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Spring Break at the Santa Monica Pier

Published on February 28, 2023

You can spend Spring Break in Santa Monica to enjoy the beach, laid-back SoCal vibes, and tasty eats that make California famous.

Spring Break is an unofficial holiday during the spring when the weather is starting to warm up and school students are looking for a respite to break up their busy second semester. Most schools in the United States will halt instruction for a week, while some even close for a full two weeks. During this time, it’s common for parents to take a few days off work for a family vacation. The timing of this will vary from school-to-school, but here at the Santa Monica Pier, Spring Break is typically recognized as the 2 weeks before, and two weeks after the Easter Holiday, as some schools will be out a little earlier, while some international visitors will have their spring travel break a little later, but generally speaking most visitors’ spring break will take place in this 4-week window.

For families with students in middle school or high school, Spring Break is usually a time to pack up the car and road trip to the beach or a national park. Some schools will offer special programs during Spring Break; these include student trips to fun and exciting destinations like Los Angeles, but could also include scholastic and athletic programs such as basketball or baseball tournaments. Oftentimes schools will seek out these types of programs in cities like LA that offer more for students to do outside of the tournament or conference.

For university students, Spring Break is an opportunity to spend times with new friends away from campus. Spring Break is often characterized on TV and in the movies as a week-long party on a sandy beach or shimmering resort pool. While a city as large and populous as LA certainly offers visitors with many options for spring time revelry, you will find that LA is less “party hard” and more “laid back vibes”.

During Spring Break, you will find longer hours and expanded activities at the Santa Monica Pier. Most businesses, restaurants, and bars on the pier will stay open until the Pier is closed (usually around 10 PM). The attractions, including rides at Pacific Park and Playland Arcade, are open until 9 PM, but sometimes later. The pier is a great launch point for your Spring Break activities at Santa Monica Beach: the adjacent Lot 1 North offers nearly 2,000 parking spaces; the Pier and Ocean Front Walk boast a number of bars and restaurants for any budget; the Marvin Baude Bike Path connects Santa Monica to beaches north and south of the pier.

When is Spring Break?

In the United States, Spring Break will take place for 1 or 2 weeks mid-to-late March or April. Each university or school set’s their own Spring Break schedule. There is no set date for Spring Break to begin or end in the US.

When Does UCLA Have Their Spring Break?

LA’s larges university, UCLA provides a few days with no instruction between their Winter and Spring quarters, the week of March 25th, 2023.

When do LA Schools’ Spring Break Start?

There are nearly 80 different school districts in Los Angeles which all set their own academic calendars. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is the second largest school district in the nation with over a half-million students. They break spring instruction for the first week of April (what they call Spring Recess). This year, LAUSD students will be on Spring Break from April 1 – 9, 2023.

What’s Happening at the Santa Monica Pier during Spring Break?

Santa Monica is a year-round destination for laid back beach atmosphere, world-class restaurants, and lavish shopping experiences. Once the winter time rains subsides, the beaches begin to fill in with visitors and locals alike seeking a vast expanse of white sand on which they can picnic and take in the idyllic views of the Los Angeles Bay. Visitors to Santa Monica should plan to hike or bike the beach trail from Will Rogers Beach to Venice, enjoy shopping at the 3rd Street Promenade or Main Street, and plan at least a half day at the Pier for rides, games, and funnel cakes.

Featured image by @sid.balachandran