Belonging to the city of Santa Monica, we find Palisades Park, a public park situated along Ocean Avenue atop a sedimentary terrace with sensational views of the Pacific Ocean and the coastal mountains. The park stretches for 1.5 miles from the Santa Monica Pier in the south to Adelaide Drive in the north. This elongated linear park is lined with over 30 species of plants and trees, including eucalyptus, yate, pine, palm trees, and fig trees.
The park includes benches, picnic areas, bocce courts, restrooms, and the historic Camera Obscura of Santa Monica. The park has two stone monuments with plaques honoring two renowned tree experts, George Hastings and Grace Heintz, who wrote their respective books on the trees of Santa Monica, covering five decades from 1944 to 1989, providing us with five reference studies to understand the history and geography of not only this park’s urban forest but also the trees throughout Santa Monica and its surroundings.
A bust of Arcadia Bandini is located in the park’s rose garden. A nearby wooden sculpture titled Gestation III is noted for its alignment with the sunset on the winter solstice. At the park’s north end, a distinctive totem pole donated to the city in 1926 honors Native American heritage. Cannons are on display at the park’s southern end. Near the California Incline—an intriguing inclined road that connects Ocean Avenue with the Pacific Coast Highway—a sculpture named Overlook Beacon evokes a sailing ship with a mast and wooden deck.
A pleasant stroll through Palisades Park at dusk provides visitors with a very special light and spectacular sunsets. It is also an ideal place for picnicking or taking a few moments to relax.
