
3792 Beethoven St
Local furniture/home store. Run by Jessica & Asher. Lovely people.
Outdoor mall.
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Apple Third Street Promenade
1415 3rd Street Promenade
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Outdoor mall.
Great clothing store. Women's and Men's. Run by Christine who is amazing.
hiptique
2727 Main St
Great clothing store. Women's and Men's. Run by Christine who is amazing.
If you have a craving!
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Ben & Jerry’s
2441 Main St
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If you have a craving!

Sightseeing

Fun for kids. Great ferris wheel. A fun walk from the house or quick drive.
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Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica Pier
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Fun for kids. Great ferris wheel. A fun walk from the house or quick drive.