It is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long and has parks, picnic areas, playgrounds, restrooms, as well as staffed lifeguard stations, the Muscle Beach, bike rentals, concessions, a few hotels, a bike path, and wooden pathways for beachgoers with disabilities.

[7][8][9] In November, 2023, the city announced a plan to restore an additional 5-acre section (2.0 ha) of beach north of the pier into a native coastal strand habitat.

[10] The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has developed a safe eating advisory for fish caught in the Santa Monica Beach based on levels of mercury or PCBs found in local species.

For military personnel killed within the week past, flag draped coffins with blue crosses are positioned in front.

The Arlington West Memorial, a project of Veterans For Peace, is intended to offer visitors a graceful, visually and emotionally powerful, place for reflection.